Anger (Wrath) (This sermon notes are based on a series of teachings on the topic by Rev. Robert E. Baron and other sources as indicated along with my personal reflections.) WRATH: The desire of vengeance. How we judge it depends upon the quality of the vengeance and the quantity of the passion. When these are in conformity with the prescriptions of balanced reason, anger is not a sin. It is rather a praiseworthy thing and justifiable with a proper zeal. It becomes sinful when it is sought to wreak vengeance upon one who has not deserved it, or to a greater extent than it has been deserved, or in conflict with the dispositions of law, or from an improper motive. The sin is then in a general sense mortal as being opposed to justice and charity. It may, however, be venial because the punishment aimed at is but a trifling one or because of lack of full deliberation. Likewise, anger is sinful when there is an undue vehemence in the passion itself, whether inwardly or outwardly. Ordinarily it is then considered a venial sin unless the excess is so great as to go counter seriously to the love of God or of one's neighbor. (Catholicexchange.com)

We all wrestle with it. Anger as an emotion is a good feeling. It helps us to recognize when our rights are violated, our human dignity is undermined and justice is obstructed. There is something called just anger. Jesus was angry when his father’s house – the house of prayer- (Temple in Jerusalem) was turned into a den of thieves. It is what we do with Anger that makes the difference. Anger (Wrath) is the unreasonable desire for vengeance ( Aquinas). It is the irrational, immoderate, unreasonable desire for vengeance. I have been hurt, so I am going to get back There is so much anger because we all have been hurt. We all have this feeling.

Example of a brother and sister at a funeral; The siblings got along until their mother passed away. But at the funeral mass as one of the siblings turned to another for the sign of the peace, he responded saying, I don’t need to speak to you anymore. You hurt me, so I am going to hurt you… It is a cycle of violence and goes back and forth. … On and on it goes. Dante punishes the angry… They are inundated with smoke. They re choking in the smoke This is what anger does. It blinds and chokes you. It blocks communication … It cuts us off from lines of communication… Peter cuts off the ear of the soldier in anger. Organ of communication… But Jesus touches the ear and heals it. Jesus reestablishes the vital links in the mystical body.

Lively Virtue: Forgiveness: Forgiveness is the central message of the Bible and especially the New Testament – Jesus preached forgiveness At the heart of the our Father we pray – “Forgives us our sins as we forgive, those who trespass against us” “Son, your sings are forgiven, get up and walk…” Risen Jesus breathed on the apostles and said “Receive the Holy Spirit, whose ever sins you forgive, will be forgiven…

God who desires us to be alive fully is always trying to unwrap us from the deadly sins which are wrapped around us. He is always trying to loosen the chains How many times should we forgive – seven times -- no seven times seventy – limitless forgiveness Peter at the miraculous catch of Fish: - Leave me Lord, for I am a sinful person – But the Lord says, it is OK – here is a new assignment – I will make you fisher of men. That is how it works. Isaiah, I am an a man of unclean lips and I live among people who are unclean. A seraph is sent immediately and his lips are burned and his sins are washed away and commissioned for mission. God forgives and cleanses us and commissions us to mission.

If forgiveness is God’s way, then forgiveness must be our way. It is not simply the movement of the mind. You hurt me, I want to get back at you, .. But I won’t.. NO this is not forgiveness… It is a good beginning though. It is better than violence and vengeance.

Forgiveness is an active engagement of evil in an attempt to undermine it. Forgiveness is putting oneself in the middle of the violence that goes on back and forth courageously and saying “Stop”

Mohan Das Gandhi -

read the Sermon on the Mount - Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. He put that in practice in England and South Africa and then India.

Every instinct in our body tells us to take revenge but forgiveness requires us to get in the way of violence and interrupt it. When you pray for those who hurt you and love them, you allow their anger to be spent on you and not awaken an answer. You do not answer in kind. Thus you take away anger. Forgiveness is the brave, courageous, interruptive act.

MLK: -- who read Gandhi and knew the Sermon on the Mount – when he encountered societal injustice – learned to forgive. He allowed anger to be spend on him and weared down anger through nonviolence

An Amish Community that forgave the family of a man who killed five of their children in act of hate crime. They stopped the cycle of violence. Forgiveness is the act of very brave people who interrupt the cycle of violence. Martial Art Aikido – moving out of the way of violence. Aikido is performed by blending with the motion of the attacker and redirecting the force of the attack rather than opposing it head-on – to avoid injury to the attacker and the attacked. When you meet fire with fire it generates more violence. But when you get out of its way, you let it fall to the ground laughing and drain it from its energy. Greatest Aikido in Christian tradition – the death of Jesus on the cross – “Father, forgive their sins, for they do not know what they are doing.” He could have called down a raging army of Angels but he did not. He drained violence of its energy. He is the Lamb of God who took away the sins of the world.

Practical Advice: 1. Take a concrete step to heal a broken relationship 2. Families not talking, get in the way of it, interrupt it, and do something to end the cycle of violence. Write a note.

3. Forgive quickly when you are offended. Don’t let the sun go down on your anger. 4. Go reconcile with your brother before you bring your sacrifice to the Lord. 5. Augustine “no one speaks ill of his brother at this dinner table.”

Marion Encounter: Mary finding Jesus in the temple on the third day after Jesus was missing for three days. She responded mildly. Use this as an example when you want to vent your anger. When we do this, we take away another one of the ropes that enslaves us. We allow God’s goodness surge through us.