You shall not covet your neighbour’s house; you shall not covet your neighbour’s wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbour. (Ex 20:17)

’The grass is always greener…’ seems to be a common human frailty. It also appears to be the central premise of much advertising! There are a number of forces at work in this passage. One is ‘it’s not yours’, so let it go. This passage encourages us not to objectify people – which is always a path of pain for all concerned. Another force at work is the way that the wanting has an effect on us – it consumes and diminishes us.

Young people can fall into the trap of wanting what others have, rather than having a sense of ‘enough’. Oscar Romero said it well: “Aspire not to have more, but to be more”. This is wise advice that we should share with the young people in our care.

Have a great week!
Patrick