Day 3: Love Is Not Jealous

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ove is not jealous. In Greek mythology, Ζῆλος (Zēlos) was the daimon who personified dedication, emulation, eager rivalry or envy. The English "zealous" came from his name evoking warmth of feeling either for or against–positive or negative. In a positive sense, it means eager striving, enthusiasm or praise. Negatively, it means ill will or envy (Strong's Greek 2206). This distinction is important because the original word ζηλοῖ (zēloi) the verb form for Ζῆλος (Zēlos) is translated as "jealous" and it is used sometimes of God, e.g., “You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God” (Exodus 20:4-5). This type of jealousy is not ill will. Rather, it is entirely appropriate to feel jealous for something that God declares to belong to Him–worship, praise, honor and adoration–because only God is truly worthy of these. This is the same notion of jealousy when St Paul says, “I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy...” (2 Corinthians 11:2).

It is entirely different when it is used to describe the sin of jealousy (Galatians 5:20) or the act of envying someone who has something we do not have. Think of the time you felt jealous or envious of another person because he or she has a nice car or home. Or that time when you envied somebody with a talent that you do not have. Another example, from the film "WW 1984," would be Diana's insecure gemologist colleague, Barbara Minerva, who is jealous of Diana because of her beauty and superhero strength. Barbara's jealousy led to selfish and villainous desires, which turned into ill will, deceit, greed and self-destruction.

Jealousy is an act of affection and seduction which is also very spiritual in nature, e.g., angels who are pure spirits feel jealous too. This feeling is something that God, angels and all human beings–who were created "a little lower than the angels" (Psalm 8)–share in common as rational beings, specifically, beings with a heart. We might think that when one speaks of the heart we just think of the heart of flesh inside our chest cage. When someone makes any hand gesture that says "from the heart" that person is trying to speak the spiritual language of the heart. However, we will never be able to fully express what is from the heart for it is full of desires that words will always fail in fully capturing them. The same is true with the brain. Our mental powers do not come from our brains. Human consciousness and physical brain between our ears are not the same. It is only a catapult or switchboard. There is in each of us an extended mind and heart which is deeply spiritual.

This is also the reason why the deepest prayer is always of the heart, for it is the heart that prays to God and which God hears for he is a jealous God. He wants to get to our heart to know our deepest desires and longings. Even during the times when we feel the heart is not saying anything, God sees and understands for nothing eludes the consciousness of God. If we truly believe in this why do we not lay open our heart and ask God to put into it whatever is pleasing to Him?

Bukas Na Lang Kita Mamahalin (May I Just Love You Tomorrow)

The featured love song by Asia's Nightingale, Lani Misalucha and Manila Philharmonic Orchestra, is meant to evoke in our hearts two movements. First, love is not jealous. Love always seeks to set the beloved free–a love that waits and allows. Second, love has a strong and zealous longing for true love from somebody. The person is "jealous" with eager and zealous striving and longing for that day when they will be united. I have translated the original Filipino into English. I invite you to put yourself into the persona of the singer singing your heart out to God. Tell Him "May I just love You tomorrow when I am free again to love You."

ENGLISH TRANSLATION:

Bukas Na Lang Kita Mamahalin

(May I Just Love You Tomorrow)

It's so hard indeed to fall in love

at the wrong time.

Why did I find someone like you only now?

How I wish I've met and

known you even before.

How I wish it was when

my heart was still free to love.

May I just love you tomorrow,

When our hearts will be free again to love,

May I just love you tomorrow.

Fr JM Manzano SJ