Mindful Thinking
about Anger
Readings for Lent
3B:
Ex. 20:1-17; Rom.7:13-25; Jn. 2:13-22
March 23, 2003
The
Rev. Karen Siegfriedt
St. Jude the Apostle Episcopal Church, Cupertino,
CA
Every conscious person must ultimately answer
the following question: Are my thoughts, passions, and actions contributing to
the peace of the world or are they contributing to its pathology? What we do on
a daily basis, how we think, feel, and act, how we comport ourselves in our interpersonal
relationships, determine whether or not we are contributing to peace or to pathology.
On the international level, we see both peacekeeping efforts and pathology
being played out. Whether or not this planet earth will survive in the long
run, has a lot to do with how faithful and committed Christians are to their
baptismal promises. We have promised to strive for justice and peace among all
people and to respect the dignity of every human being. If Christians could
come together on this one promise, then I believe the tides would turn and we
would begin to see the evolution of a new-world order.
There are some who believe that overthrowing the evil regime in Iraq will ultimately
move the world toward peace. There are others who protest this action believing
that military force should only be used as the last resort. However, both patriotism
and protest can add to the pathology of the human predicament if either of these
postures comes from a place of fear and anger rather than from a place of compassion
and thoughtfulness. True thoughtfulness, true discernment of God's will for
us, require a purity of heart. This purity of the heart is not a political affiliation.
Purity of the heart comes from orienting the heart first and foremost toward
God. This is known as faith. Purity also requires mindful thinking. This means
being aware of our thoughts and then having the ability to direct our thoughts
in the service of goodness and holiness. Today I will continue my sermon series
on mindful thinking, especially as it applies to anger. I will incorporate many
of today's readings as my text.
The thought of "about anger" rises in each one of us.* Anger is a response
that is frequent, habitual, and sometimes seems uncontrollable. John Cassian
(a 4th century Christian monk) recognized that in order to live the spiritual
life, in order to be the people that God has created us to be, we must reduce
our angry impulses, refrain from acting out our anger, and strive to resist
even the thought of anger. According to the desert fathers and mothers, anger
is a learned behavior and can be unlearned.
Anger deprives us of right judgement and discretion. It diminishes insights
that we could have if we were at peace. If I am full of anger, I am blind. I
have lost the capacity to give proper counsel. I no longer enjoy the confidence
of right thinking and acting. My spiritual capacity is diminished and true light
is dimmed within me. I start quarrels and lose the esteem of others.
Anger that goes unchecked can lead to depression, madness, and universal disharmony
and pathology. None of us here today has the individual political power to make
strategic decisions in the Middle East. However, we do have the power to clean
up our own house by dismantling angry thoughts which place obstacles between
us and peace. The beginning of non-violence is realizing the presence of anger
in our own lives and then discovering the reason why. Mindful thinking is the
process of this recognition and renewal. Let me review the essence of mindful
thinking.
- Thoughts arise in the mind. They tend to come in a sequence of thoughts.
- While we can not control thoughts from entering the mind, we have the power
to admit them or to reject them. We are not our thoughts and they need not
have power over us.
- Thoughts come and go. But if we linger on a thought, this thought can lead
to a craving or feeling, then to a passion, and then to an action.
- Bad thoughts can lead to bad cravings, can lead to bad passions, can lead
to bad actions. These bad actions create disharmony and add to the pathology
of the world.
- It is easier to nip a "bad thought" in the bud than it is to nip a "bad
passion." Thus renouncing or redirecting thoughts before they gain power over
us is an important practice in virtuous living.
- To know our thoughts is an essential step in redirecting our heart to God
in the service of peace.
So how do we proceed? Being aware of our angry thoughts is healthy. Like all
emotions, anger provides us with information about what is going on at a deeper
level. There are five themes suggested by John Cassian aimed at offsetting,
reducing, and ultimately ridding the spiritual seeker of anger.
- Vigilance: The sun should never set on our anger. Whenever a thought about
anger enters our mind, we should try to dispel it so that it does not enter
our heart. Each time I feel anger, I am to redirect any thoughts associated
with the feeling and return to thoughts of charity and compassion. Meditating
on the Scriptures, singing of the psalms or songs of peace, or the recitation
of a short mantra or prayer is good replacements for angry thoughts.
- Memory: We need to root out all anger, hatred, and thoughts of retaliation.
This is the process of forgiveness. When we consciously let go of past hurts
and disappointments they no longer control our minds nor provide the leaven
for habitual anger. Anger is only supposed to be a fleeting emotion to protect
the body from danger. If you find yourself angry on a regular basis, this
means that there is a deeper hurt or fear controlling your life. Forgiveness
and other methods of healing need to be embraced in order to heal this festering
wound.
- Reconciliation: Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me. Reconciliation
means reaching out to someone who has something against me. This often takes
time. St. Benedict warns us against making a false peace. Sometimes, in the
process of reconciliation, the most we can do is to soften our hearts in order
to get ready to make peace so that when the right time comes, we will have
a heart prepared to reconcile.
But what about righteous anger you might ask? What about Jesus cleansing the
temple and overturning the tables of the moneychangers? Isn't it appropriate
to get angry when people are exploited? I don't know Jesus' state of mind
when he cleansed the temple. But I do know that when I am angry, I lose my
ability to discern. Righteous anger is a fleeting emotion that should motivate
us into righteous action, not revenge.
- Solitude: Instead of cutting off relationships, hibernating, or denying
an angry disposition, John Cassian advises us to face our anger, stay connected
to life, and to remain in the relationships of our chosen lifestyle. However,
this does not mean that we need to speak when anger is controlling our tongue
nor does it mean that we remain in harms way.
- Freedom: In our day, it seems that anger is inevitable. Do we really have
any ability not to be angry? In today's letter to the Romans, St. Paul says:
"I do not do the good I want, but the evil that I do not want is what I do.
Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I that do it, but sin that
dwells within me." In this passage, Paul is speaking about the propensity
for human beings to act from a wounded, narcissistic ego, rather than from
an enlightened consciousness and a compassionate heart. The Church calls this
propensity to choose the bad over the good as original sin. What are we to
do? "Thanks be to God in Jesus Christ our Lord." In spite of original sin,
today's readings offer us two insights towards peace and away from pathology.
- First, we need to orient our heart away from our wounded egos towards God.
This is known as faith. When we allow the spirit of God to direct our thoughts
and actions, then we move from choosing the good and saying no to that which
alienates. Mindful thinking is a spiritual tool of replacing our thoughts
with God's thoughts.
- Second, even thought rules and regulations will not ultimately save us,
the 10 commandments (which are the core teachings of the Torah) have some
life giving qualities. These commandments are found in today's reading from
the book of Exodus and provide us with specific directions on how to relate
to God and to others in community. This plumbline against which we can evaluate
our life choices helps us discern God's will for us.
"Almighty God, keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls,
that we may be defended from all adversities and from all evil thoughts which
may assault and hurt the soul." (Collect BCP 218) In
other words, help us God to choose peace over pathology.
* Thought Matters-, by Sr. Mary Funk, Continuum, N.Y., 1998.
Much of the material presented in this sermon was gleaned from this book.
