Except from Holy Anger © by the Reverend Dr. Byron E. Shafer A sermon preached at the Rutgers Presbyterian Church on February 16, 2003
I have called Jesus's anger at this system "holy" anger, and I've done that for several reasons. I invite you now to listen closely, for the following are, I believe, the principal attributes that set "holy" anger quite apart from "ordinary" anger. First, Jesus's anger was not in control of him; he was in control of it. His anger was fueled by emotion, but not controlled by it. And his anger could therefore be holy. Second, Jesus's anger was aimed not at protecting his own self- interest but rather at overcoming injustice, at putting an end to unnecessary suffering, at re-forming the circumstances of human existence, conforming them ever closer to God's will. And his anger was therefore holy. Third, Jesus's anger, Jesus's righteous indignation at the system, did not embrace and advocate violence or hatred toward persons. His anger respected the preciousness of all of God's children. And it was therefore holy. Fourth, Jesus's anger aimed not at punishing or destroying his human enemies, but at bringing good out of evil by means of actions rooted in agonized love-most notably his own unresisting death on the cross. Therefore Jesus's anger was holy Yes, Jesus showed us by his own example the nature of a truly "holy" anger, and he showed us those things that distinguish holy anger from every false pretender. The Princeton philosopher and theologian Cornel West maintains that great leadership is marked by what he calls "authentic" anger, which is, I believe, what I have been calling "holy" anger. West goes on to say (as quoted on the cover of your bulletin): "… what stood out most strikingly about Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Jr., Ella Baker, and Fannie Lou Hamer was that they were almost always visibly upset about the condition of black America.… [A]nd this anger fueled their boldness and defiance." Now, the kind of anger about which West is here speaking and which people like Jesus and Martin and Fannie manifested in their lives-that kind of anger is a healthy anger, what I have called a "holy" anger, a justified indignation, an altogether appropriate response to injustice, an anger rooted not in vengeance but in love, an anger impelling society to necessary changes without recourse to violence, or vengeance, or hatred. In summary, holy anger is fueled by emotion but not controlled by it. Holy anger seeks to overcome injustice and put an end to unnecessary suffering. Holy anger respects the preciousness of all God's children and is not overlaid by violence or hatred. And holy anger aims not at punishing or destroying enemies but, through actions rooted in agonized love, at bringing good out of evil. It is this kind of anger-holy anger, Jesus's anger-and no false pretenders to it such as those angers we see all too frequently-yes, it is genuinely holy anger that we as followers of Christ are called to express. Let us pray:
O God, as we contemplate the injustice and immorality of so many of the policies and systems and institutions of our nation and of our world, we become angry. Help us, like Jesus, to stay in control of that anger. Save us, like Jesus, from any impulse toward violence or hatred. Lead us, like Jesus, to use only loving means as we seek somehow to bring good out of evil. Keep our anger holy, we pray.
Amen
So yesterday I let the beast out for a walk in the wilds of civilized society. When I say the "beast", I mean that side of myself that is less than kind, and kind of less than I can be. The lesser self.
I'm not proud of the beast. But I own him. And his anger was not Holy. It was out of order, uncalled for, and not worthy of my better self.
I yelled at a stranger, a woman at that, who took the parking space that I thought was by rights "mine".
I called her names I choose not to repeat. My brother in law, hardly the voice of reason on a normal day, was called upon to calm the waters and asked me to apologize. I refused.
Why? Why was I so angry? I had been asked earlier to move heavy furniture. Did that push me over? I think not.
I had been asked to get the little devil dog out from the neighbor's yard. Did that push me over?
Well, I was far more angry with her than she deserved and more than I should have been. Why?
Should I blame my father, who famously lost his top, but who has been dead for over two years now? I think not. I have to take this one on myself, as I own the beast. The beast is me.
There is no answer today to this question. Only the question. Which I guess is a start.
I'm ready to apologize to that stranger, whereever she may be. I'm sorry I was completely out of line, a complete A-hole. It was inexcusable, and you did not deserve this type of wild wrath.
If you are sensing this, please accept my apology for taking the beast off the leash. I will try to teach him better.
