In today’s Gospel, we find not the merciful, gentle, compassionate Jesus, but Jesus who is severe, controversial, and inflexible, an angry Jesus. Everyone becomes angry and we can be on the receiving end of someone’s anger. Many people have the idea that a Christian must never become angry and must always radiate happiness. They only see anger as sinful. But this is not a full or accurate understanding of anger.
Anger is justified when it is a response to threats and injustice. When this anger is expressed appropriately and reasonably, it is not harmful or sinful. This is what we see in today’s Gospel. Our Lord was justifiably angry over the desecration of the Temple. We should be angry at evil: acts of injustice and discrimination, violations to the dignity of human life, attacks on civil and religious liberties and so on.
Anger here is allied to our instinct for justice and goodness. The person who cannot feel anger at evil is a person who lacks zeal for what is good. St. Thomas Aquinas teaches that it is a sin to let evil reign without protest.
There is of course, anger that IS sinful. This is the type of anger that St. Gregory the Great included in his list of the seven capital sins. This is when anger gets out of control, when it becomes cold and vengeful. It is seen in various ways: passive-aggressive behavior (“I don’t get angry, I get even!”) It is also seen in the silent treatment or a long, cold, resentful brooding, and can even result in physical violence. This is where we need anger management!
One day as a teen, I went to confession in my home parish. A long line of elderly women had already formed and they were quite agitated because the priest was not there. Assunta, the first lady in line, insisted that I fetch the priest. At the rectory, repeatedly rang the bell and knocked on the door—no answer. After a long time, the priest emerged in a great state of anger. He stomped over to church, stomped past the line of penitents, entered the confessional, and slammed the door. Assunta turned to me and said, “You go first!” I did. (Did I have a choice?) To my relief, the priest, in just a few moments became as gentle as a lamb. God’s grace at work!
We all struggle with anger. We can decide to manage it, or we can carry its weight in our hearts for a long time. Allow Lent to be a time to bring our anger and resentments to prayer that we might to resolve them in the presence of God, perhaps even through sacramental confession. Allow Lent to be a time to replace anger with the patience and understanding that leads to peace.
I like very much this prayer of Francis de Sales, the gentle Saint
"With your help, Lord, I want to practice gentleness through daily encounters and conflicts. As soon as I notice that anger is kindled in me, I will gather my strength…gently, and try to restore my heart in peace. Since I know I can do nothing, alone…come my rescue. Teach me to be gentle with everyone, even with those who offend me or are opposed to me, and even with myself, so that I do not let myself down because of my faults. When, despite my efforts, I fall, I will…pick myself up and say, 'Come on, poor heart, let us get up and leave this pit forever. Let us have recourse to God's Mercy, which will come to our aid. Amen.
