Envy is the sin of the devil that means cruelty that leads to calumny, gossip, hatred and other sins. A person is guilty of envy if he is bitter about other’s good fortune or against other’s spiritual gifts and good qualities. This was the sin committed by Satan and the Pharisees because the former envied Adam and Eve who happily lived in Paradise and the latter envied Jesus Christ for His wonderful miracles. They were ill-humored in this circumstance. Thus, envy profits to pride; which is greatly displeasing to God because there is an absence of love to God. However many are living in it. Moreover, in history, envy has been the cause of the second notable crime of the world, the murder of Abel committed by Cain; his own brother because Cain could not stand that there should be anyone more acceptable to God than himself. This happened similarly to a great many persecutions and martyrdoms suffered by God’s men because the wicked ones felt secretly that they themselves are better, this is a kind of vicarious envy which is more difficult to check. Nevertheless, it was lawful to grieve over the success of another or to rejoice in his downfall, if it was in the interest of the public cause. Consequently a good man might lawfully grieve over the social elevation of a neighbor whose influence was likely to lower the moral tone of the locality, or a patriot might lawfully rejoice in the downfall of a tyrant.
ENVY
Envy is the sin of the devil that means cruelty that leads to calumny, gossip, hatred and other sins. A person is guilty of envy if he is bitter about other’s good fortune or against other’s spiritual gifts and good qualities. This was the sin committed by Satan and the Pharisees because the former envied Adam and Eve who happily lived in Paradise and the latter envied Jesus Christ for His wonderful miracles. They were ill-humored in this circumstance. Thus, envy profits to pride; which is greatly displeasing to God because there is an absence of love to God. However many are living in it. Moreover, in history, envy has been the cause of the second notable crime of the world, the murder of Abel committed by Cain; his own brother because Cain could not stand that there should be anyone more acceptable to God than himself. This happened similarly to a great many persecutions and martyrdoms suffered by God’s men because the wicked ones felt secretly that they themselves are better, this is a kind of vicarious envy which is more difficult to check. Nevertheless, it was lawful to grieve over the success of another or to rejoice in his downfall, if it was in the interest of the public cause. Consequently a good man might lawfully grieve over the social elevation of a neighbor whose influence was likely to lower the moral tone of the locality, or a patriot might lawfully rejoice in the downfall of a tyrant.