I believe I may have mentioned here before that I have an anger problem. I think of having this issue in a similar way that people may think of having an alcoholism problem. Once an alcoholic…once an angry man…always an alcoholic…angry man. The goal is understanding what triggers it and try to develop an alternate response. Easier said than done. I recall when I was in veterinary school, I had done poorly on a clinical pathology exam. Right after getting the results I was cutting grass at the house I rented using a lawn tractor. The mower stopped working for some reason. I tipped it over and punched the tractor. No, didn’t hurt my hand. But I should have. Would have served me right. I have done the same to a wall after missing the super bowl because of emergency veterinary calls. Also to the dashboard of a car…my Father’s favorite expression of anger as well.
I also saw what anger can do to loved ones. I clearly remember an episode where I was upset and yelling at my oldest daughter because she would not practice her piano when I wanted her to. I then saw in the background my youngest daughter showing sadness and maybe fear over my display and she retreated by herself to her bedroom. And there is damage to the relationship with Elise when we argue…or rather when I yell for no real reason. At least not a good reason.
So all anger is bad, right? No. Jesus shows this to us in several locations in the Gospels. The Pharisees were a prime target of his temper. There is the story of how He became upset at them because they were critical of His curing illness on the Sabbath. Such as when He healed the man with the withered hand. Or when they were upset at Him for not washing the outside of a cup in ceremonial washing but ignored the “dirt” on the inside that was their own sin. It angered Him, calling them “blind guides” at one point, because they valued the following of the rules to protect the law above following the laws themselves and, ultimately, over building relationships with each other and with God.
This anger boiled over in the temple when He could stand it no longer and turned over the tables of the money changers who were making a profit on selling sacrificial animals to pilgrims visiting the temple during the holy days. They were creating obstacles and roadblocks for people to fulfill their need to worship God through sacrifice.
So what is the difference between me pulling a Mike Tyson on the lawn tractor and Jesus giving the money changers the what-for? It is a thing called Righteous Anger. A display of anger is a natural human reaction (apparently also a divine one where Jesus is concerned) to wrongs being done. The horror of abortion, of slavery, of unjust war, of abuse of children. These all SHOULD cause anger to rise up in us. It is through righteous anger that good could come in the efforts to find solutions for these evils.
But anger should NEVER cause us to sin. The end does not justify the means. If anger rises up in us and we merely lash out towards others creating division and a harming of relationships then this is not righteous anger. Just because a display of anger may feel good, and BELIEVE me I know it feels good in the moment, does not mean it is the proper response. Some good must come from a constructive response to an anger inducing situation.
In today’s Gospel Jesus is again faced with the Pharisees whose main goal at this point is to get rid of Him by whatever means necessary. Debate with Him has only resulted in them looking foolish themselves. In this reading from Matthew it is clear they have moved on to plotting how to kill Jesus. And Jesus knows this. He has the option of trying to shout them down and get into a Facebook worthy spitting match. But He is surrounded by many who see Him as the Savior. And perhaps as the Messiah. What example would He have set for them if He got into a “He Said-She Said” battle of words. So instead He WITHDREW. And the crowds followed Him. And He responded to their decision to leave the Pharisees and come to Him by curing their illnesses. Did He cure SOME of their illnesses? Nope. He cured ALL their illnesses.
So, instead of the crowds seeing Jesus as a lawn tractor puncher, they saw Him as a healer in the face of adversity. He knew He would have the last laugh over the Pharisees. But not this day. This day was about building the Kingdom. By bringing others to His side and being a model. The crowds would likely have been collateral damage to a fight between Jesus and the Pharisees. So, he withdrew.
And I have learned to do the same at times. When I feel myself getting heated and out of control in an argument, I will at times walk away. It drives my wife crazy because she wants to solve the issue here and now. But I know myself. When I feel the devil swell in me, I know it is time to leave and recover. I akin it to the old exercise technique called isometrics. The idea was to press up against an immoveable object and in the process build up your muscles since the wall isn’t going to give. And when you stand and fight against an immoveable force (don’t tell my wife that I called her an immoveable force), it is inevitable that things will escalate. So I walk away. I live to fight another day…hopefully in a calmer manner.
So when the cause is a righteous one, pray, discuss, try to legislate and argue if necessary. But always remember that if someone throws stones at you, it is not likely to be productive to pick up those stones and throw them back.
