Sixth Sunday After Trinity, 2010
Dcn. Russ Hobbs
RECKON YE ALSO YOURSELVES TO BE DEAD INDEED UNTO SIN, BUT ALIVE UNTO GOD THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD.
The 4th edition of the American Heritage Dictionary defines anger as: “A strong feeling of displeasure or hostility.” This is quite a weak definition, but the problem anyone faces in defining anger is the great variety of uses to which the term is put. After all, we could debate whether anger is healthy or unhealthy; good for relationships or bad for them; productive or counterproductive; necessary or a luxury; sinful or righteous.
In our Gospel reading for this morning, Jesus compares anger with murder. He says: “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: but I say unto you, that whosoever is angry with this brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell-fire.”
Let’s first look at some examples of what Jesus does NOT mean by this. The first example is our Lord himself. Jesus was angry, or at least filled with zeal, when he physically chased the money changers and merchants from the temple. This kind of indignation against evil is sometimes appropriate. We are rightly anger when we see the innocent being mistreated, and we can rightly resist such unjust practices. Another example comes from Saint Paul. In one of his epistles he says: “If you are angry, do not let anger lead you into sin; do not let sunset find you still nursing it; leave no loop-hole for the devil.” (Eph. 4:26) Paul speaks here being angry without letting it lead you into sin. Let it be short-lived, he says. A third example, of what Jesus did not mean is found in the epistle by Saint James. He mentions another aspect of this: “Each of you must be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to be angry.” Here it is the quick temper that is condemned; James thus implies that some anger is justified. Some final examples come from daily life. Common sense would tell us that such things as the anger a parent feels when a child shows up safe at home, two hours late; or the anger we may feel when our coworker’s hammer misses the target and hits our thumb; common sense would tells us that these emotions are not what Jesus has in mind when he compares anger to murder.
Often our anger is like our tea-kettle at home. When you put water in and turn on the heat it is silent for quite a while. Then it begins to rumble quietly for several minutes. Then, just before it boils, it gets silent again. Finally, the shrill whistle sings and (especially if we have filled our kettle too full) it even belches out boiling water onto the stove top. Often our anger is no more serious that this tea-kettle. Either we need to learn to speak up as soon as we feel the heat, or learn to not sweat the small stuff.
However, in our attempt to understand Jesus’ comparison someone may point out that in our Gospel reading, Jesus says, “Whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment.” But the words “without a cause” are likely a later addition, and were probably not a part of what Matthew originally wrote. It would not be wise, therefore, to put too much weight on these words. And we would all, perhaps, have to confess that we usually feel fully justified in our anger—only rarely would anyone be angry without a cause. But if the phrase is understood to mean “without a legitimate cause” it may be useful. Nonetheless, we are consummate masters of self-justification.
So we return again to Jesus’ words and ask what he does mean. Let’s look at some of the features of this passage. Note that this is Jesus’ first example of how the life of God’s kingdom differs from life under Old Testament law. “Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.” (Mat. 5:20) It is right to avoid murder. But there is much more. If you managed to avoid murder this week that is good—nonetheless there is much more to this. Jesus gives three stern warnings: one against being angry with my brother or sister; another against calling someone raca, that is idiot, or donkey, or worse; and a third against calling someone a fool. Jesus relates these actions to murder. It is this relationship to murder that is the key to understanding Jesus’ words. Some kinds of anger come from the same ugly root as murder!
All of our relationships with other people rest on one of two foundations: either the foundation of love, or the foundation of hate. (And, apathy is really a passive hatred.)
Does anger sometimes appear on a foundation of love? If you and your spouse are having a disagreement about finances it can get intense at times and there can be anger. But the foundation of your relationship is (or at least should be) love. If during your dispute, someone came into your home and tried to hurt your spouse you would jump to their defense. Why? Because your relationship is founded in love.
What Jesus rejects is every relationship founded on hate. Hate is the foundation of murder. Hate is the foundation of much anger and name calling. Hate is absolutely 180 degrees removed from love. Jesus said, “I give you a new commandment: love one another.” In the same sermon our Gospel reading comes from (the Sermon on the Mount) Jesus says: “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you.” St. John understood this well, he says in his first epistle: “Only the man who loves his brother dwells in the light. . . . But one who hates his brother is in darkness.” (1 Jn. 2:10-11) “The man who does not love is still in the realm of death, for everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and no murderer, as you know, has eternal life dwelling within him.” (1 Jn. 3:16) And again: “If a man says, ‘I love God’, while hating his brother, he is a liar.” St. Paul adds: “Let us work for the good of all, especially members of the household of faith.”
The Church has also recognized the importance of speaking from a foundation of love and rejecting hatred. The invitation to Holy Communion is to you who “are in love and charity with your neighbors.” So Jesus’ concern is real. “Whosoever is angry with this brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell-fire.” To respond in anger to others with hatred in our hearts is a kind of murder. Love is central to our Christian faith.
About two years ago we began to notice that the deck on the back of our house was sagging. The problem was a poor foundation. For a 12x12 deck there was one post at each corner. It could not carry its own weight. This summer Elijah took it on as a project and re-leveled the deck, putting in six more supporting posts. Now it feels really solid and could even hold the weight of walls if we chose to enclose it. Love is to be the foundation of our relationships. We need make the effort to build up that foundation, grow in love, and become capable of bearing the weight of life and the weight of others.
Let us comment ever more deeply to the foundation of love in our relationships with all people.
LET YOUR LIGHT SO SHINE BEFORE MEN THAT THEY MAY SEE YOUR GOOD WORKS AND GLORIFY YOUR FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN.