A Thought for the Day - September 26, 2023

In the vigor of youth, I penned a verse with these words: "Don't judge my anger, be angry too." Back then, anger burned in me, fueled by an unwavering belief that I could reshape the world's injustices.

Yet, as the sands of time have shifted, so have the contours of my heart. Perhaps age has softened my edges, or maybe anger, in itself, has proven an exhausting companion over time. In the days of my youth, anger was a beacon of hope, a call to action. As St. Augustine wisely noted, "Hope has two beautiful daughters: their names are Anger and Courage. Anger at the way things are, and Courage to see that they do not remain as they are."

However, in my moments of greater wisdom—rarities, I must admit—I've come to understand that, too often, anger transforms into a weapon against individuals rather than a tool against unjust systems. We direct our anger at people, and herein lies the danger. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus leaves no room for ambiguity when he speaks of anger: "But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment, and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council, and if you say, 'You fool,' you will be liable to the hell of fire" (Matthew 5:22).

The perilous path of anger directed at individuals is one we tread all too often, particularly in our digital age. Social media feeds and online comment sections have become battlegrounds where anger is carelessly and hatefully unleashed.

So, what alternative do we have? Must we remain silent witnesses to injustice? The answer lies in the second beatitude from the Sermon on the Mount: "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted" (Matthew 5:4). This is the way of love. Anger can build walls around our hearts, impeding the flow of compassion. But, to confront the world's atrocities, to recognize their wrongness, and to mourn—this is the path of love.

Mourning is the heart's response to the suffering of others, a profound acknowledgment that those who perpetrate suffering are themselves ensnared in systems of malevolence. People are often slaves to the demonic forces of greed, pride, lust, and rage. These forces inflict suffering upon them and drive them to perpetuate suffering in the world. Instead of anger, consider the power of mourning, lamentation, and weeping.

A mother whose child takes a dark path may feel anger, but her deeper emotion is one of sorrow, for she grieves her child's suffering. Anger typically begets more pain, while grief sits with the world's sorrows, longing to embrace it, to heal it, for grief is an expression of love.

In the eyes of Jesus, anger does not equate to love, but mourning does. Remember when he wept over Jerusalem, crying out, "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!" He wept, he mourned, and he believed in a future where justice would reign, where love would triumph. He knew that mourning, not anger, was the path of love.

How might embracing mourning over anger inspire us to embody the love God calls us to share? In this world and the next, we discover that our lamentation is a blessing, a moment when we choose love over wrath.

With hope,
Garrett