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Father Len offers perspective and advice to those who feel anger and fear after the recent national election or following any loss or disappointment in life.
Highlights, Ideas, and Wisdom
- Father Len’s concerns about the effects of what he refers to as “post traumatic election syndrome” inspired this episode.
- Father Len shares a personal experience from a trip to Colombia to put election induced anger, fear, and anxiety in perspective.
- Father Len explains why joy, determination and patience, not anger, are the remedy for injustice.
- Jesus implores us to responsibly control the emotions in our hearts, without excuse.
- Anger clouds our hearts and minds.
- When you’re angry is not the time to figure out how to respond to what’s causing your anger.
- “When you’re angry or in a bad mood at work, just go home because you’re just gonna make everyone you work with miserable.” – Sage advice from Father Len’s former bookkeeper
- History is not logical. One of the best things that ever happened to Christianity was the fall of Rome. It actually helped Christianity spread.
- History’s greatest and most effective activists, like Martin Luther King Jr and Dorothy Day, turned their anger into steely determination based on prayer and peace.
- Anger often turns people away from your cause.
- We need to place our hopes in eternal truths:
- Christ is our King, not a political group, political faction, or any nation.
- Faith and love, not anger will unite our country.
- Father Len’s tips for calming anger:
- Breathe deeply through your nose.
- Pray
- Place the source of your anger in a world 10 years from now and try to imagine if it will really be the big deal or emergency you think it is now.
- Stop or limit your “doom scrolling” (constantly checking the news for stories that will trigger your anger and anxiety)
- Focus on an upcoming joyful event in your life.
- Father Len introduces his “St. Jolly Project” to add more fun and joy to life.
- It’s the little things in life that make a real difference. Like a song that suddenly puts you in a good mood.
- Prayer to Fast from Incivility