“Jealousy arises easily in our hearts.
In the parable of the prodigal son, the elder son is jealous that his younger brother gets such a royal welcome even though he and his loose women swallowed up his father’s property (Luke 15:30).
But the Father says to the older son: “You are with me always and all I have is yours” (Luke 15:31).
And in the parable of the laborers in the vineyard, the workers who worked the whole day are jealous that those who came at the eleventh hour receive the same pay as they did (see Matthew 20:1-16).
And the landowner says: “Why should you be envious because I am generous?” (Matthew 20:15).
When we truly enjoy God’s unlimited generosity, we will be grateful for what our brothers and sisters receive. Jealous will simply have no place in our hearts.”
Henri Nouwen in Bread for the Journey entry for July 6 (SanFrancisco: Harper, 1997).