Envy: The Joy-Stealing Sin | Fr. Will Rooney | 4th Sunday of Lent Luke 10:41

Key Takeaways Envy is sorrow at another person’s good. Envy twists the desire for joy and friendship. Comparison becomes dangerous when we believe God’s grace is scarce. David and Jonathan model freedom from envy through trust in God. Our weaknesses can become places where God’s glory is revealed. The cure for envy is security in our identity as beloved sons and daughters of God. Description Why do the gifts, success, or blessings of other people sometimes make us sad rather than joyful? In this homily for the Fourth Sunday of Lent, Fr. Will reflects on the Gospel healing of the man born blind and connects it to the deadly sin of envy. Envy is not simply wanting what someone else has. More deeply, it is sorrow at another’s good — the painful sense that someone else’s blessing somehow diminishes us. This temptation often grows in the soil of insecurity, comparison, and the false belief that God’s love is limited. But the Christian life reveals something different: God’s grace is not a zero-sum game. The gifts of others do not threaten us, and even our own weaknesses can become places where the works of God are made visible. Drawing on the stories of David, Saul, and Jonathan, this homily shows that freedom from envy comes through confidence in God’s love. When we know we are chosen, loved, and guided by the Good Shepherd, we can rejoice in the gifts of others and trust God with our own path.
  1. Envy: The Joy-Stealing Sin | Fr. Will Rooney | 4th Sunday of Lent
  2. Living Water for the Wounded Heart: Lust and the Woman at the Well | Fr. Will Rooney | 3rd Sunday of Lent
  3. That They May Have Life | Part 4 – The Fifth Commandment: Life, Justice, and the Christian Citizen
  4. Rise and Do Not Be Afraid: The Transfiguration, Zeal, and Sloth | Fr. Will Rooney | 2nd Sunday of Lent
  5. Hungry for More: Gluttony & Greed | Dcn. Chris Haberberger | 1st Sunday of Lent

Thanks to Fr. James Swift, CM my rector from Holy Trinity Seminary for teaching me the origin of the term “hobo.” My friend Br. Elijah Dubek was also inspired by Fr. Jim.

Two hobos walking along railroad tracks, after being put off a train. One carries a bindle.

Questions to Ponder:

  1. Do you long for heaven? How do you actively seek the kingdom of heaven?
  2. What are the sources of aniexty in your life? How do you these things take away your peace?
  3. What can you do to remind yourself each day that you are made for heaven?

Readings from the EF

Published by Fr. Will Rooney

Fr. Will Rooney was baptized at St. Anthony’s Parish in Bryan, TX where his parents had been married. He has two younger brothers, David and Travis. Will received his First Communion at St. Anthony’s and around that time began to think about becoming a priest. Will was confirmed at St. Thomas Aquinas in May 2006. During high school, he actively participated in the parish youth group and was involved in robotics competitions. He and his brothers also raised poultry for 4-H and FFA projects. Upon graduation from A&M Consolidated High School in 2009, Will studied Biological and Agricultural Engineering at Texas A&M University. While at A&M, he worked as a Middle School youth minister and felt a growing desire toward the priesthood. In his senior year at A&M, he decided to apply for seminary, was accepted, and began attending Holy Trinity Seminary for pre-theology after he graduated. Two years later, Will was sent to St. Mary’s Seminary in Houston for theological studies. He served his pastoral year at St. Louis, King of France, Catholic Church and School in Austin (2017-2018). He was ordained to the Diaconate May 18, 2019, and served his deacon year at Our Lady of the Visitation in Lockhart, TX. He was ordained to the priesthood June 27, 2020 currently ministers at St. Mary Cathedral in Austin.

Leave a comment