A Homily on John 3:22–30 : The Medicine for JEALOUSY (10-1-26)

A unique reflection on John 3:22–30, showing how God heals jealousy by teaching us to rejoice when another grows. (10-1-25)

Praise be to Jesus Christ 

A young disciple lived with a guru for many years. He listened carefully, served sincerely, and slowly people began to respect him. Whenever the guru taught, this disciple helped others understand his words. After some time, another disciple arrived. He was intelligent, spoke clearly, and impressed many. Slowly, people began to gather around the new disciple. They said his words touched their hearts. What once gave the first disciple joy now began to trouble his own heart. One evening, he came to the guru and said, People no longer come to me. They go to him now. Send him away, or I will go away myself. The guru looked at him with compassion and said, I see that your work has grown, but your heart is still learning. Do not fear becoming smaller; only the brave can rejoice when others grow. The disciple stood in silence. For the first time, he understood that losing attention is not losing meaning, and that real growth begins when the heart learns to rejoice in the growth of others. This joy, freely given and without envy, is the touchstone of true spiritual growth.

There is a saying that there is no medicine for baldness and jealousy. Science may one day solve baldness. But the medicine for jealousy is already given by God. This is what we see in today’s Gospel, when John the Baptist, hearing that people were going to Jesus, says, “My joy is complete” (John 3:29). It is the grace to let another grow without bitterness.

Jealousy is not loud anger, but it is silent sadness over another person’s blessing. That is why it is so dangerous. We are rarely jealous of people far away, but when grace touches someone close, someone who works with us, prays with us, or lives with us, the heart begins to struggle. The pain does not come from their success, but it comes from our comparison.

The Bible never hides this truth. In the Old Testament, Cain did not hate Abel because Abel was evil. He hated him because God accepted Abel’s offering. Joseph’s brothers did not betray him because he was cruel. They betrayed him because he was loved. Saul did not chase David because David harmed him. He chased him because David was praised. Jealousy always begins when we stop looking at God’s plan and start measuring ourselves against others.

John the Baptist stood at the same dangerous point. His own disciples came to him with words filled with comparison and anxiety. They said, Rabbi, the one who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness, here he is baptising, and all are going to him (John 3:26). This was not just information, but an invitation to jealousy. People were leaving John and his work seemed to be shrinking. This is exactly the moment when jealousy usually enters the heart. But John had already taken the medicine.  So he does not argue or does not defend himself. He simply says, My joy is complete (John 3:29). Joy did not leave him when people left him because his joy was never built on numbers or recognition. It was built on God’s plan being fulfilled.

John knew one truth clearly. He knew who he was, and he knew who he was not. He knew that he was not the centre. When a person accepts this truth, jealousy loses its power. When a person resists it, even success cannot give peace.

In family life, jealousy quietly destroys love. When one child is praised, another feels ignored. When one member is trusted more, another feels small. Slowly words change. Silence becomes heavy and prayer becomes dry. Not because God has left the home, but because comparison has entered the heart.

In religious and priestly life, jealousy is even more dangerous because it hides behind service. We continue working, preaching, teaching, but joy disappears. And when joy disappears, people notice it immediately.

A saint who lived today’s Gospel deeply was Saint Therese of Lisieux. She saw others praised for talents she did not have. She felt the pain honestly, but she chose joy over jealousy. She wrote that she would be happy in heaven knowing that God is glorified, even if she remained hidden. That choice kept her heart free.

The word we fear today is decrease. We think it means failure, however, in God’s language, it means freedom. When ego decreases, joy increases, when comparison decreases, peace increases, and when self decreases, God increases. Joy comes not from being first, but from letting God’s plan move forward. Let your heart rejoice when another grows.

Jesus, let me find joy in another’s growth.

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