14/09/2026
LEARN TO CONTROL YOUR ANGER AND EMBRACE FORGIVENESS/
E-PhotoBook for the Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year A
The Catholic Church, through the readings of the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time, reminds Christians of the importance of forgiveness, mercy and the need to overcome anger. The First Reading from Sirach 27:30–28:7 strongly warns against anger, resentment and vengeance, while the Gospel from Matthew 18:21–35 presents Jesus' teaching on the need to forgive others.
Reflecting on these readings, Rev. Fr. Gabriel Ekong, the homilist, urged the faithful to learn how to handle and control their anger, stressing that forgiveness is essential to human existence and to Christian living.
According to him, anger is an intense emotion that can arise from frustration, embarrassment, disappointment, injustice and other unpleasant experiences. While everyone may have reasons to become angry, he advised Christians not to allow anger to control their actions or destroy their relationships.
Fr. Ekong noted that anger can lead to dehumanisation when it is allowed to go unchecked. It can make people act irrationally, say hurtful things and take actions they may later regret.
He reminded the faithful that although we have the right to feel angry, we should not allow anger to remain in our hearts. This is particularly consistent with the First Reading, which asks how a person can seek healing and forgiveness from God while continuing to harbour anger against another person.
THE DANGERS OF ANGER
Fr. Ekong explained that uncontrolled anger can become a stumbling block to human development and spiritual growth. It can destroy relationships, create hatred, encourage conflict and prevent people from experiencing peace.
He further noted that prolonged anger and bitterness can negatively affect a person's well-being and may contribute to problems such as insomnia, insecurity, depression, hypertension and other difficulties.
The Church therefore encourages Christians to cultivate patience, self-control, understanding and forgiveness.
HOW DO WE MANAGE ANGER?
Fr. Ekong encouraged the faithful to develop practical ways of controlling anger, including:
- Practising self-control before reacting to situations.
- Counting and calming down before responding when provoked.
- Praying and singing holy hymns to regain inner peace.
- Remembering God's forgiveness and the mercy He continually shows us.
- Learning to let go of offences rather than carrying resentment.
- Forgiving ourselves and others for past mistakes and offences.
The Responsorial Psalm reinforced this message by presenting God as kind and merciful, slow to anger and rich in compassion. Christians are therefore called to imitate God's patience and mercy in their dealings with others.
“HOW MANY TIMES SHOULD I FORGIVE?”
The Gospel gives perhaps the clearest message of the day. Peter asked Jesus how many times he should forgive someone who sins against him—whether seven times. Jesus responded by teaching that forgiveness should not be limited to a particular number.
Through the parable of the unforgiving servant, Jesus reminds us that we have received enormous mercy from God and must therefore extend that same mercy to others.
Fr. Ekong explained that forgiveness does not mean that the offence was right or that we should pretend nothing happened. Rather, forgiveness means letting go of hatred, resentment and the desire for revenge.
He encouraged the faithful to remember that we ourselves constantly need God's mercy and forgiveness. Therefore, we should not refuse to forgive others when they offend us.
CAUSES OF ANGER
The homilist identified some common causes of anger, including:
- Injustice
- Looking down on others
- Cheating and betrayal
- False rumours
- Frustration
- Embarrassment
- Disappointment
However, regardless of what causes anger, Christians are called to respond with wisdom, patience and self-control.
The message of the First Reading is particularly powerful: we cannot sincerely ask God for forgiveness while deliberately refusing to forgive those who have offended us.
A CALL TO FORGIVE
Fr. Gabriel Ekong challenged the faithful to make forgiveness a deliberate part of their Christian lives.
He encouraged everyone to do something different by forgiving someone today—someone who may have hurt, disappointed or offended them.
He also encouraged people to learn to forgive themselves for the ugly mistakes of the past. While we should learn from our mistakes, we should not allow guilt and past failures to keep us imprisoned.
As the popular saying goes:
“To err is human; to forgive is divine.”
The readings of the day therefore give us a simple but profound Christian message: control your anger, let go of resentment, show mercy and forgive from the heart.
When we forgive others, we demonstrate the mercy of God and create room for peace, healing and spiritual growth in our lives.
Homilist: Rev. Fr. Gabriel Ekong
