There is a saying that one should never make decisions when one is very emotional. This applies when one is very angry, very sad, very frightened and yes, even very happy.
How often have we seen on TV an alleged killer repentantly saying that the only reason he did such an act was because he was very angry.
Hence in St. Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus reminds us to check our heart of anger. Three things we should remember, if not handled properly:
- Words said when angry may be forgiven, but will not be forgotten. Hence the challenge to watch our words. Better yet, just be quiet when emotional so that there will be nothing to regret.
- “The Best Fighter is Never Angry” (Lao Tzu). This is very visible in sports. Look for the star player and look at how the opponents try to make him angry. They excel at what they do by remaining calm and composed.
- The first person to be affected by an angry person is oneself. When a person is angry, the emotions are affected, the body is affected and of course, the spiritual life is affected.
In each Mass, we are challenged to look into our hearts. The sources of anger envy, resentment, and a lack of forgiveness. We ask the grace of God for us to have a clean heart. This only can be done through forgiveness.
3 Ways 2 Your 1 God 