Rooting Out the Tangled snake-roots of Wrath!

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Struggling with uncontrollable anger can truly be a battle in all its sense! I have been struggling with this for the past.........umpteen years!! There is a slight (may be a little more than just "slight") improvement in my temperament. But I'm still a long way lagging to reach my goal - "TEMPERANCE"!! I think that is the virtue I'm striving to attain.

And what exactly is this so called "temperance"? Let me google a bit for its defintition.....


The closest defintion to reach my need is : " Temperance is the practice of always controlling your actions, thoughts, or feelings so that you don't eat or drink too much, become angry etc."

In essence , it means restraint , a habitual moderation in the indulgence of passions, and here, in this my context, that passion is "ANGER"!

That sounds good. But how to practice it? I have Steve Covey's lessons on "Pro activity" , and quite a number of books on controlling the dragon named " Anger". And here are some gems from some of my favourite Catholic Saints:


There is no sin or wrong that gives a man a foretaste of hell in this life as anger and impatience.
--Saint Catherine of Sienna


”When we have to reply to anyone who has insulted us, we should be careful to do it always with meekness. A soft answer extinguishes the fire of wrath. If we feel ourselves angry, it is better for us to be silent, because we should speak amiss; when we become tranquil, we shall see that all our words were culpable.”
--Saint Alphonsus Liguori, Doctor of the Church


“In the Christian combat, not the striker, as in the Olympic contests, but he who is struck, wins the crown. This is the law in the celestial theatre, where the Angels are the spectators.”
--Saint John Chrysostom


”Be as gentle always as possible; and remember that you will catch more flies with a spoonful of honey than with a hundred barrels of vinegar. Such is the nature of the human mind; it rebels against severity, but gentleness renders it amenable to everything. A soft word appeases anger, as water extinguishes fire. No soul so ungrateful, but kindness can make it bear fruit. To speak truths sweetly is to throw burning coals, or rather roses, into a person's face. How can anyone be angry with another who fights him with pearls and diamonds?”
--Saint Francis of Sales


Yet, the thing has to be rooted out of my system. There is only one way for that. Perseverence in repeating some of the Power Quotes from the Bible. Word of God is sharp enough to cut deep into the tangled roots of anger that has taken possession in my innermost being, since the moment I was conceived , those roots of ancestral debris and those that I myself have imbibed through all the wounds and struggles I had been through by living ....., unaware of or by ignoring the Redeeming power of my baptized, resurrected self.

So here are just two "Swords", from the Word of God. I am sure repeating it, memorizing it is going to have a fastforwarding effect on my attempts at reaching my goal......!!!

http://www.soulshepherding.org/2012/07/jesus-way-of-dealing-with-anger/

Colossians 3:7-9

You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices






James 1:19-21
My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.