The Cathedral Close

Ill-temper takes various forms. Some are mere irritability and a hasty temper.  Other forms are sullenness and inclination to bear malice against those who supposedly have caused offense.  Also included are impatience, being “cross”, and being fretful.

Nobody supposes that those who are ill-tempered render themselves happy by yielding to their ill-temper.  On the contrary, everybody will allow that nothing but trouble and unhappiness, both to the ill-tempered and to those around them, can be the result of indulging in ill-temper. Why, then, should people give way to it?

They do so in a measure to gratify themselves.  They yield to their feelings, then they assert themselves in unpleasant ways.  They maintain, they think, their own part, and show a certain amount of independence. In reality, they have become subject to their temper.

If others are unkind to us, we cannot, of course, help showing that we feel their unkindness.  It is desirable that we should show that we feel it. But, we can do this without any feeling of hatred or malice towards them in our hearts. We may hate their unkindness or rudeness, and we may not be able to respect them quite as much as we did before.  However, we need not hate them, nor should we refrain from forgiving them. Mindful of St. Paul’s entreaty not to let the sun go down upon our wrath, we should keep every feeling of anger well under control, lest anger should become a settled feeling of hatred. Anger should, indeed, be rarely allowed to have sway within us, and then only upon just cause.

Our Lord Jesus Christ pronounced His blessing upon the meek, and upon the poor in spirit.  He was Himself meek and lowly in heart. He clearly was angry at the unbelief of His fellow countrymen.  Yet, even His dying prayer was for those who were putting Him to death. It is this gentle, patient, and forgiving spirit which His disciples must seek to imitate.

Prayer

Grant me grace, O Lord Jean Christ, that having this Thine example ever before mine eyes I may always endeavour to follow it, and so may please Thee, to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory now and for evermore. Amen.