FORTY-THIRD LESSON
On Anger.
"Be not quickly angry, for anger resteth in the bosom of a fool."—Ecclesiasticus 7:10
Of all the evil propensities to which we are unfortunately subject, my dear children, none appears so early in life as the one on which I am going to speak today. Sometimes even infants are already a prey to anger; they show it by their screams and impatient gestures, and this passion is excited in them, as well as in grown people, by contradiction. Those little beings, whose intellect is as yet so slightly developed, who are quite devoid of reason, and who cannot speak to ask for what they wish, have no other means of making themselves understood than by weeping; and if their tears are not heeded, it is natural enough that they should become impatient and cross. But we, who have our judgment and the knowledge of God's law to guide us, how can we let ourselves be mastered by anger? How is it possible that the slightest obstacle which prevents us from doing what we like, or enjoying some pleasure, often disturbs us to such a degree that we talk and act as if we were quite insane.
And so saying, my children, I am not in the least guilty of exaggeration. A person in a violent passion is like one out of his mind, his features are distorted and his whole body quivers. This person is unconscious of all that is going on: such a state is real madness. What blasphemies against God! what injurious words against our neighbor! How many wicked deeds, how many odious crimes, does not this fatal passion produce every day.
Well, my dear children, do you fully understand the necessity of correcting in your early childhood any inclination you may have to anger? Later, this would become very difficult to you. every effort would be so painful. When we are very young, we are as yet masters of our evil inclinations; but if once We let them be rooted in our hearts, they will soon master us. Fight then courageously against them; master the slightest feeling of impatience as soon as you begin to experience it. Do not say, as too often happens to persons subject to anger: "I cannot help myself: it is in me." It would seem really, that when once we have given such an excuse, you are no longer obliged to correct yourself. You cannot help knowing, my dear friends, that such a pretence is a very vain one; we all might, in fact, have recourse to it as an excuse for our faults; and, on the contrary, it is precisely because we know our wicked propensities that we ought to act against them. Thus it was that St. Francis of Sales, naturally inclined to anger, became nevertheless the meekest of men, because he never ceased battling against his hasty temper.
You will no doubt ask me what are the best means to be employed to overcome all inclinations to anger. My children, the first of all is prayer. Let us never forget that without prayer we can do nothing: we must then ask our Lord Jesus Christ, who set us an example of such sincere meekness, for the grace to be able to master all hastiness which he reproves. Let us also be silent and reflect. When you feel inclined to be angry, nothing is better than silence, otherwise you are likely to say what you would deeply regret afterwards; for instance, you might give your parents a rude answer, and when your anger is past, how sorry you would be for having committed such a fault!
Lastly, my children by reflecting seriously on our bad propensities we are also in a sure way to correct them. Tell me, what are the ordinary motives of your bad temper, of your impatience?.... Mere contradictions?.. but a little reflection will teach you submission: remarks, reproofs? but if you reflect once more, you will easily perceive that these reproofs are for your good, and that you are wrong not to accept them mildly, and even gratefully.
My children, the virtue of meekness is one of the virtues that are most agreeable to God: it is particularly suitable to child-hood, and is in fact one of its greatest charms. Meekness is a virtue which even here below brings with it its own reward, it makes you beloved; those who are meek meet with good will on all sides, and our Lord said: "Blessed are the meek, for they shall possess the land!"
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