Gospel.

From the Gospel according to Mark. Mk 3:1-6

Jesus entered the synagogue.
There was a man there who had a withered hand.
They watched Jesus closely to see if he would cure him on the sabbath so that they might accuse him.
He said to the man with the withered hand, “Come up here before us.”
Then he said to the Pharisees, “Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?”
But they remained silent.
Looking around at them with anger and grieved at their hardness of heart, Jesus said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.”
He stretched it out and his hand was restored.
The Pharisees went out and immediately took counsel with the Herodians against him to put him to death.

The Gospel of the Lord

Fingers in the Socket

Just as God’s love is perfect and ours, by contrast, misses so many things, there also exists a perfect anger of God, compared to our own, which is often deplorable. God’s anger is for our good and out of love for us, while ours is often quite selfish.

When does God apply His anger? When faced with the hardness of our hearts. When we insist on not listening to Him, on rejecting His plan, and this results in harm to ourselves. If you see your child, after you’ve warned them several times that sockets are dangerous, about to stick a metal object into the socket, wouldn’t you shout at them? It’s not an offensive shout, it’s not accusatory, it’s not against the child—it’s for their salvation. In the same way, God acts with us in certain situations where, because of the hardness of our hearts, there is no other way to secure our salvation.

Applied to married life

Fatima: Father Tim, I’ve realized that when my bad anger flares up against my husband, it’s often because God, moved by His righteous anger, wants to give me a wake-up call for my conversion.
Fr Tim: That’s a very good observation, dear Fatima. I, too, sometimes find myself compelled to apply God’s wrath to certain people for their salvation. It’s my responsibility. Then, they can either respond by getting angry with me or by reacting and returning with a contrite heart, which is the first step toward conversion. So, Fatima, my dear, when that bad anger comes over you, take a closer look to see if it’s not God calling you to conversion—especially if He has already placed you in that situation multiple times.
Fatima: Thank you, Father. I repent for not heeding those calls from God through my husband. May I receive absolution?
Fr Tim: Yes, of course. God loves you greatly and forgives you.

Mother,

May we not respond with anger to the wrath of God, but rather be humble and embrace the conversion to which He calls us. Through Jesus Christ, Our Lord. Amen.