Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Story of the tow jealous men:

Once, two businessmen were very jealous of each other. Whenever one sold something, the other felt he had to sell even more. If one opened a store, the other would open two. One day, an angel appeared to one of them and said, “You can ask for anything, but your rival will get double what you ask for.”

The businessman thought, “If I ask for 1 million dollars, my rival will get 2 million.” Consumed by jealousy, he decided he didn’t want anything good for himself; he just wanted to hurt his opponent. So when the angel returned, he said, “I’m willing to go blind in one eye!” This meant his rival would be blind in both. He felt satisfied, thinking he still came out ahead.

This story reminds us of how jealousy can cloud our judgment and lead to harmful choices. Envy is one of the seven capital sins, which means being sad for the good of others. Instead of seeking good, the businessman chose a negative path. Jealousy can be the root of many sins, blocking us from seeing the good in others. In today’s readings, we see people complaining to Moses about the good things others have done. Moses asked them, “Are you jealous for my sake?” Even Jesus’ disciples complained about others doing good. Jealousy often leads people to tear each other down rather than lift each other up, and it can even block our path to salvation.

Politics and social media:

I don't want to focus on politics, but if we look at the world today, especially here in this country, we can see how relevant this message is. If you observe social media during elections, you may notice it is filled with negativity, hatred, and jealousy. Many people share bad news instead of good, driven by jealousy to defeat their rivals. The real victims are the people who are affected by this negativity. Those who consume this news often believe everything they hear and may act in harmful ways.

Experience of growing up in communist country:

elections didn’t matter much because the government controlled everything. While that had its issues, I didn’t experience as much negativity during election seasons as we do here.

Comparison between communist Vietnam and American

I know how tough that communist system can be. And I do not want this country to go back that way. When I compare my home to this country, I feel incredibly blessed to be here. I've lived here for over six years, and I’ve seen so many amazing things—your culture, your resources, and especially the wonderful people. You all have a strong moral foundation.

One area we need to improve more:

You are amazing. However, there is one area I feel we need to improve more and more: Seeing each other in the eyes of Christ and being another Christ for others;

we often don’t see each other as God sees us. We sometimes forget to look at others through the eyes of Christ, and we miss opportunities to show His love.

If we treat each other as Christ does, we can overcome our jealousy, disagreements, and differences—no matter our political views. Today’s Gospel invites us to recognize the good in each other, as Christ did and helps us respect and love one another.

A call to respect, love and recognize the goodness and God’s works in others

As we approach the elections, let’s remember to respect each other, appreciate the good that others do, and avoid jealousy. Good people are everywhere, and God can work through all of us. As St. Teresa of Calcutta said, “Wherever there is caring love, there is God.”

We should see one another as God’s beloved children, the image and likeness of God, not enemies.

Let’s always recognize the good things others do and the gifts they share. Let’s see each other through Christ's eyes and strive to be a reflection of His love.

May God bless us all.