Expert: Charlie B - 9/18/2010

Question
How does one deal with jealousy?

Answer
Kevin,
Thanks for your question.  When you say 'jealousy,' do you mean jealousy of a neighbor with a bigger house or nicer car, or do you mean jealousy of a female for which you have affection?

Let's take up both:  every morning when you rise and every evening before your retire, "count your blessings, not your troubles."  Seriously, start and end your day with all of the many blessings that you have -- the good things in your life for which you likely take for granted.

If you're jealous over a woman, are you two married?   If not, it's natural to feel some jealousy when she acts as if you're #2 or #3 man in her life.  If you are, then love her in ways that says that she's the only woman in your life -- and don't take her for granted.

An effective technique when you feel jealous is to redirect your thoughts on to something else -- like her past love of you, or her beauty.  You can control what you choose to think about and dwell upon.  Jealousy is a feeling that the evil one loves for you to feel, so your prayer life is important.  How rich or poor is your personal prayer life?

Lastly, go to Mass each and every Sunday.  With the Eucharist, you better able to counter the evil feelings of jealousy.  Without God in our lives, we're more susceptible to the lower side of our humanity.
God bless,
Charlie