Honoring Our Anger and Grief

We carry deep sadness, often without knowing it. When we feel powerless, that sadness turns to anger. Many of us learned early on that expressing grief was unacceptable, so we lash out instead. This is common, but it keeps us trapped. The Hebrew prophets understood that grief, when embraced, can move us toward truth and justice. They did not suppress their sorrow; they let it fuel their work. The prophets knew and taught and modeled that anger must first be recognized, allowed—even loved!—as an expression of the deep, normally inaccessible sadness that each of us carry. We, too, must allow ourselves to mourn—not in despair, but in clarity and purpose. If we hold onto resentment, we only continue cycles of harm. Instead, we must transform our grief into action, healing ourselves and the world. True strength comes not from rage, but from facing our sorrow honestly.

May we recognize our anger, embrace the sorrow beneath it,
and let it guide us toward healing and justice.

(inspired by Otis Moss III, Dancing in the Darkness; Richard Rohr, The Tears of Things)