Angry again

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I realize that recently, in light of all this claptrap of the anticlerical social liberals getting near everything they want, I’m angry. Angry at them, angry at people taking advantage of this attack on morals, angry at nearly everyone and everything. I know God sees it all, but why doesn’t he intervene?

Now I know that the way to calm myself should be through prayer, but I’ve been hard pressed to pray in a way that isn’t “God, I wish that (list of people) would be smited by You, and made to suffer in this life” or “God, I wish these people could be lined up and shot by a firing squad (recall I am an opponent of capital punishment”. This is linked with a bit of despair.

What should I do?
 
A few weeks ago at daily mass, the priest’s homily was about how angry people are. And why not? We are constantly tuned into media that feeds that anger, from talk radio to internet message boards to 24-hr-news programs.

My very sincere, honest advice (and I’ve been doing it myself now for 3 years) is to unplug from all of it. All of that is “the world” and we have absolutely no control over it.

Instead, focus on yourself and your little corner of the world. Minister to people, love your neighbor, do good.

I tell you from experience that gradually you will stop arguing it all in your head; the anger will dissipate; you will be more at peace. The world will go on whether you are tuned in or upset, or not.

St. Teresa of Avila: “If we fill the palace with vulgar people and all kinds of junk, how can the Lord and His Court occupy it?”

Indeed. If we fill our minds with politics and arguments and anger … why would the Lord want to dwell within us? 🤷
 
LPS said:
A few weeks ago at daily mass, the priest’s homily was about how angry people are. And why not? We are constantly tuned into media that feeds that anger, from talk radio to internet message boards to 24-hr-news programs.

My very sincere, honest advice (and I’ve been doing it myself now for 3 years) is to unplug from all of it. All of that is “the world” and we have absolutely no control over it.

Instead, focus on yourself and your little corner of the world. Minister to people, love your neighbor, do good.

I tell you from experience that gradually you will stop arguing it all in your head; the anger will dissipate; you will be more at peace. The world will go on whether you are tuned in or upset, or not.

St. Teresa of Avila: “If we fill the palace with vulgar people and all kinds of junk, how can the Lord and His Court occupy it?”

But I can’t escape it. I’m gonna be studying law in the fall, and I already know I’m pretty much the only one there who’s a practicing Catholic among the students. Already on Facebook they’re popping the champagne about their so-called gay marriages, and the failure of the Texas Filibuster - and those are just my friends. My enemies are even more intolerable. And everytime they say what they say, I have to suppress the urge not to do violence to them, to beat them until they’re too broken down to say anything against the Church.

Indeed. If we fill our minds with politics and arguments and anger … why would the Lord want to dwell within us? 🤷
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But I have to deal with these people, day in, and day out, especially when I go to law school. How can I minister to people who think I’m representative of everything that’s wrong with the country? How can I do good for a neighbor that wishes me and all Catholics would go to hell? How can I love someone who wishes me ill? Furthermore my degree is pretty much geared to working in politics, and it’s been my passion ever since I could hold an opinion not my parents’.

For crying out loud, I feel as if God is asking me to fight with one hand tied behind my back someone who has no compunctions hitting below the belt.
 
Your true prayer is not hidden from God. Bring it into His Light, let Him show you how to love. He can transform you degree by degree.

2 Corinthians 3:18 All of us, gazing with unveiled face on the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, as from the Lord who is the Spirit

Peace
 
Cojuanco said:
But I have to deal with these people, day in, and day out, especially when I go to law school. How can I minister to people who think I’m representative of everything that’s wrong with the country? How can I do good for a neighbor that wishes me and all Catholics would go to hell? How can I love someone who wishes me ill? Furthermore my degree is pretty much geared to working in politics, and it’s been my passion ever since I could hold an opinion not my parents’.

For crying out loud, I feel as if God is asking me to fight with one hand tied behind my back someone who has no compunctions hitting below the belt.
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Gently and respectfully … perhaps your battle isn’t with “them” but with yourself.

ALWAYS treat others respectfully, even if they don’t treat you that way, even if you don’t “feel” respect for them within yourself. Let your actions speak.

In the old testament we read many times that God told the Israelites that He has delivered their enemies into their hands … that He won the battle for them. Remember that; “battles” belong to God. Don’t quarrel, don’t battle … be respectful and do good. You’ll be surprised how well people respond to that and will come to you with questions, eventually. Then you will the opportunity to speak and be heard.
 
LPS said:
Gently and respectfully … perhaps your battle isn’t with “them” but with yourself.

ALWAYS treat others respectfully, even if they don’t treat you that way, even if you don’t “feel” respect for them within yourself. Let your actions speak.

In the old testament we read many times that God told the Israelites that He has delivered their enemies into their hands … that He won the battle for them. Remember that; “battles” belong to God. Don’t quarrel, don’t battle … be respectful and do good. You’ll be surprised how well people respond to that and will come to you with questions, eventually. Then you will the opportunity to speak and be heard.
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But I am, I fear, afraid. Afraid that if I do that, people will take advantage of me. For example, I have this friend. He’s gay. Usually we don’t speak about that, because we have common interests other than hot button politics, for example, the latest strategy game. He does good turns by me, and I him. But now he’s jubipant about recent events and unknowingly denouncing his own friends. Was all he did a lie, to get me to somehow abandon my principles? Then ai’m afraid that others, the people next to me in the pew, will think I’ve surrendered my faith to get along.

I find it hard to love. I’m good at knowing how to obey, but love? Now that’s difficult.
 
Cojuanco said:
But I am, I fear, afraid. Afraid that if I do that, people will take advantage of me. For example, I have this friend. He’s gay. Usually we don’t speak about that, because we have common interests other than hot button politics, for example, the latest strategy game. He does good turns by me, and I him. But now he’s jubipant about recent events and unknowingly denouncing his own friends. Was all he did a lie, to get me to somehow abandon my principles? Then ai’m afraid that others, the people next to me in the pew, will think I’ve surrendered my faith to get along.

I find it hard to love. I’m good at knowing how to obey, but love? Now that’s difficult.
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I do understand. I used to be very angry and very fearful of many things.

Just continue to pray, and keep the fruits of the spirit in mind and try to practice them. As I said earlier, even if you don’t “feel” them inside, do them. It may feel fake at first but you will be surprised - while you are walking in faith, God will help to change you so that your inside feelings will match your outside actions. 🙂

" the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23)
 
Always remember that we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against the principalities and powers. Even the people here on earth that do terrible things or believe that which opposes the Church are still people Jesus came to save. And they need our prayers. We want them to be converted just as we strive ourselves to daily be converted.
 
I have a theory, and it is that people have been drawing away from God. When did it start? Well, people have always been drawing away from God, but it seems that for a while, the amount of Godliness was going up, and we had Christendom and were on the cusp of a new evangelization around the early part of the second millenium, but… then people started falling away in the Renaissance, In the Protestant Revolt, and so on.

My theory is that even Catholics were drawn away from God-infused lives and prayer as time went on and that process has accelerated. Did the message of our Lady of Fatima have the necessary effect? No.

And so it goes on.

We have not prayed sufficiently for our priests and religious, so first we got modernists, the we got the abusers, and now we have too few.

We have not prayed sifficiently for the leaders of our nations, and look what a terrible state they are in! We suffer for their state, too.

So, I think we need more people to pray more. It’s hard for me, as it probably is for others. There are so many distractions in the world, and our states of lives as set in the world do not conduce to prayer, and it’s hard to see how to work it out, but there it is. Maybe I will have not done well in my life, but I hope that if I do something, the next generation will find it easier to do a little more and gradually we will be back where we ought to be.
 
Cojuanco said:
I realize that recently, in light of all this claptrap of the anticlerical social liberals getting near everything they want, I’m angry. Angry at them, angry at people taking advantage of this attack on morals, angry at nearly everyone and everything. I know God sees it all, but why doesn’t he intervene?

Now I know that the way to calm myself should be through prayer, but I’ve been hard pressed to pray in a way that isn’t “God, I wish that (list of people) would be smited by You, and made to suffer in this life” or “God, I wish these people could be lined up and shot by a firing squad (recall I am an opponent of capital punishment”. This is linked with a bit of despair.

What should I do?
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We ALL need to get angry. we need to write to our bishops. Fight heresy when ever you can. it is our DUTY to fight heresy and it is our duty to stand up for the church. you darn right you should be angry and fight along side of Jesus the Christ King of the Universe with help from the Holy Queen of Heaven. Not enough people are angry. Pray that your anger is righteous as righteous anger is acceptable, Ask Jesus how you can use it to better his Kingdom. If martyrdom is the end result pray for the grace and faith to do it. Fight the good fight as the fight is going to be here sooner than “realists” think. We have to get angry but has to be righteous anger not self fulfilling or renegade type anger. Talk to a spiritual director and make sure your anger is righteous then ask Jesus how you can help in the good fight.
 
Oh, and in terms of your post :o when I notice I am beginning to or am in the middle of being angry or depressed or worried, I try to remember to pray about whatever the source of my concern. That helps a lot.

The problem is that so often when we are angry about sin, it feels justified, but really, we can’t do anything about it, so we should really pray instead, no? And when I find it difficult to let go enough to pray, I have to ask myself what the benefit is to me to hold onto my emotional reaction. (I don’t always like the answer :()
 
Cojuanco said:
I realize that recently, in light of all this claptrap of the anticlerical social liberals getting near everything they want, I’m angry. Angry at them, angry at people taking advantage of this attack on morals, angry at nearly everyone and everything. I know God sees it all, but why doesn’t he intervene?

Now I know that the way to calm myself should be through prayer, but I’ve been hard pressed to pray in a way that isn’t “God, I wish that (list of people) would be smited by You, and made to suffer in this life” or “God, I wish these people could be lined up and shot by a firing squad (recall I am an opponent of capital punishment”. This is linked with a bit of despair.

What should I do?
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It is justifiable to be angry at such things that happen my corrupt people, but it is wrong to wish people ill for any reason. By saying prayers like that to God, you are just scrambling up your relationship with God and hurting yourself. God does not want you to ill wish people, but rather pray for and love your enemies.

Yes it’s ALOT harder than it sounds, I know, but that is God’s instructions: to wish the best and pray for everyone, even those who are your enemies.

God allows such corruption to occur in the world so that a greater good will come from it. We might not be able to see it or understand it, but God’s Plan is bigger and greater than we can ever imagine. He’s got your back, even when it doesn’t seem like it.

Have faith. Pray to God for peace in your soul. Pray for God’s Will and Plan to be enacted in the world. And, as hard as it is, pray for your enemies.

Don’t be discouraged, we all get upset by injustices, but God asks us to rise above it.

Remember: hate the sin, not the sinner.

God Bless you 🙂
 
Cojuanco said:
But I am, I fear, afraid. Afraid that if I do that, people will take advantage of me. For example, I have this friend. He’s gay. Usually we don’t speak about that, because we have common interests other than hot button politics, for example, the latest strategy game. He does good turns by me, and I him. But now he’s jubipant about recent events and unknowingly denouncing his own friends. Was all he did a lie, to get me to somehow abandon my principles? Then ai’m afraid that others, the people next to me in the pew, will think I’ve surrendered my faith to get along.

I find it hard to love. I’m good at knowing how to obey, but love? Now that’s difficult.
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If your friend was truly a good friend, I would hope his friendship wasn’t a lie. Does he know about your faith and what you believe? If he does, I would also hope he can respect your faith and know that you do not accept his lifestyle while maintaining your friendship.

As far as being angry… it is such an easy emotion to give in to. Maybe unplug as much as you can while in law school. I try to focus on the things I have control over and the good I have in my life. I don’t get as mad at society, it has become more feeling sorry for the state of society nowadays than anger.
 
Cojuanco said:
But I am, I fear, afraid. Afraid that if I do that, people will take advantage of me. For example, I have this friend. He’s gay. Usually we don’t speak about that, because we have common interests other than hot button politics, for example, the latest strategy game. He does good turns by me, and I him. But now he’s jubipant about recent events and unknowingly denouncing his own friends. Was all he did a lie, to get me to somehow abandon my principles? Then ai’m afraid that others, the people next to me in the pew, will think I’ve surrendered my faith to get along.

I find it hard to love. I’m good at knowing how to obey, but love? Now that’s difficult.
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Love isn’t necessarily accompanied by emotion. Love is a choice. Love is wanting the best for someone, even if that person has done you wrong.
 
Liberals in general will turn on you if you do not accept their beliefs. Friendship with them is based on political solidarity. We know to love the sinner but not the sin, however there are many out there whose sin is so much a part of their identity that they interpret lack of love for their sin as lack of love for themselves.
 
Cojuanco said:
I realize that recently, in light of all this claptrap of the anticlerical social liberals getting near everything they want, I’m angry. Angry at them, angry at people taking advantage of this attack on morals, angry at nearly everyone and everything. I know God sees it all, but why doesn’t he intervene?

Now I know that the way to calm myself should be through prayer, but I’ve been hard pressed to pray in a way that isn’t “God, I wish that (list of people) would be smited by You, and made to suffer in this life” or “God, I wish these people could be lined up and shot by a firing squad (recall I am an opponent of capital punishment”. This is linked with a bit of despair.

What should I do?
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I just posted the despair thread counterpart to this . . . I have no easy answers my friend but you certainly aren’t alone. :console:

My theory is that it’s just all snowballing so rapidly - since the presidential election which meant there wouldn’t be a substantial calling into question of the HHS mandate, and then the fact that the results emboldened the pro-“marriage equality” crowd . . . :rolleyes:

It’s gonna be an uphill battle . . .
 
When you see yourself as separate from the discursive others, you’ll justify hatred for them by all sorts of things the ego-identity will conjure up.

Instead of seeing these people as brothers and sisters who have spiritual poverty and need our compassion and prayers, your ego is telling you to wish harm on them, not because they’re a threat to the Catholic Church, but to your own ego.

Not long ago, people with such attitudes would justify themselves in killing such people.

As a person of faith in Jesus Christ, you can not think like this and still call yourself a Christian.

Consider the Blessed Mother. She was a devote Jewish women who followed the teachings of her religion to the T. Yet, look what her religion did to her son?

Follow her example in dealing with people you don’t agree with, whom you label as liberals.

Our goal is to bring them home to the truth, not drive them away and certainly not hope for their harm.

Jim
 
JimR-OCDS said:
When you see yourself as separate from the discursive others, you’ll justify hatred for them by all sorts of things the ego-identity will conjure up.

Instead of seeing these people as brothers and sisters who have spiritual poverty and need our compassion and prayers, your ego is telling you to wish harm on them, not because they’re a threat to the Catholic Church, but to your own ego.

Not long ago, people with such attitudes would justify themselves in killing such people.

As a person of faith in Jesus Christ, you can not think like this and still call yourself a Christian.

Consider the Blessed Mother. She was a devote Jewish women who followed the teachings of her religion to the T. Yet, look what her religion did to her son?

Follow her example in dealing with people you don’t agree with, whom you label as liberals.

Our goal is to bring them home to the truth, not drive them away and certainly not hope for their harm.

Jim
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to add to this,Show your Christianity by actions and by love. I love the pre Vatican II people as I agree they do though seem to lack compassion and love. which devoid of that you are not a Christian.
 
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