A priest, on pilgrimage to the Holy Land, saw a rusty iron nail on the ground, next to one of the sacred monuments. He picked it up and decided to keep it because it would remind him of the nails that pinned Jesus to the Cross. Because he had a weakness for losing his temper while driving, whenever he took the wheel, he placed the rusty iron nail on the seat beside him where he could see it and be reminded of Jesus on the Cross, forgiving His enemies. One day, as he was driving through the busiest intersection in town during the peak traffic hour, his car suddenly went dead. Instant traffic jam was the result. As he tried desperately, but unsuccessfully, to get started again, the driver of the car immediately behind him began leaning on his horn. The priest tried to signal that he was doing the best he could, but the impatient driver kept sounding his horn relentlessly. The priest looked in the rear-view mirror and could see that the man was getting angrier and angrier, and was beginning to curse him. Finally, the priest having taken all he could endure, pushed open the door of his car, ready to get out and give the horn-blower a real tongue-lashing. Then he saw the rusty nail and he remembered what it represented. He waited for a few seconds while he calmed down. Then, slowly, he walked to the car behind and said to the driver, ever so gently, “I’ll be glad to honk your horn if you will start my engine for me.”
In today’s reading we hear the famous story from the Old Testament of Jonah angry with God because God will not punish the Ninevites.
God’s mercy is too much for Jonah. Jonah says to God that he is angry enough to die. Anger can be a form of death.
Anger kills relationships; anger can entomb us in depression and sadness, it destroys any hope for reconciliation. Anger can also become a controlling influence in our lives, it can shatter the bond between family and friends.
God challenges Noah to look beyond his anger. God challenges us to look at our anger and realize the damage it can do in our lives.
God asks us to turn away from anger and view life with God’s eyes. Let us be God’s voice of peace, God’s hands of assistance support to others. Let us not focus on the brokenness in others but on the possibility for healing.
As the priest in today’s story, let us be reminded of Jesus’ moment of forgiveness on the Cross, when we are tempted to react with anger.