“Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger.”
— Ephesians 4:26

St. Paul does not command us not to be angry. He assumes we will. The invitation is to allow anger to become a servant of love rather than a weapon of destruction. Healthy anger says: “Something precious has been violated.” Anger is the natural human response to injustice. Our emotions are neither “good” or “bad”. One of the goals of Catholic Expressive Arts at Hope’s Garden is helping us to become non-judgmental observers of our automatic reactions and emotions. So many of us have been conditioned to shame ourselves for our normal human emotions like anger and then repress them. Have you ever heard the phrase, “Depression is anger turned inward.”? Anger repressed turns into poison, toxic to your heart, soul, and your body too.

“He who is not angry when there is just cause for anger is immoral. Why? Because anger looks to the good of justice. And if you can live amid injustice without anger, you are immoral as well as unjust.” St. Thomas Aquinas

Betrayal, narcissistic abuse, verbal, emotional, and physical abuse are violations of our hearts, minds, and bodies. We must allow ourselves to feel and express the anger these injustices elicit. But we do not stop at feeling and expressing this holy anger. We must ask the Lord to transform our anger into holy courage and hope that motivates us to work toward our safety, our freedom, and our healing as well as the healing of others.

St. Augustine wrote, “”Hope has two beautiful daughters; their names are Anger and Courage. Anger at the way things are, and Courage to see that they do not remain as they are.”

This is our prayer as we use creativity to feel, express, and process our anger at the injustices done against us:

Lord Jesus,

You became angry when love was dishonored,
when the vulnerable were exploited,
and when Your Father’s house was treated without reverence.

Teach me the difference between sinful anger and holy anger.

Purify my heart of bitterness, revenge, and hatred.

Fill me instead with courage, wisdom, and steadfast love.

Help me protect what You have made sacred within me.

May my anger become compassion.
May my courage become justice.
May my wounds become places where hope blooms again.

Amen.

Here is one activity for expressing the anger you carry within your heart.

The Fire Within

Scripture

“Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger.”
— Ephesians 4:26

Art Activity

Express your anger as a flame.

Ask the Holy Spirit:

• What color is it?
• Is it gentle?
• Is it explosive?
• Is it hidden beneath ashes?
• Is it burning out of control?
• Is God tending this fire?

When finished, add gold, white, or soft colors showing where Christ is present within the fire.

Journaling

• My anger is trying to protect…
• My anger is grieving…
• My anger is asking me to notice…
• Jesus is helping me transform this fire into holy love by…

Prayer