Episode Transcript  

One

Learn from Me

The second Beatitude is ‘blessed are the meek’. Jesus said, “Learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart.”

The first Beatitude corresponds to humility: Blessed are the poor in spirit. Then comes meekness. Imagine going to a job interview and they ask, “What is your greatest strength?” And you respond, “I am meek.”

Most people would think that is ridiculous because when they hear the word meekness, they think weakness. But meekness is not weakness. It is just the opposite.

Meekness is the calm strength that harnesses the power of anger and directs it to the good.

During the Exodus, Moses is described as the meekest man on earth. Yet he was no pushover. He was the only one willing to stand before Pharaoh and demand the freedom of Israel. Then he led a million complaining and rebellious people through the desert for forty years. And I doubt the money changers in the Temple thought Jesus was weak when He drove them out with a whip. Yet Jesus was meek.

Perhaps we need to rethink our understanding of meekness.

Two

Anger

Meekness is the virtue that harnesses and governs anger. Anger is a good, God-given emotion. It gives us the strength to: accomplish something difficult, correct an evi, or endure suffering without giving up or becoming bitter.

Anger was meant to be constructive. But anger becomes destructive when it exceeds what is reasonable, or when we become too angry, angry over small things, or remain angry too long. Second, anger becomes sinful when it seeks revenge. The purpose of anger is to correct what is wrong and restore what is good. Anger becomes sinful when it seeks to hurt others, get even, or make someone suffer. Third, anger becomes sinful when it arises from an unjust cause. We use it to get our way, defend our ego, prove our importance, or exercise power over others.

The purpose of anger is to help us do what is within our responsibility and within our control. How much of your anger is spent on things you cannot control? Do you become angry over political leaders, Church leaders, world events, or the decisions of other people?

What good does that anger accomplish? Why waste your strength on things that are not yours to govern?

Three

The War Horse

Meekness is the calm strength that harnesses the power of anger and directs it toward what is good. It is the transformation of raw power into disciplined strength. The training of war horses illustrates meekness beautifully. Wild stallions were brought down from the mountains and trained for service. Some pulled wagons. Some raced. The finest were trained for battle.

They never lost their courage, strength, passion, or spirit. Instead, all that power came under the authority of a master. A war horse could charge into battle at full speed and stop instantly at a word. It was not frightened by arrows, spears, or fire. It remained strong, but it learned obedience.

That is meekness. Power under authority. Strength under control. Picture a mighty stallion galloping across a battlefield. Then, at the command of its rider, it comes to an immediate halt and waits for the next instruction. The horse did not lose its power. It learned to govern it.

We do not want to get rid of the power of anger. We want to harness it for good.

Four

Check and Command

How do we become meek? By learning two simple steps: check and command. When anger begins to rise, check it. Think of a hockey player checking an opponent into the boards. Stop the anger before it takes control, check it.

Then command the right response. When something provokes anger, first, stop and think before reacting. Ask yourself, “What do I really want?”

Destruction? Revenge? Damaged relationships? Do I want to look like a person who cannot control himself? No. I want union with God. I want to love God. I want to love my neighbor. I want to even love my enemies. Keep the true goal in front of your mind.

Then ask, “What can I actually do?” If there is something you can do, take action, do it. Change what is possible.

If there is nothing you can do, or if the matter is not your responsibility, then stay calm, stay out of it and let God take care of it.

Remember: When anger rises, check and command.

Five

God Alone is Enough

The virtue of meekness is beautifully captured in this prayer of Teresa of Avila:

Let nothing trouble you.
Let nothing frighten you.

Everything passes.
God never changes.

Patience obtains all things.

Whoever has God
wants for nothing.

God alone is enough.

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