The Meekness of Charity

"Charity is not provoked to anger."

One of the strongest instincts of human nature is the instinct of self-defense. In some, it is almost irresistible. The desire to return blow for blow, within due bounds, is a reasonable and lawful impulse and is prompted by the duty we owe to ourselves.

Yet, there is no tendency more likely to lead to sin if it is indulged. There is no tendency more prone to set aside prudence, justice, and, above all, charity. Am I one of those natures ready to take up arms in my own defense at the slightest provocation?

The instinct of self-defense is always prone to mislead us due to our excessive self-love. We fancy we have been attacked when nothing of the sort is the case. We see a slight or insult when none was intended. We do not keep in mind how simple the true explanation may really be. We get angry, long for revenge, and are carried beyond all bounds by our wounded self-love. We say and do what we bitterly regret afterwards, alienating others from us and offending God by our angry words. How often, alas, I have done this!

How is this evil to be remedied? By charity and nothing else. If God were more prominent in our hearts, if we loved God more and ourselves less, if our ambition were to promote His honor and not our own, we should not indulge in these outbursts of intemperate or bitter words. Instead, we should not be easily provoked or get angry. We should take a gentle view of what has been done or we should accept the injury or unkindness done to us and offer it up for our sins in union with the supreme charity of Christ our Lord.

- text from Charity, Meditations for a Month by Father Richard Frederick Clarke, SJ