Comparison, Jealousy, & Seeking Peace

Depending on when and where you are attending mass today, you will hear a longer or shorter version of St. Paul’s reflection on how we are many parts of the same body.

There are many different lessons that we can take from this famous passage, but one that stood out to me as I was reading through it; the danger with comparison. St. Paul writes that the body needs all of its different parts, with their different uses and functions, to be a whole and healthy body.

If an ear thinks that because it is not an eye then it does not belong to the body, where would the sense of hearing be? One part should not be sad that it isn’t something else.

This is a trap that all of us can fall into. We look at the life, gifts, and opportunities that other people have, and we wish that we had those same opportunities too. There is nothing wrong with admiring the way other people use their own giftedness, but it becomes a problem when it causes us to miss out on our own blessings.

When we become focused on what we lack, we miss out on all we do have. “Comparison is the thief of joy.” Comparison often has another bad side effect. If we neglect our own gifts and opportunities in favor of wishing for others, we deprive our whole community of them. If the eye refuses to see and instead chases after hearing, the body will be left blind.

It is important to take time reflecting on just what gifts, opportunities, and experiences God has given us. First so that we can be grateful for them and second, so that we can use them for the betterment of the body, the Church.

If you find yourself feeling dissatisfied with your own role in the body, consider asking God to show you your gifts and ask him how he wants you to use them. Pray for the heart to be truly grateful for both the gifts of others as well as your own!