What To Do When Envy Bites

                           'In this land of exile, when our path is often steep and rugged,
                           a word of encouragement... is an untold treasure.
                           Let us then be quick to see the good done
                           by those with whom we live,
                           especially in the case of those whose talents and attractions
                           are superior to our own.
                           Maybe we have basked in the sunshine of approval and appreciation
                           till another comes along and puts us in the shade.
                           Let us beware, then, of envy with its killing power,
                           its positive fury, the sharpness of its tooth, the depth of its bite....
                           When we feel we are put on one side,
                           and another who takes our place is much more loved and appreciated,
                           let us not only love and thank God for it all,
                           but pray fervently that God will bless that other,
                           and make her work a great success for His glory.'

(from Fervorinos From Galilee's Hills, compiled by a Religious, Pelligrini, Australia, 1936, pp. 110-111)

Painting: Degas, danseuses