Sacred Anger - Reflection

This morning, I happened to listen to CBC Radio, where they aired an interview with Pinchas Gutter, who was recently named a Member of the Order of Canada for his lifelong work in Holocaust education. I cannot imagine what it must have been like for him to endure such unspeakable suffering.

When I face trouble in my own life, at least I usually know why it happens, what might ease the pain, or when it might end. For those who endured the Holocaust, none of these certainties existed. On top of unimaginable violence and dehumanization inflicted upon themselves and their loved ones, they faced the crushing weight of hopelessness—of feeling that there was nothing left to hold on to. Pinchas spoke about how hatred can destroy our humanity, and how we can nurture goodness within ourselves and in our communities. Coming from someone who survived one of history ’s darkest chapters, his words were a powerful, hopeful testimony that left me reflecting on what it means to be human.

Listening to him made me wonder how God responds when injustice and violence destroy what He has created. Scripture tells us of God’s anger in the face of wrongdoing. Yes, God can be angry. He is our most benevolent and merciful Father, but when His children suffer unjustly or their dignity is violated, God’s anger is a response of love and righteousness. On the surface, anger and hatred may appear similar, but they are not the same. Hatred leaves no room for the other; it seeks to destroy. Anger, especially God’s anger, seeks to restore—to make room again for justice, mercy, and the life God intends for all His children.

As we look at the world around us today, we see so much pain. The earth groans, the vulnerable are silenced, the poor and marginalized are neglected. In our hurt, it is easy to let hatred take root—to blame, to accuse, to withdraw from one another. But the path back to our humanity is found not in hatred, but in sacred anger, which moves us to act with compassion and courage.

To be truly human is to allow our hearts to be stirred by the suffering of others. Sacred anger calls us to stand with the oppressed, to speak when others are silenced, to reach out in healing and solidarity. Who are you angry for?  What are you fighting for? And how is your anger expressed?

May God fill our hearts with holy fire—not to destroy, but to heal and to stand faithfully with one another.

From Fr. James