Podcast Summary: All Things Catholic with Dr. Edward Sri

Episode Title: The Bible Commands us to "Be Angry"?
Date: September 2, 2025
Host: Dr. Edward Sri
Podcast: All Things Catholic With Dr. Edward Sri (Ascension)

Overview

In this episode, Dr. Edward Sri explores the provocative statement from Ephesians 4:26—“Be angry, but do not sin”—and unpacks the misunderstood role of anger in the Christian life. Drawing from Scripture, personal examples, and the wisdom of St. Thomas Aquinas, he differentiates between righteous anger and sinful anger, encourages listeners to recognize anger as a passion God gave us for good, and challenges common misconceptions that all anger is inherently sinful. The episode also reflects on how avoiding justified anger can be just as spiritually dangerous as indulging in sinful rage.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Command to Be Angry (01:06)

• Dr. Sri opens by underscoring the scriptural imperative from Ephesians 4:26:

  "Be angry, but do not sin."
  This often surprises Christians, who may struggle with either suppressing anger or indulging it sinfully.

2. The Christian Dilemma with Anger (02:30)

• Many Christians believe anger is always bad, trying to be perpetually “kind and patient.”
• Dr. Sri challenges this, suggesting the suppression of all anger is not only unbiblical but unhelpful.

3. Anger as a God-Given Passion (04:00)

• Anger, like all passions, is morally neutral—it’s neither good nor evil in itself.

• "Our loving Heavenly Father...created us with the passion of anger. That means it can't be all bad and it can be used for good." (04:15)

• Its purpose: a desire for justice, to set things right, maintain right relationships, and restore justice.

4. Examples of Righteous Anger in Daily Life (07:35)

• Workplace Example: Seeing a colleague misrepresented evokes a drive to defend them, which is healthy and rooted in justice (08:40).
• Family Example: A parent witnessing one sibling mistreating another feels compelled to intervene for harmony (09:30).

  • “If there’s something coming up in the dad that is driving him to want to set things right, that’s a good thing.” (10:00)

5. Anger in the Life of Jesus (11:00)

• Jesus overturning the money changers’ tables (Matthew 21): An instance of righteous anger in response to injustice in the temple.

  • “In one fell swoop, he stops the temple system...” (12:25)

• His anger underscored his love for people marginalized by unjust systems.

6. Aquinas: The Middle Path—Meekness (14:30)

• St. Thomas Aquinas warns against two extremes:
  • Sinful Anger: Disproportionate reactions harm relationships and justice.
  • Unreasonable Patience: Failing to get angry when we should, allowing injustice to fester.

    • “Virtue is always in the middle. Virtuous anger is when we use that passion... in a moderate way.” (15:30)

• Meekness: The virtue of rightly ordered anger that seeks genuine restoration and harmony.

7. Unreasonable Patience: When Not Getting Angry is Harmful (17:00)

• Failing to express anger at real injustice, especially within families or communities, can perpetuate harm and confuse others about right and wrong.

  • “When we don’t get angry over the things we should, it encourages wickedness to continue.” (19:10)

• Societal example: Silence on issues like abortion can lead even the well-intentioned to moral confusion (20:50).

8. Anger When Wronged: Personal Reflection (22:00)

• Dr. Sri encourages listeners to examine their reactions to personal injustice:
  • Do you rage, or do you suppress anger by “waving a Catholic flag”—rationalizing it as unimportant or overly spiritualizing?
  • Suppression may be rooted in people-pleasing or an avoidance of conflict, not virtue.

    • “Maybe those little spiritual Catholic biblical lines are just covering up a deeper problem that Jesus wants to free you from.” (26:45)

9. The Need for Crucial Conversations (29:00)

• Righteous anger should sometimes lead to hard conversations and boundary-setting.
  • Jesus’ “tough love” with the Pharisees (Matthew 23)—stern warnings were necessary acts of love.

    • “He loves [the Pharisees] so much... He uses really harsh language, tough love, to wake them up.” (31:15)

• Application: When anger arises after being wronged, it may signal a real need to address the issue or set boundaries out of authentic love.

10. Anger and Deeper Grief (34:00)

• Recognizing anger may open the door to processing deeper wounds—hurt, grief, or trauma. For some, legitimate anger is the first step toward healing from past abuse or neglect.

  • “Anger is often the first step or an earlier step at least, toward deeper grief.” (35:06)

• God may be inviting listeners to acknowledge these pains so He can bring healing.

11. Spiritual Invitation: What’s My Anger Telling Me? (37:20)

• Dr. Sri recommends listeners remain curious:
  • Why am I angry right now?
  • What might God be inviting me to do—address an injustice in the world, a relationship, or within my own heart?

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Positive Purpose of Anger:

  “Anger is the passion. It's the desire for justice, a desire to set things right.” (04:55)

• On Jesus and the Money Changers:

  “He turns over the tables of the money changers... He was angry. He wanted to set things right.” (12:10)

• On the Dangers of Unreasonable Patience:

  “When we don’t get angry over the things we should, it encourages wickedness to continue.” (19:10)

• On Suppressing Anger:

  “Maybe those little spiritual Catholic biblical lines are just covering up a deeper problem that Jesus wants to free you from.” (26:45)

• Jesus’ Tough Love:

  “He loves them so much... He uses really harsh language, tough love, to wake them up.” (31:15)

• On Anger Leading to Healing:

  “Anger is often the first step or an earlier step at least, toward deeper grief.” (35:06)

• Closing Reflection:

  “Why am I feeling angry right now? What is this anger trying to tell me? What might God be inviting me to do?” (37:45)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:06 — Introduction of Ephesians 4:26 and the question: can anger be good?
• 04:00 — Anger as a God-given, neutral passion
• 07:35-10:00 — Real-world examples: workplace & family anger in service of justice
• 11:00-13:45 — Jesus in the temple: righteous anger in Scripture
• 14:30-15:30 — St. Thomas Aquinas: Meekness and the dangers of extremes
• 17:00-21:00 — Unreasonable patience and its consequences
• 22:00-27:00 — Personal reflection: anger in response to being wronged
• 29:00-32:00 — Jesus’ tough love with Pharisees; necessity of hard conversations
• 34:00-36:30 — Anger and its relationship to deeper wounds and grief
• 37:20-38:18 — Final spiritual reflection and preview of next episode

Conclusion

Dr. Sri concludes by encouraging listeners to see anger not as an enemy, but as a potentially grace-filled signal for justice, healing, and deeper self-awareness. Rather than suppress or indulge anger indiscriminately, Christians are called to discern its roots, respond with virtue, and remain open to the healing Christ offers through honest engagement with our passions.

Next Episode Preview: Dr. Sri will explore the dangers of sinful anger—three ways, according to Aquinas, that anger leads us astray—and how God can still work through us even when we mismanage our anger.

Recommended Resource:
The Art of Living: The Cardinal Virtues and the Freedom to Love by Edward Sri

For more Catholic faith resources, visit ascensionpress.com.