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When is anger a mortal sin or is it always
a mortal sin?
I admit I sometimes have anger issues but
I'm not quite sure when it is considered a mortal
sin.
I get angry in the car when someone does something
that irks me . . . like:
cutting me off
driving
too slow, or
tailgating.
There are many other everyday situations where
the anger is mainly in my thoughts: your Boss,
a co-worker, a family member, a neighbor,
or a friend who does or says something that brings
angry thoughts into your head . . . not necessarily
a verbal anger or, God forbid, anger that causes
a physical response which, by the way, never
happens with me.
Jack
{
When does getting angry get to the point of being a mortal sin or is it always a mortal sin? }
Eric
replied:
Hi, Jack —
Anger isn't even necessarily a sin.
Consider Jesus's anger in driving
the money changers from the temple
(Matthew 21:12-13). This is called righteous anger. Sometimes anger
is good, if it moves us to redress
a wrong or motivates us to fight
for the oppressed.
2302 By recalling the commandment, "You shall not kill," (Matthew 5:21) our Lord asked for peace of heart and denounced murderous anger and hatred as immoral.
Anger is a desire for revenge.
"To desire vengeance in order to do evil to someone who should be punished is illicit," but it is praiseworthy to impose restitution "to correct vices and maintain justice."
(St. Thomas Aquinas, STh II-II,158,1 ad 3)
If anger reaches the point of a deliberate desire to kill or seriously wound a neighbor, it is gravely against charity; it is a mortal sin. The Lord says,
"Everyone who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment." (Matthew 5:22)
I doubt most people sin mortally
when they get angry while driving,
unless they half-seriously wish that
they had a gun to blow the person
away.
Eric
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