The Fathers are unyielding in their teaching: anger must never be given room in the heart. It is a passion rooted in pride, and when indulged, it blinds the soul, drives away the Holy Spirit, and turns one into a worshipper of rage as if it were an idol. Abba Poimen reminds us that it is not enough to endure the turmoil anger creates—we must learn to drive it out entirely. Left unchecked, anger deceives us with excuses and pretexts, but humility demolishes the very foundation of its power.
Abba Isaiah gives us the chief remedy: to keep ever before our eyes the humility of Christ—He who endured dishonor, insults, scourging, and even the Cross without anger. When we recall His long-suffering love, the pride that fuels our own wrath is dissolved, and our hearts are humbled into contrition. Later, St. Cassian will also warn us that even a “just cause” cannot justify anger, for once the heart is disturbed, its vision of God is darkened. Instead, we must redirect the sharpness of anger toward our own sinful thoughts, never toward our brothers.
In our life in the world, anger manifests daily—in families, at work, in traffic, in countless irritations. But here, too, the Fathers’ counsel applies: anger is overcome not by isolation but by forbearance, meekness, kindness, and mercy. The remembrance of death, too, helps us put aside wrath, for what profit is there in clinging to resentment when eternity presses upon us? Anger makes us idolaters; love makes us free. To conquer anger is to begin living even now in the peace of the Kingdom.
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Text of chat during the group:
00:15:22 Bob Čihák, AZ: P 270, A, 6
00:37:25 Anthony: Let God arise and let His enemies be scattered is the fundamental approach. We want order. But let us keep in mind the Spanish Civil War, illustrated in the movie There Be Dragons to show the destruction done in the name of righteousness by mankind based on anger.
00:46:52 Julie: Is it the Jesus prayer the cuts through those thoughts
00:53:10 Hey Oh! : The idea that when we are calm we are better able to perceive what the mind is experiencing makes it so that we have a chance not to be reactive and instead can take in God’s goodness in the moment.
This is Andrew. My friend from NJ changed my name title and I can’t fix it…
00:53:51 carolnypaver: Reacted to "The idea that when w..." with 😂
00:54:18 Jeff U: Reacted to "The idea that when w..." with 😂
00:55:17 Una: Who are you, Hey Oh!?
00:59:22 Anthony: When I want to pray, even before meals, I often have terrible thoughts
2. Are these opportunities to exercise humility, and so gifts, not sins on our part?
01:02:29 Julie: Sometimes the thoughts are so many that I find I need to keep active. Like gardening or helping someone to diffuse them
01:05:22 Myles Davidson: I’ve found praying the Jesus Prayer for a decent length of time (say half an hour to an hour at a time) can be effective at slowing down the thoughts. Particularly if done regularly
01:05:54 Bob Čihák, AZ: Replying to "Sometimes the though..."
Thanks, Myles.
01:09:52 Anthony: The devil's, I suppose, encourage us to be gnostic, which is contrary to our crested and transfigured nature
01:19:32 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you☺️
01:19:38 Maureen Cunningham: Thank You Blessing to everyone
01:19:40 Hey Oh! : Thank you! God bless!
01:19:49 Jeff U: Thank you! God Bless
