Anger And Control

Ὀργίζεσθε καὶ μὴ ἁμαρτάνετε... Ἄπασι μὴν ἀνθρώποις συμβαίνει τὸ τῆς ὀργῆς πάθος, μητέρα ἔχον λύπην ἢ μικροψυχίαν ἢ πλεονεξίαν ἢ τὴν παρά τινων λοιδορίαν. Ἔξεστι δὲ ταύτην ἀνακόπτειν, καθάπερ καὶ τὰς σωματικὰς ὀρέξεις. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ μηδόλως αὐτὰς ἐν ἡμῖν κινεῖσθαι, τάχα που καὶ ἀνέφικτον καὶ οὐκ ἐφ' ἡμῖν. Ἐν ἡμῖν δὲ τὸ ἐπιτιμᾷν τοῖς κινήμασιν· οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς ὀργῆς· δριμὺμὲν γὰρ ἐν ἡμῖν ἐστιν, ὅτε ποιεῖ ται τὸ κίνημα, πλὴν ὥσπερ τισὶ χαλινοῖς ἀνακόπτεται, τοῖς εἰς τὸ ἄμεινον ἐπιλογισμοῖς. Καὶ ἕως μὲν ἀδρανές ἐστι ἔτι τὸ πάθος ἐν ἡμῖν, συγγνώμης ἀξιοῦ ται παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ· ἐπειδ' ἂν δὲ τὰ ἐξ αὐτοῦ ἐμ φαίνηται κακὰ, τότε τὰς δίκας ὑφέξομεν. Τὸ αὐτὸ δὲ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν σαρκικῶν ὀρέξεων· ἀπρακτούσης γὰρ ἐν ἡμῖν τῆς φαύλης ἡδονῆς, συνηρεμήσει πάντως καὶ αὐτῇ ὁ κολάζων νόμος· ἐνηνεγμένης δὲ ἤδη πρὸς πέρας, τὰ τῆς δίκης συνεκτείνεται. Φησὶν οὖν καὶ νῦν ὁ Δαβὶδ, ὅτι Κἂν ἀπροαιρέτως ὀργισθῆτε, ὅπερ οὐχ ἁμάρτημα τέλειον, μὴ προσθῆτε καὶ τὴν πρᾶξιν, ἵνα μὴ τέλειον ᾖ τὸ ἁμάρτημα. Εὐφυῶς γὰρ συγχωρεῖ τὸ ἔλαττον ὡς ἀσθενεστέροις, τὴν ὀργὴν λέγω, ἵνα κωλύσῃ τὸ μεῖζον, τουτέστι τὸν φόνον καὶ ὅσα ἐκ τοῦ θυμοῦ μὴ κολαζομένου τίκτεται. Ἅγιος Κύριλλος Ἀλεξανδρείας, Εἰς Τους Ψαλμους, Ψαλμός Δ' Source: Migne PG 69.737

Be angry and sin not... 1 The passion of anger comes to every man, having for its mother distress, or some meanness, or over-reaching, or some other thing which vexes. We should cut off this anger, just like the bodily appetites. For that these things be not a trouble to us is perhaps impossible and not a matter of our choice but we are able to deplore these disturbances, even anger, which indeed is most biting when it acts within us, and indeed, better it is that some sort of bridle be put on it by our reason. For while that passion within us is ineffective, we merit forgiveness by God, but if the same evil affection burst forth then we deserve punishment. And so it is with the carnal appetites, for while depraved desire is inert in us, the penalty of the law is also quiescent, but if it proceeds to an act then at the same time punishment is prepared. Thus David said here: 'If you are angered without choice, it is not a sin if it is not consummated, that is, if it does not go forth to the deed, but if it is consummated it is indeed a sin. For know that he who indulges the least part of his weaknesses, I speak of anger, so he shall be punished more for what it goes to, that is to wounding, and whatever is born from it being unbridled. Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on the Psalms, from Psalm 4 1 Ps 4.5