THE JEALOUSY FAMILY
[Instead of a homily I made up this story for today's Mass for the 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time A. The Children's Lectionary only had a small part of today's long gospel from Matthew's Sermon on the Mount . It had Matthew 5: 23-24 instead of Matthew 5: 17-37.]
Once upon a time there was this family: “The Jealousy Family.”
There are some musicians who use the Jealousy name for their stage name – but in this family, Jealousy was their real last name.
You can check it out in the phone book – if you can find one, because most people don’t use phonebooks any more. Today it would be better to check it out on line: Jack and Jill Jealousy. And you’ll find it almost immediately, because there aren’t too many people with Jealousy for a last name.
Jack and Jill had 4 kids – 2 boys: Jack Jr. and Jimmy; and two girls: Janet and Jeri - Jeri with a J and one R – spelled J E R I.
Before Jack and Jill got married – friends had all kinds of jokes and fun with their names: Jack and Jill – but especially with that last name – Jealously.
Two generations back – a grandfather from Eastern Europe arrived in America in Baltimore with the name of Johan Jellonowski – and because everyone had trouble pronouncing and spelling Jellonowski – in fact, grandpa wasn’t so sure on just how to spell it out in English himself, so he changed the family name to Jealousy. Good thing he didn’t go with, “Jell-O”. “New country, new name!” he was fond of saying when asked, “Where in the world did the family name of ‘Jealousy’ come from?”
Because of their first names as well as their last name – Jealousy – Jack and Jill decided to name each of their kids as they came along with a J for their first name. They would joke saying, “Just in case one kid would feel jealousy that another kid got a better name than another kid – we gave all of you a J for a first name.
But to be serious – Jack and Jill had to deal with the question of jealousy as their kids started to grow. This was new to them – because when Jack and Jill dated – there wasn’t any jealousy. They knew they made for each other – from moment # 1 – meeting each other in Tio Pepe’s Restaurant on 10 East Franklin Street in Baltimore – quite by accident.
It just happened to be Valentine’s Day Evening – and neither of them were dating anyone at the time.
Both were there at Tio’s with two friends – and everyone - all 6 of them were wearing a Colts jacket – that was a football team that used to be in Baltimore – and each party of 3 were seated just at the next table. Since Tio Pepe’s was a more dressed up kind of place – suit jackets preferred for dinner – their blue and white Colts jackets stood out. The jackets got them talking table to table – in fact – they asked the waiter – if they could pull their tables together and they did.
Jack and Jill loved to tell that story. Jack and Jill always remembered that story – especially around Valentine’s Day.
Now back to Jealousy….
Like every family – the Jealousy family had to deal with jealousy – but Jack and Jill needed time to discover this.
When Jack Jr. was born, Jack Sr. – daddy – felt a tinge and twinge of jealousy that he was no longer the only other in the house with Jill.
When Jimmy was born Jack Jr. was jealous – that mom and dad were giving the attention he used to get – to the new baby. When cameras appeared Jack Jr. would pose for pictures – but everyone was taking Jimmy’s picture instead and saying, “Isn’t he so cute.”
Jack Jr. was too young to be able to say, “What am I? Chopped liver?”
At first when Jack and Jill began to notice Jack Jr’s antics to get attention from mom or dad, they couldn’t figure what got into Little Jack – but one day when Jill’s mom was visiting her, her mom said to her, “Isn’t it cute how Junior Jack – that’s what she called him – blocks out Jimmy whenever people want to see the new baby?”
“Oh,” said Jill, “now I get it. Okay.”
So she gave Jack Jr. some extra TLC – and this would calm him down - sometimes.
Then Jimmy went through the Jealousy scene when his new baby sister, Janet was born. He was now a middle child – and would be for the rest of his life. It wouldn’t be till he was in his 20’s when he could laugh, really laugh about that. Then Janet went through it when Jeri – the last of their 4 kids, Jeri with a J – Jeri spelled J E R I.
It’s interesting to note that Janet and Jimmy at some point would become the best of friends – without knowing why they were the best of friends. She had a long talk with Jimmy when he was 37 and she was 35 and had three kids of her own by then – and Jimmy had 5 kids of his own and they saw how little kids could be rivals and jealous – and also what it’s like to be a kid stuck in the middle – but all this is getting ahead of the story.
I guess you have to be older and a parent to see what you didn’t see when you are a kid.
Jealousy – it shows up in every family – you better get used to it.
It shows up in jealousy about whom gets the biggest piece of cake at a family birthday party – and unfair motives are laid on the cake cutter.
It shows up in whom gets the best seat in the car….
It shows up in comments about who’s the funniest or cutest or who takes the best picture or who goes to who’s sporting event.
It shows up with Christmas presents – but only when kids are between 4 and 10. After that jealousy about presents seems to disappear.
It shows up with whom sits next to mom and dad – at church – and the Jealousy family went to church every Sunday – celebrating and practicing their faith – a faith that was handed down from their grandparents both of whom came from Eastern Europe – where faith was very solid – and sometimes very difficult to practice – but grandparents on both sides kept the faith when they landed and settled in Baltimore.
Surprise – one Sunday – at Mass – The Jealousy Family were asked to bring the gifts up to the altar as a family at the Children’s Mass.
When they got to the back of the hall, all four reached out and gave a hand shake and then knuckled each other – and each said, “I’m sorry for being a pain.” Then they all walked up the aisle with the gifts – mom and dad – Jack and Jill – Jack Jr, Jimmy, Janet and Jeri – Jeri with a J – Jeri spelled J E R I.
Mom and dad walking behind them whispered to each other: “What was that all about?”
They didn’t get the answer to that question till they were in the car heading out for breakfast after Mass – which they did every Sunday morning – figuring the day would be coming – when their kids would be having lots of other plans than going out for breakfast as a family on a Sunday morning after Mass.
Sitting there mom said, “Why did you kids all knuckle each other before we brought the gifts up? That was nice, but why did you do that?”
Janet said dramatically, “Hello Mom, Hello! Didn’t you hear what the priest read out loud about Jesus – that he said, ‘When you come to bring your gift to the altar and you remember that your brother or sister has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar and go first and be reconciled with your brother and sister and then come and offer your gift.’ Mom. Hello!”
That night after the kids went to bed Jack and Jill laughed and cried and knuckled each other remembering that moment at Mass: “Wow we have great kids. It’s all worth it. It’s all worth it, babe! Thanks for marrying me.”
“Me too!”
There are some musicians who use the Jealousy name for their stage name – but in this family, Jealousy was their real last name.
You can check it out in the phone book – if you can find one, because most people don’t use phonebooks any more. Today it would be better to check it out on line: Jack and Jill Jealousy. And you’ll find it almost immediately, because there aren’t too many people with Jealousy for a last name.
Jack and Jill had 4 kids – 2 boys: Jack Jr. and Jimmy; and two girls: Janet and Jeri - Jeri with a J and one R – spelled J E R I.
Before Jack and Jill got married – friends had all kinds of jokes and fun with their names: Jack and Jill – but especially with that last name – Jealously.
Two generations back – a grandfather from Eastern Europe arrived in America in Baltimore with the name of Johan Jellonowski – and because everyone had trouble pronouncing and spelling Jellonowski – in fact, grandpa wasn’t so sure on just how to spell it out in English himself, so he changed the family name to Jealousy. Good thing he didn’t go with, “Jell-O”. “New country, new name!” he was fond of saying when asked, “Where in the world did the family name of ‘Jealousy’ come from?”
Because of their first names as well as their last name – Jealousy – Jack and Jill decided to name each of their kids as they came along with a J for their first name. They would joke saying, “Just in case one kid would feel jealousy that another kid got a better name than another kid – we gave all of you a J for a first name.
But to be serious – Jack and Jill had to deal with the question of jealousy as their kids started to grow. This was new to them – because when Jack and Jill dated – there wasn’t any jealousy. They knew they made for each other – from moment # 1 – meeting each other in Tio Pepe’s Restaurant on 10 East Franklin Street in Baltimore – quite by accident.
It just happened to be Valentine’s Day Evening – and neither of them were dating anyone at the time.
Both were there at Tio’s with two friends – and everyone - all 6 of them were wearing a Colts jacket – that was a football team that used to be in Baltimore – and each party of 3 were seated just at the next table. Since Tio Pepe’s was a more dressed up kind of place – suit jackets preferred for dinner – their blue and white Colts jackets stood out. The jackets got them talking table to table – in fact – they asked the waiter – if they could pull their tables together and they did.
Jack and Jill loved to tell that story. Jack and Jill always remembered that story – especially around Valentine’s Day.
Now back to Jealousy….
Like every family – the Jealousy family had to deal with jealousy – but Jack and Jill needed time to discover this.
When Jack Jr. was born, Jack Sr. – daddy – felt a tinge and twinge of jealousy that he was no longer the only other in the house with Jill.
When Jimmy was born Jack Jr. was jealous – that mom and dad were giving the attention he used to get – to the new baby. When cameras appeared Jack Jr. would pose for pictures – but everyone was taking Jimmy’s picture instead and saying, “Isn’t he so cute.”
Jack Jr. was too young to be able to say, “What am I? Chopped liver?”
At first when Jack and Jill began to notice Jack Jr’s antics to get attention from mom or dad, they couldn’t figure what got into Little Jack – but one day when Jill’s mom was visiting her, her mom said to her, “Isn’t it cute how Junior Jack – that’s what she called him – blocks out Jimmy whenever people want to see the new baby?”
“Oh,” said Jill, “now I get it. Okay.”
So she gave Jack Jr. some extra TLC – and this would calm him down - sometimes.
Then Jimmy went through the Jealousy scene when his new baby sister, Janet was born. He was now a middle child – and would be for the rest of his life. It wouldn’t be till he was in his 20’s when he could laugh, really laugh about that. Then Janet went through it when Jeri – the last of their 4 kids, Jeri with a J – Jeri spelled J E R I.
It’s interesting to note that Janet and Jimmy at some point would become the best of friends – without knowing why they were the best of friends. She had a long talk with Jimmy when he was 37 and she was 35 and had three kids of her own by then – and Jimmy had 5 kids of his own and they saw how little kids could be rivals and jealous – and also what it’s like to be a kid stuck in the middle – but all this is getting ahead of the story.
I guess you have to be older and a parent to see what you didn’t see when you are a kid.
Jealousy – it shows up in every family – you better get used to it.
It shows up in jealousy about whom gets the biggest piece of cake at a family birthday party – and unfair motives are laid on the cake cutter.
It shows up in whom gets the best seat in the car….
It shows up in comments about who’s the funniest or cutest or who takes the best picture or who goes to who’s sporting event.
It shows up with Christmas presents – but only when kids are between 4 and 10. After that jealousy about presents seems to disappear.
It shows up with whom sits next to mom and dad – at church – and the Jealousy family went to church every Sunday – celebrating and practicing their faith – a faith that was handed down from their grandparents both of whom came from Eastern Europe – where faith was very solid – and sometimes very difficult to practice – but grandparents on both sides kept the faith when they landed and settled in Baltimore.
Surprise – one Sunday – at Mass – The Jealousy Family were asked to bring the gifts up to the altar as a family at the Children’s Mass.
When they got to the back of the hall, all four reached out and gave a hand shake and then knuckled each other – and each said, “I’m sorry for being a pain.” Then they all walked up the aisle with the gifts – mom and dad – Jack and Jill – Jack Jr, Jimmy, Janet and Jeri – Jeri with a J – Jeri spelled J E R I.
Mom and dad walking behind them whispered to each other: “What was that all about?”
They didn’t get the answer to that question till they were in the car heading out for breakfast after Mass – which they did every Sunday morning – figuring the day would be coming – when their kids would be having lots of other plans than going out for breakfast as a family on a Sunday morning after Mass.
Sitting there mom said, “Why did you kids all knuckle each other before we brought the gifts up? That was nice, but why did you do that?”
Janet said dramatically, “Hello Mom, Hello! Didn’t you hear what the priest read out loud about Jesus – that he said, ‘When you come to bring your gift to the altar and you remember that your brother or sister has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar and go first and be reconciled with your brother and sister and then come and offer your gift.’ Mom. Hello!”
That night after the kids went to bed Jack and Jill laughed and cried and knuckled each other remembering that moment at Mass: “Wow we have great kids. It’s all worth it. It’s all worth it, babe! Thanks for marrying me.”
“Me too!”
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