Anger And Fear

Vae vobis a dracone! Immanis est bestia, flatu igneo quidquid attigerit, necat; non modo bestias terrae, sed et volucres coeli. Haud alium ego draconem hunc, quam spiritum iracundiae reor. Quantos etiam sublimis ut videbatur vitae, flatu hujus draconis misere satis adustos, turpiter in ejus os ingemimus cecidisse? Quam melius sibi ipsis irasci potuerant ne peccarent? Nimirum affectio naturalis ira hominum est; sed abutentibus bono naturae gravis perditio est, et miseranda pernicies. Occupemus illam, fratres, in quibus expedit, ne forte ad inutilla illicitaque prorumpat. Sic nimirum solet amorem amor expungere, solet timor timore depelli. Nolite timere eos qui corpus occidunt, ait Dominus, animae autem non habent quid faciant: et confestim, Ostendam autem, ait, vobis quem timeatis. Timete autem eum qui potestatem habet corpus et animam mittere in gehennam. Ita dico vobis, hunc timete. Ac si manifestius dicat: Hunc timete, ne illos timeatis. Repleat vos spiritus timoris Domini, et timor alienus locum non habebit in vobis. Et ego vobis dico, non autem ego, sed Veritas; non ego, sed Dominus: Nolite irasci eis qui transitoria vobis auferunt, qui convicia inferunt, qui ingerunt forte supplicia, et praeter haec faciunt nihil. Ostendam autem vobis cui debeatis irasci. Irascimini ei quae sola vobis nocere potest, sola facere ut omnia illa non prosint. Vultis scire quaenam illa sit? Iniquitas propria. Ita dico vobis, huic irascimini. Nulla enim nocebit adversitas, si nulla dominetur iniquitas. Qui perfecte huic irascitur, caeteris non movetur, magis et amplectitur ea. Ego, inquit, in flagella paratus sum. Sit damnum, sit convicium, sit laesio corporalis; paratus sum, et non sum turbatus: quoniam dolor meus in conspectu meo semper. Quidni exteriora omnia parvi pendam in hujus aestimatione doloris? Filius, inquit, uteri mei persequitur me, et convicianti servulo indignabor? Cor meum dereliquit me, dereliquit me virtus mea, et lumen oculorum meorum: et damna temporalia plangam, aut incommoda corporalia reputabo? Hinc nimirum non modo mansuetudo oritur, cui draconis flatus non noceat; sed etiam magnanimitas, quam rugitus leonis non terreat. Adversarius vester tanquam leo rugiens, ait Petrus. Gratias magno illi Leoni de tribu Juda: rugire iste potest, ferire non potest. Rugiat quantum vult: tantum non fugiat ovis Christi. Quanta minitatur! quanta exaggerat! quanta intentat! Non simus bestiae, ut nos prosternat vacuus ille rugitus. Sic enim perhibent qui talia curiosius vestigaveruut, ad rugitum leonis nullam bestiam stare posse, ne eam quidem quae adversus ictum ejus tota animositate repugnat: et plerumque superat ferientem, quae non sustinet rugientem. Vere bestia, vere rationis expers, qui tam pusillanimis est, ut solo timore cedat, qui sola futuri exaggeratione laboris victus, ante conflictum, non telo, sed tuba prosternitur. Nondum restitistis usque ad sanguinem, ait strenuus ille dux, qui leonis hujus noverat vanum esse rugitum. Et alius quidam: Resistite, inquit, diabolo, et fugiet a vobis. Sanctus Bernardus Clarae Vallensis, Sermones De Diversis, Sermon XIII, De versu duodecimo, In manibus portabunt te, etc Source: Migne PL 183.237b-238d

Woe to you because of the dragon. Perilous is the beast which kills whatever it touches with the breath of fire, not only the beasts of the earth, but even the birds of heaven. I speak of no other dragon than the spirit of anger. How many who seemed so great in life, having been scorched by the breath of the dragon to wretchedness, have fallen in foulness into his roaring mouth? And how better are they who are angry with themselves lest they sin? Indeed anger is a natural emotion of man, but for the laying waste of a good nature it is a grave peril and a most wretched danger. Let us occupy ourselves, brothers, with things which befit, lest perhaps it drives us to what is worthless and criminal. So indeed love drives out love, and fear casts out fear. 'Do not fear those who kill the body,' says the Lord, 'and can do nothing to the soul,' and immediately He continues: 'I shall show you what you should fear. Fear him who has the power to cast the body and the soul into hell. Thus I say to you: Fear this.' 1 As if more openly He had said: 'Fear this, do not fear them.' Let the spirit of the fear of the Lord fill you and no other fear shall find a place in you.' And I say to you, yet not I, but the Truth, not I but the Lord: Do not be angry at those who bring transient things against you, who bring forth abuse, who bring strong torments before you, and beyond these things can do nothing. I will show you what you should be angry at. Be angry alone at him who alone is able to harm you, he who alone is able to make nothing profit. You want to know who this is? It is your own wickedness. Thus be angry, direct your anger at him. No adversity shall harm you if no wickedness rules over you. He who perfectly hates this one, is not troubled by others, no, he even embraces them. 'I am', he says, 'prepared for the whip.' If suffering loss, if abused, if wounded in the body, I am prepared, I am not troubled, 'because my grief is in my sight always.' 2 Shall I not now weigh every exterior things as little against the judgement of this grief? 'My son seeks my life,' he says, 'and shall I be indignant because of the abuse of this servant?' 3 My heart melts within me, my strength melts away and also the light of my eyes, and shall I bewail temporal troubles, or be troubled by bodily discomforts? And he who is not harmed by the breath of the dragon, from him not only does meekness arise, but even magnanimity from him whom the roaring of the lion does not terrify. 'Your adversary is like a roaring lion,' Peter says. 4 Thanks to that great lion of of the tribe of Judah, this one can roar but it is not able to carry one away. Let him roar as much as he wants, only let the sheep of Christ not flee. How many threats! How great they are! How they are directed! Let us not be beasts, so that we are overthrown by empty roars. So they regard it who with greater curiosity investigate such things, that the roar of the lion which no beast is able to withstand is not able to strike one adverse blow for all his hostility, for generally he who can strike, does not delay by roaring. Truly a beast, utterly lacking reason, is he who is so cowardly that fear alone makes him fall, who is conquered by the mere thought of future trial, who before conflict is prostrated not by a spear but a mob.'You have not yet resisted even to bloodshed.' 5 says that enduring king, who knew the roars of the lion to be in vain. And another says: 'Resist the devil and he shall fly from you.' 6 Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, Sermons Concerning Various Things, from Sermon 13, On the line 'In their hands they shall carry you.' 7 1 Lk 12.4-5 2 Ps 27.18 3 2 King 16.11 4 1 Pet 5.8 5 Heb 12.4 6 Jam 4.7 7 Ps 90.12