Jacob’s departure: he is pursued and overtaken by Laban. They make a covenant.
“But after that he heard the words of the sons of Laban, saying: Jacob hath taken away all that was our father’s, and being enriched by his substance is become great.” (Genesis 31:1)
Envy drives one to ingratitude.
“See how envy drove them to ingratitude, and not only them but also Laban himself. ‘Jacob saw Laban’s attitude to him,’ the text goes on, remember, ‘and, lo, it was not as it had previously been.’ You see, his sons’ words deranged his mind and made him forget what he had said some time before in conversation with Jacob, ‘God has blessed me in your coming.’ After thanking the Lord for making his wealth increase through the arrival of the good man, he was now disturbed in mind under the influence of his sons and inflamed with envy, perhaps because he saw the good man’s fortunate circumstances, and so he was not prepared to behave toward him in the same way.” (4) -St. John Chrysostom
Thus scripture reminds us to, “give thanks always,” as one who has ingratitude is likely to suffer with envy, pride and a lowly countenance.
“And when he was gone, together with all that belonged to him, and having passed the river, was going on towards mount Galaad.” (Genesis 31:21)
Be not conformed to the world and its errors, but be imitators of Christ.
“The fact that the world should have been offended because of Christ, after the increase in the flocks of believers, and that it, excited by its anger, would have reacted, does not need to be confirmed with a long speech. Just see how Laban, together with his sons, pursued Jacob, who was running away, and recalled him. Christ himself, in a sense, departed from the world with his brides, that is, the churches, and moved out with the entire household by spiritually addressing his companions with these words: ‘Arise, let us go from here.’ The action of departing and moving away certainly is not material; there is no concrete move from one place to another. In fact, it would be incongruous to think or say these things in a material sense. But the fullness of life is in the moving from worldly thoughts to the accomplishment of the things that God approves. This is confirmed by the blessed Paul, who writes, ‘Here we have no lasting city, but we seek one to come,’ whose ‘maker and creator is God.’ And another of the holy apostles writes thus: ‘I beseech you as pilgrims and strangers: abstain from sinful desires which war against the soul.’ While we walk on earth, our way of life is in heaven, and certainly we do not want to live carnally anymore but rather in a holy and spiritual way. Paul encourages us to do that by writing, ‘Be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.’ When we are not conformed anymore to the world and out of the worldly errors, we will be imitators of Christ. And perfectly understanding that this is the right way to think the Savior himself said, ‘If you were of the world, the world would love his own: but because you are not of the world, therefore the world hates you.’” (4) -St. Cyril of Alexandria
“But whereas thou chargest me with theft: with whomsoever thou shalt find thy gods, let him be slain before our brethren. Search, and if thou find any of thy things with me, take them away. Now when he said this, he knew not that Rachel had stolen the idols.” (Genesis 31:32)
Do not be weighed down by worldly goods. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be.
“Therefore, none of the enemies can take your soul unless it has first been made empty. Do not be afraid of those who can plunder treasures of gold and silver; such people take nothing from you. They take away what you do not have, they take away what you are not able to possess, they take away not an ornament to your soul but a burden on it. They take away what does not enrich your heart but weighs it down; ‘for where your treasure is, there also will your heart be,’ as you have heard in today’s reading. Many people shut in their gold with bars upon their gates, but they have no confidence in either their bolts or their barricades. Many people employ guards, but they too are generally more afraid of the guards. Many go to bed upon buried gold; their gold is beneath the ground, and so is their heart. Watch out, then, that you do not entrench your heart in the ground while you are still living. We have no need to be afraid of thieves who steal such gold; but you must watch out for the usurer who examines the wealth of your soul, if you have bargained for any coin of more serious sin. He confines your heart in the earth and buries your soul in the ground, where you have hidden your gold. He crushes your spirit with interest compounded a hundredfold and buries it in a heavy tomb, from which no one rises again. Follow the example of holy Jacob; he had no part in the vices of others, nor was he empty and devoid of his own virtues, but he was filled with the fruit of justice.” (4) -St. Ambrose
Women's Prayer Group In Christ 