A Tool to Battle Anger

Responding to Anger and Judgment

Anger and judgment can cloud a person’s ability to see God, others, and themselves clearly. Anger often follows a judgment about someone’s actions or intentions—even when the behavior really was wrong. The suggested response is to distinguish recognizing wrongdoing from condemning the person.

Strategies for Responding

• Treat wrongdoing as a sign of suffering. Harmful actions can come from a heart that is spiritually unwell.
• Choose compassion over condemnation. Just as a physician seeks to heal the sick, Christians can respond to another person’s wrongdoing with a desire for healing rather than punishment.
• Remember your own struggles. Recognizing your own sin and need for repentance can foster humility and compassion.
• Respond with patience and love. Another person’s wrongdoing may reflect their struggle with the passions, rather than simply a desire to harm you.
• Keep practicing. This perspective may not remove anger immediately, but, alongside other practices taught by the Church, it can gradually change how you respond to others’ shortcomings.

Conference Announcement

The video also announces a Sacred Arts conference featuring talks on topics such as iconography, architecture, and music.

Presenters and Source

The speaker giving the reflection is not named in the subtitles. The conference speakers named are Fr. Maximos Constas and Jonathan Pageau.

Source: Patristic Nectar Publications.