Jealousy

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Anglewannabe

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Does anyone know form a Catholic perspective the cause of jealously? For example, anger is often referred to as an emotion to cover hurt. What does jealousy stem from?

Also, what are some ‘saintly’ solutions to over coming jealousy?

I need to be honest, I was out at a friends house and this one woman her 25 year old daughter was home for a visit and joined us. She was a very nice and pleasant person to be around. I felt very jealous of her because she seemed to have everything on the outside that I wanted. I spent the evening telling myself I was not being charitable and I needed to change that. I was friendly to her on the outside but felt two faced.

What are solutions to overcoming these things. Thank God, he gave me to strength to be polite to her on the outside

Angie
 
+JMJ+
Anglewannabe said:
Does anyone know form a Catholic perspective the cause of jealously? For example, anger is often referred to as an emotion to cover hurt. What does jealousy stem from?

Also, what are some ‘saintly’ solutions to over coming jealousy?

I need to be honest, I was out at a friends house and this one woman her 25 year old daughter was home for a visit and joined us. She was a very nice and pleasant person to be around. I felt very jealous of her because she seemed to have everything on the outside that I wanted. I spent the evening telling myself I was not being charitable and I needed to change that. I was friendly to her on the outside but felt two faced.

What are solutions to overcoming these things. Thank God, he gave me to strength to be polite to her on the outside

Angie
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Well first of all, there is a difference between jealousy and envy.

Jealousy describes a man’s desire to keep what is rightfully his, whereas envy pertains to someone who wishes he possessed the property of another. For example, a jealous husband is one who does not want anybody else taking his wife, but an envious husband would be one who wished that someone else’s wife was his.

stlouisreview.com/article/2012-07-18/jealousy-or-envy

Jealousy can sometimes be not sinful; God Himself is a jealous god after all. However, envy always is.

Envy is when you are sad for somebody else’s happiness. From that definition, it is easy to find the solution to it ---- though sometimes it is not easy to do, let me tell you! 😦 ---- be happy for your neighbors’ happiness. Pray for them, and rejoice with them. Specifically, the virtue against envy is kindness.

And indeed, it seems you have been kind to the lady, no matter your feelings deep down inside. Good work 👍
 
Well, one might argue that it comes out of a distrust for God.

We see that someone possesses a good that we do not possess or possesses it in greater measure, and it makes us angry or somewhat sad when we see them possessing a particular good.

The standard practice is to figure out the opposing virtue to the vice and practice that virtue…if only my brain was working properly at this late hour!! (ok, lame excuse, but it’s the best i can do right now).

I think one thing you could do is try and thank God for giving this young woman the gifts he has given to her and at the same time working harder to keep in mind and be grateful for the gifts God has given to you.

Hope that helps a little, Angie.
 
Alternately, catholic thought attributes all the vices as having a common source.: concupiscence, which is lust of the eyes (greed fits under this category), lust of the flesh, and pride of life. Well, now I think about it the 3rd applies somewhat, too, it seems.
 
Anglewannabe said:
Does anyone know form a Catholic perspective the cause of jealously? For example, anger is often referred to as an emotion to cover hurt. What does jealousy stem from?

Also, what are some ‘saintly’ solutions to over coming jealousy?

I need to be honest, I was out at a friends house and this one woman her 25 year old daughter was home for a visit and joined us. She was a very nice and pleasant person to be around. I felt very jealous of her because she seemed to have everything on the outside that I wanted. I spent the evening telling myself I was not being charitable and I needed to change that. I was friendly to her on the outside but felt two faced.

What are solutions to overcoming these things. Thank God, he gave me to strength to be polite to her on the outside

Angie
Click to expand...
 
Anglewannabe said:
Does anyone know form a Catholic perspective the cause of jealously? For example, anger is often referred to as an emotion to cover hurt. What does jealousy stem from?

Also, what are some ‘saintly’ solutions to over coming jealousy?

I need to be honest, I was out at a friends house and this one woman her 25 year old daughter was home for a visit and joined us. She was a very nice and pleasant person to be around. I felt very jealous of her because she seemed to have everything on the outside that I wanted. I spent the evening telling myself I was not being charitable and I needed to change that. I was friendly to her on the outside but felt two faced.

What are solutions to overcoming these things. Thank God, he gave me to strength to be polite to her on the outside

Angie
Click to expand...
You are describing envy between you and the woman I believe. Envy is caused by a lack of charity. God bless you.
 
Thanks for pointing out the difference between jealousy and envy
 
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