us not only to keep our hands unstained, but our hearts pure and undefiled, will not deem such a compliance sufficient: him the Gospel has taught, that it is unlawful even to be angry with a brother: " But I say to you that whosoever is angry with his brother shall be in danger of judgment; and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of a council; and whosoever shall say, thou fool, shall be guilty of the hell of fire." [1] From these words it clearly follows that he who is angry with his brother, although he may conceal his resentment, is not exempt from sin; that he who gives indication of that anger sins grievously; and that he who dreads not to treat his brother with harshness, and to utter contumelious reproaches against him, sins still more grievously. [2]
This, however, is to be understood of cases in which no just cause O f anger exists. To animadvert on those who are placed under our authority, when they commit a fault, is an occasion of anger, which God and his laws permit; but even in these circumstances the anger of a Christian should be the dictate of duty, not the impulse of passion, for we should be temples of the Holy Ghost, in which Jesus Christ may dwell. [3] Our Lord has left us many other lessons of instruction which regard the perfect observance of this law, such as " not to resist evil; but if one strike thee on thy right cheek, turn to him also the other; and to him that will contend with thee in judgment, - and take away thy coat, let go thy cloak also unto him; and whosoever will free thee one mile, go with him other two." [4]
From what has been already said, it is easy to perceive how propense man is to those sins which are prohibited by this commandment, and how many are guilty of murder, if not in fact, at least in desire. As then the sacred Scriptures prescribe remedies for so dangerous a disease, to spare no pains in making them known to the faithful becomes an obvious duty of the pastor. Of these remedies the most efficacious is to form a just conception of the wickedness of him who imbrues his hands in the blood of his fellow-man. The enormity of this sin is set forth by attestations of Holy Scripture as strong as they are numerous. In the inspired Volume God pours out the deepest execrations against the murderer, declares that of the very beast of the field he will exact vengeance for the life of man, commanding the beast that sheds human blood to be put to death. [5] And if the Almighty commanded man to abstain from the use of blood, he did so for no other reason than to impress on his mind the obligation of entirely refraining, both in act and desire, from the enormity of shedding human blood. The murderer is the worst enemy of his species, and consequently of nature: to the utmost of his power, he destroys the universal work
- ↑ Matt. v. 22. De ira vide Basil, horn. 10. Chrysost. horn. 29. ad pop. Antioch. D. Thorn. 22. qusest. 108. per totam.
- ↑ Vide Aug. de serm. Dom. in monte, lib. 1. D. Thorn. 2. 2. q. 158. a. 3.
- ↑ 1 Cor. vi. 19.
- ↑ Matt. v. 39. Vide Aug. epist. 5. ad Mar. et de serm. Domini in monte, lib. 2. c. 20.
- ↑ Gen. ix. 5, 6.
