This is the heir; let us kill him and then we shall have his inheritance. Jealousy, also known as envy, is among the traditional seven cardinal (or deadly) sins. Cardinal sins are referred to as such because they themselves become the origin of other sins. They are "deadly" because they destroy the life of grace and charity within a person. Jealousy is as old as humanity itself. According to the Genesis account of creation, it is because of jealousy that the first murder is committed in the history of the created world. It is also because of jealousy that a series of crimes are committed throughout the Bile, from the sale of Joseph by his brothers about which we hear in today’s first reading, to the crucifixion of Jesus that is alluded to in the parable which is the content of today’s Gospel Reading. Jealousy occurs when an individual is threatened by another because that other person is different or because he/she possess a quality/something that he/she lacks. Jealousy often leads not only to a feeling of hate towards the other, but also to unhappiness especially when one realizes that he/she cannot be like the other. And when the object of desire cannot be attained, the only alternative is to eliminate it. Cain resorted to this, as did the brothers of Joseph.
Jealousy is a cardinal sin since it destroys charity that resides within us. It can lead to murder and destruction and is a sin against God who is the origin of all good gifts. For when I am jealous of who my brother is, in essence I am telling God that I don't like the idea that he created a unique me. When I am jealous of the achievements of my sister so much so that I wish her evil, all that am doing is telling God that "please, allow me to manipulate you." Jealousy is a sin against the natural order, a sin of selfishness. It is a sin that blinds me to the fact that I am not the center of the universe. By his life and death, Jesus reminds us that we should think not only about ourselves but also of the other, and that my life has to be attuned toward the other for in this is charity constituted.