Holy Anger

There is permission for Holy Anger. There is room, not to mention permission and example, in our faith tradition and in our faith, for anger as an expression of love – love for the other, love for the risked relationship and love for oneself.

Not only are these notions key for thinking about our most intimate familial and personal relationships (including our relationship with ourselves), but they are also essential as we engage in the political and social upheaval of these days.

There is a reason for anger, born out of agape love for the Least of These who are being threatened and out of agape love for those causing the harm. Anger that is flippant or simply mean is not welcome. But anger that, as Martin Luther said, “calls a thing what it is,” is, I would argue, holy. And it is of the Holy Spirit.

This message is excerpted from “I love you. What were you thinking?” by Anna Madsen in the November 2017 Gather magazine. Today we commemorate Antony of Egypt, renewer of the church, c. 356 and Pachomius, renewer of church, 346.

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