Jealousy and pride are at the root of many sins. Lucifer was proud and jealous of God and rebelled against God, which transformed Lucifer from a beautiful angel into a wicked demon. Adam and Eve were jealous of God and wanted to become gods themselves and thus believed the words of the father of lies (the serpent) and ate the forbidden fruit, which resulted in them being cast out of the Garden of Eden. Cain was jealous of Abel which ultimately resulted in the first murder. I can go on and on but you get the point.
Are you the jealous type? Imagine this scenario, you have just received your final exam grade. You got a D. You find out that your friends all got As, how do you feel? Are you jealous or happy for them? What if your friends all got Ds, like you, are you more comforted by your low score?
We need to train ourselves to be happy for others. We always want to cry out WHY ME? But we need to resist this temptation. The devil loves to use our jealousy.... don't let him. Here is a beautiful prayer that you should consider praying:
THE LITANY OF HUMILITY (by Rafael Cardinal Merry del Val)
O Jesus! meek and humble of heart, Hear me.
From the desire of being esteemed, deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being loved, deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being extolled, deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being honored, deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being praised, deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being preferred to others, deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being consulted, deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being approved, deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being humiliated, deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being despised, deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of suffering rebukes, deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being calumniated, deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being forgotten, deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being ridiculed, deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being wronged, deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being suspected, deliver me, Jesus.
That others may be loved more than I, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be esteemed more than I, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That, in the opinion of the world, others may increase and I may decrease, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be chosen and I set aside, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be praised and I unnoticed, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be preferred to me in everything, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
