DAILY DEVOTIONAL
Sunday, April 15, 2018

How does a soul deal with the rage within and the rage in the world about them?

A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” Christ got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”– Mark 4:47-40

I sense it was born in the frustrations of my home of origin, this rage that burns within me. When frustrated by the world, and even worse, when frustrated with my self … a bonfire of rage ignites. It is part of my nature, sometimes sinful, sometimes righteous. I do not condemn myself for it, but the Lord has worked with me through a lifetime learning to be its master. And with that … I have learned that in that mastery I need the assistance of the Lord.

In these frustrating times when frustrating people tempt my rage, I keep waking up the Lord. “Lord, do You not care that we are perishing?” And each time, I hear the Lord saying, “Fr. Charitas, steady your faith.” And with His presence and His shouts, the rage of the storm does dissipate.

Anger is bred into our genetics; how we manage that anger is learned. And for we Christian disciples who are still very human, we must learn from the actions of the Lord. There will be times when anger ought to stir in a compassionate soul and it must never lose control of its fire. We temper it with faith and a relentless love, with humility that guides us to wisdom, with that presence of the Lord who calms the fear.

Always in His Service,
Fr. Charitas de la Cruz