Fifth Saturday after Pentecost. On the foolishness of anger

Meditation.

ON THE FOOLISHNESS OF ANGER.

1ST POINT. What reasons have you for anger? Does not God suffer any thing from you? Do you not make others suffer likewise? Why should you not suffer a little as well? Why expect to be treated with deference by the whole world? Have you not a thousand times, merited hell? Have you not deserved to be there long ago, burning in its unquenchable flames? In that place of misery and eternal tears, instead of having whatever you desire, all that you most fear and loathe will come upon you. Are you not worthy of all evils; and unworthy of all good? Have you not merited hell? Why, then, do you fly into a passion when some one refuses to do you a favor, or indulge in anger when they do you evil?

2D POINT. But what wrong have they done you? Does not your success and prosperity belong to God? Can He not give or take it, whenever it suits his good pleasure? Who can injure a hair of your head without his permission? Who are you, to oppose yourself to the order of God's providence? What do you expect to gain by making war against Him? What mercy can you expect from Him, when you refuse to show it to others?

3D POINT. O Lord my God, I confess that I am wrong. It is impossible for any one to do me as much evil as I deserve; why should not men outrage and injure me, since I have outraged and insulted Thee? It is but just that they should be incessantly opposed to my will, since I have always opposed myself to thine. Oh, I deserve to be despised, since I have despised and dishonored Thee! oh, I deserve to be afflicted, since I have grieved and of fended Thee without reason and without measure.

O meek and lowly Jesus, give me grace to imitate thy mildness and patience. Alas, I am not the master of my heart or passions! My heart kindles and takes fire without thought; my passions revolt against reason. All that I can do is to keep down the tempest that rages within me. Oh, this is difficult, and contrary to my inclinations; it is, notwithstanding, what I am resolved to do: I will never speak when I am angry; I will keep silence, in the trouble and commotion of my heart, and by this means, with thy grace to aid me, I will eventually triumph over the devil and my angry passions.

WORDS OF SCRIPTURE.

"A fool immediately showeth his anger; but he that dissembleth injuries is wise." Proverbs, xii.

"Why art thou angry? and why is thy countenance fallen?" Genesis, iv.

"Let not your heart be troubled." St. John, xiv.

"Blessed are the meek: for they shall possess the land." St. Matt. v.

"I was troubled, and I spoke not." Psalm lxxvi.

"Learn of me, because I am meek and humble of heart." St. Matt. xi.

SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST. THE GOSPEL. St. Mark, viii. 1-9.

"At that time, when there was a great multitude with Jesus, and had nothing to eat, calling his disciples together, he said to them: I have compassion on the multitude; for, behold, they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat; and if I send them away fasting to their own home, they will faint in the way: for some of them came from afar off. And his disciples answered Him: From whence can any one fill them here with bread in the wilderness? And he asked them: How many loaves have ye? Who said, Seven. And He commanded the people to sit down on the ground; and taking the seven loaves, giving thanks, he broke, and gave to his disciples to set before them, and they set them before the people. And they had a few little fishes; and He blessed them, and commanded them to be set before them. And they did eat, and were filled, and they took up that which was left of the fragments seven baskets. And they that had eaten were about four thousand: and He sent them away."