Righteous Anger

Wednesday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

(Click Here for Readings)

Letter of Saint James 1:19-27

Know this, My dear brothers and sisters:  everyone should be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger for anger does not accomplish the righteousness of God..... 

The letter of James is one of my favorite books of the New Testament.  Rich in wisdom and advice on how to live a good Christian life, the text helps me reflect on my own behavior.  I'm not always quiet and reserved.  Sometimes I can be hot-tempered.  I don't fly off the handle as often as I used to.  As I've aged, and learned hard lessons, I'm able to control my anger.   For example, this morning I waited in a long drive-thru line at Starbucks.  The baristas were not very well organized.  I was asked twice what I ordered.  The second time I answered in an impatient voice, "I ordered a tall Cafe Americano and there are 20 people waiting behind me!" The lady apologized, handed me my order, and I calmly said "Thank-you." In the past I would've cursed, yelled, and honked my horn in anger.  Trust me: Displays of a bad temper don't look good in public.  In fact, it doesn't resolve the problem and often makes it worse. 

We are reminded to be slow to anger.  Anger is not a bad thing.  What's bad is when we engage in unproductive anger.  A lot of times we cannot change circumstances.   We can't always get away from the pokey driver in front of us on the highway.  We can't control the price of gasoline (petrol) going up during the summertime.  We can't control what our teenagers will try to get away with doing next!  However, there is a time for righteous anger.  This is anger when we as Christians see injustice in the world around us.  I think about the violation of religious freedom and oppression happening to Christians in the Arab world.  I think of the thousands of babies killed by abortion each and every day.  I think of the poverty stricken people who do not have enough food to eat or even running water to clean with.  These are injustices we should be angry enough about that we vow to remedy!!  

Our Lord became angry several times in the gospels, righteously so!  For example, we read about how he took a whip to drive out the money changers in the temple.  Also, we read about his confrontations with the scribes and Pharisees.  

The next time we feel angry about something, let us stop and think:  "Is this something our Lord would be angry about?  Is this a trivial issue?  Is this a problem that I cannot control?  Is this a problem I can fix if I simmered down my anger and came up with a creative solution?"

Useless, unproductive anger wastes a lot of energy.  It increases stress and anxiety.  It's clouds the mind and the heart where good decisions may be difficult to make. It's a type of anger that tears us away from God and from others.  If we do become angry, let us convert the anger into positive change.  Righteous anger is something necessary when it comes injustice.  Righteous anger can turn into love when it's used in a purposeful, meaningful way.


-J.