Anger

Anger, strictly speaking, is a sense-appetite and sense-passion. Since its upheaval in the sensitive part of a man may be quickly admitted (by the will) into the rational orintellective part, it is called a “passion of the soul.”Anger thus exercises an influence upon reason. Now, anger can influence reason in the right direction as well as in the wrong one. Therefore, there is such a thing as just or lawful anger. Scripture says (Psalm 4:5): “Be angry, and sin not.” The anger of our Lord threatening hypocrites, or driving out the men who profaned the temple, gives us an example of righteous or lawful anger. Such lawful anger is never inordinate; it never sweeps a manoff his feet, or inspires outrageous words or deeds.

But anger, though it can be lawful, is more often a striking back, with unjustified desire for revenge, at someone or something that has hurt one’s self-esteem. Such anger is inordinate; it is an evil; it is a sin.

Yet anger is not a mortal sin unless a person, by consent of will, allows it to become so fierce as to make him willing to forego his serious duty to God or fellowmen. Therefore,a person submitting, through anger, to murderous impulses or intentions, is guilty of mortal sin.

In itself, anger, even as mortal sin, is not soinordinate or disgraceful a sin as lust or the incontinence oflustful desires. And in comparison with the vice of hatred, anger is, as St. Augustine says in his Rule, “as the mote to the beam.”

Aristotle classifies anger as choler, sullenness, andsternness. A choleric person is quick to anger; a sullen person angrily nurses his injuries; a stern or bad-tempered person clings to the angry determination to be revenged.

Anger is one of the capital sins. For it is the fruitful source of many evils much worse than itself, such as serious injuries and murders. Other fruits of anger are: quarrels,physical attacks, cursings, uncharitable speech.

St. Gregory lists the “daughters of anger”as: quarreling (including physical encounter); vengeful thoughts and designs; clamor, or disordered and confused speech; contumely,or speech injurious to a neighbor; indignation, or bridling against what angers one as something base and unworthy; blasphemy, or offensive words directed against God.

A person who is wholly incapable of anger lacks something; heis in some way defective. As we have seen, there is such a thing as just and lawful anger. Were a person unable to resent evil, he would be deficient in the use of lawful anger.