Father Len reveals his 30 year battle with anger and explains why it’s like a cancer that can destroy you unless you learn how to respond to it.

Highlights, Ideas, and Wisdom

Father Len responds to an email from the mother of a 15-year-old daughter who became depressed and filled with rage over the death of George Floyd.
Father Len reveals that anger has been one of his most common sins throughout his life.
Research has shown that nothing rots your body like anger.
“Anger is rottenness to your bones.” – Proverbs
“Anger disintegrates community.” – Proverbs
“A hot tempered man stirs up dissension.” – Proverbs
Anger destroys wisdom and the ability to make wise choices.
“A patient man has great understanding, but a quick tempered man displays foolishness, even after he cools down.” – Proverbs
Anger is blinding. When you’re angry, you always think you’re completely right.
Anger distorts your view of situations, yourself, your view of the world, and your view of your family. It can make you really stupid.
“A hot tempered man must pay a penalty. If you rescue him, you’ll just have to do it again and again and again.” – Proverbs
Anger is very addictive. It’s like the cocaine of emotions.
Anger feeds on itself. Anger begets anger.
Anger often obscures truth and leads to denial.
COVID 19 has become an excuse for anger about almost everything.
When you’re angry, it’s very difficult to recognize that you may be the problem.
Sometimes anger is love in motion to a threat to someone you love.
“Be angry, but sin not.” – St. Paul
“He that is angry without cause, sins. He who is not angry when there is cause, sins.” – St. John Chrysostom
The best response to anger is prayer, self-examination, self-discipline, and sacrifice.
Unreasonable impatience is the hotbed of vices.
Anger tends to focus you on the problem and obscures the solution.
Studies have shown that compassionate people are better at defining boundaries of unacceptable behavior.
“Compassion is the strong man’s tool. Anger is the weak man’s tool.” – Father Len