As human beings, at times we cannot but compare ourselves with others. Why do they have such a nice house? Where did they get all their money? Look at her, beauty, and brains. Why is she so popular and the favorite of the boss?
When we compare ourselves to others, many things happen to us:
- First, we become unhappy because we see what is lacking
- Second, we become ungrateful because we forget to be thankful that we have our own blessings
- Third, we become envious, wishing that we had the blessings of other people.
In the Gospel, Jesus gets mad at Bethsaida, Chorazin, and Capernaum. They were so blessed in experiencing the presence, teachings, and miracles of Christ but it did not make them better people.
Whether in abundance or simplicity, the Lord has blessed us with life and three things for which we are responsible for:
- Our life has a purpose. All of us are here because God has given us a mission/purpose/calling. We are responsible for finding this purpose and being faithful to it.
- Our life is made meaningful with the things God has blessed us with – time, talent, and treasure. Each person is blessed according to his or her own calling. My friend and I may be both priests, yet our lives and circumstances are still very much different. Hence, God has blessed us differently. The lesson learned is never to compare our lives with others.
- Our life is blessed with relationships. It starts with the family. Then we have friends, officemates, churchmates, and from all our social endeavors. The depth of each relationship depends on how much time we invest. This includes, loving, giving, receiving, and forgiving.
That is why in every Mass we thank God for our life. There is a saying:
What we are is God’s gift to us. What we become is our gift to God.
Whoever we are in this life: we have a purpose, we have blessings, and we have relationships.
3 Ways 2 Your 1 God 