One Aspect of a Priest’s Humility Is Not to Be Hot-Tempered
Main Idea
This lecture explains anger in the life of a priest, emphasizing that true humility appears in calmness and self-control, and that nervous or frequent anger contradicts the priestly and spiritual mission.
Spiritual and Educational Meaning
- A clear distinction is made between nervous anger (irritability), which is rejected, and firm anger that may occur rarely for a genuine spiritual reason.
- A hot-tempered priest loses the impact of his preaching and prayers and may become a stumbling block that drives people away from the Church.
- Nervousness reveals inner weakness, inability to persuade wisely, and reliance on authority instead of love.
- Priesthood is fatherhood before leadership; a father wins hearts through tenderness and meekness, not domination.
- Inner peace is essential for a priest to grant peace to others; without it, words become harsh and harmful.
- True rebuke should be with wisdom and calmness, and many mistakes are healed through patience and teaching, not excessive scolding.
- Justifying anger and philosophizing sin is more dangerous than anger itself, because it causes stumbling through teaching and behavior.
- Defending the truth must be done in a truthful manner: with meekness, calmness, without shouting or insults.
- Public rebuke may be appropriate when the fault is public, but never with nervousness or loss of self-control.
- The people also have a responsibility: just as meekness is required from the priest, the congregation should not pressure him or deprive him of his gentleness.
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