In this weekend's gospel we get a rare glimpse Jesus experiencing a common human emotion: anger. Growing up I always thought
of Christians as people who don’t get angry. To be Christian was to be nice. Or
so I thought.
If the sinless Jesus got angry, then anger must be
a normal part of everyday life. It is however, important to distinguish between
good anger and bad anger—anger that is constructive and that which is destructive.
Constructive anger serves the greater good. It is
the anger of the soldier defending his country, a father or mother protecting
their child.
Destructive anger is self serving. It is the anger
of entitlement. It says the world is about me and I’m mad that everyone doesn’t
treat me that way.
Constructive anger is solution focused. It’s energy is directed toward
resolving injustices and making the world a better place. This was the anger of
Mother Teresa, John Paul II, Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr.
Destructive anger is people focused. It seeks to
blame and point fingers. It is more concerned with who is wrong rather than
carefully identifying what is wrong.
Constructive Anger builds up. St. Francis of
Assisi, quite aware of many of the abuses happening in the Church of his day,
he, in the words of Gandhi, became the change he wanted to see.
Destructive anger tears down. This was the anger of
Martin Luther. Aware of those same problems, his anger led him down the path of
antagonism, resentment and division.
Constructive anger is acknowledged and processed in
a healthy way. It courageously faces wounds and transgressions, and seeks to
move through them toward healing and forgiveness.
Destructive anger is denied and repressed. Its motto is “If I hide from the
pain and pretend it didn’t happen, it might just go away.” Instead of going
away it resurfaces later as bitterness and resentment.
Jesus was angry. But his was a constructive anger.
His was a holy, righteous anger that stemmed from a zeal and love for God. His anger
led him to the cross of forgiveness. May ours do the same.
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