Dearest Goddaughter (LTR-37) - Saul and Darth Vader

Dearest Goddaughter,

Jealousy blinds us to the goodness of others. Saul became jealous of David because the people credited him with slewing ten thousands while Saul only thousands. Jealousy leads us to do irrational things. Saul had the intention to kill David out of jealous rage. However, God puts people in our lives to help us overcome temptation and sin. For Saul, it was his son, Jonathan, who had the courage to stand up to his father and his king and reminded him of what God did through David.

When we do God's work and bring others to Him, there may even be some who might become jealous of our success. Throughout the Gospels, we hear about how the Pharisees and Sadducees were jealous of the great works that Jesus was doing with his preaching, teaching, and healing. He gained a large following and brought many people to his Father in heaven. In moments when we are jealous of another, we must remind ourselves that we are on the same team, serving the same God. We pray that we surround ourselves with people who hold us accountable and have the courage to point out our waywardness, just like Jonathan did for his father, Saul.

In the Star Wars saga, Jedi Master Yoda warns that Anakin Skywalker's fear would lead to anger, anger to hate, and hate to suffering. We saw all that as Anakin Skywalker is transformed into Darth Vader. In the midst of his going over to the Dark Side, he was also jealous of his Master Obi-won Kenobi. The only difference between Saul and Anakin Skywalker is, the former listened to his son, Jonathan, while the latter refused to listen to his master and friend. Let us listen to God and those who He puts in our lives to guide us on the right path to holiness.

Love,

Bỏ Phúc

P.S. These are the readings for the day: 1 Sm 18:6-9; 19:1-7 and Mk 3:7-12 (below).

. . .

Jesus withdrew toward the sea with his disciples.

A large number of people followed from Galilee and from Judea.

Hearing what he was doing,

a large number of people came to him also from Jerusalem,

from Idumea, from beyond the Jordan,

and from the neighborhood of Tyre and Sidon.

He told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd,

so that they would not crush him.

He had cured many and, as a result, those who had diseases

were pressing upon him to touch him.

And whenever unclean spirits saw him they would fall down before him

and shout, “You are the Son of God.”

He warned them sternly not to make him known.