The first reading this week from the Book of Sirach, called elsewhere Ecclesiasticus, is especially powerful: "Anger and wrath, these are abominations, yet a sinner holds on to them." (Sirach 27: 30) Notice that the sin lies not in anger or wrath themselves but in the holding on to them. Anger, in itself, is an emotion and is not morally culpable but what I do with it is another matter. Sin is always a choice. It is tempting, for anyone, to hold onto victimhood and offense. Our society sees value in grievances. The danger is that we forget mercy and love that call us to "turn the other cheek" (Mtt 5: 39) and "go also the second mile" (Mtt 5: 41). Our Lord practised this on the cross when he said: "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." (Lk 23: 34) How can we put our anger into persepective without turning it in on ourselves? The same reading from Sirach gives us the remedy: remember the end of your life; remember corruption and death; remember the commandments; remember the covenant of the Most High. If we do this before we give vent to our anger we will be less likely to cause enduring hurt, damage relationships or poison our own soul.
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