Hot-Headed Heroes: 3 Saints Who Wrestled with Anger

Meet three Catholic saints who struggled with anger and learned how to let Christ turn their anger into grace.

I didn’t even know I was capable of such anger. Until I felt it.

Seething, raging, wild. That’s what I looked like in the mirror. I knew I needed forgiveness, repentance, and a way to keep from erupting again.

In confession, my parish priest patiently guided me to John 15:4.

As I read Jesus’ gentle invitation to “abide” in Him, I wondered:
How do I do that?
Could I perhaps learn from any of the saints?
Did any of them wrestle with anger?

Turns out, some of them did. Here’s a look at the three hot-headed heroes I found most inspiring.

St. Jerome: The sharp-tongued scholar

Born in 347 in what is now Croatia, St. Jerome studied grammar, philosophy, and rhetoric in Rome. Few scholars of his time could match his brilliance … or his temper.

Passionate about truth, he often spat out angry words in his conversations, his letters, and even his homilies. But he was keenly aware of his uncharitable temper and spent years trying to bring it under control.

He retreated into the desert to study, fast, and pray. As penance, he would beat his breast with a stone and sleep on a stone pillow.

He devoted himself to translating Scripture from Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic into Latin. His work gave the Church one of its greatest treasures — the Latin Vulgate, which made the Word of God accessible to Christians everywhere.

Still, his inner battle with anger continued and he never stopped relying on the mercy of God in his struggle.

What I learned: As I read about this great saint, I decided that the next time I began to seethe, I would turn to prayer and Scripture instead of letting my tongue loose.
🌱 If you’re struggling to control your temper, call upon the intercession of St. Jerome.

St Vincent de Paul: The irritable young man

Born to a poor peasant family in rural France in 1581, Vincent joined the priesthood hoping to have a respectable job and escape the shackles of poverty.

He was ambitious and easily frustrated when things didn’t go his way. When his shabbily clad father visited him in college, Vincent was so annoyed that he turned him away in irritation. What then brought about the change that earned him the name “apostle of charity”?

Vincent’s life took a horrific turn during a sea voyage. His ship was captured by pirates, and he was sold into slavery. After two long years, he finally escaped. When he returned to France, his work as a priest brought him face-to-face with the poorest of people, especially when he was made a chaplain to prisoners.

He began visiting the poor, offering them food and clothing, and teaching them about God. He threw himself into works of mercy, helping set up societies, hospitals, and orphanages serving the poorest. The fiery young man had turned gentle.

What I learned: If the once-hard, easily annoyed Vincent could lose his appetite for anger because he had begun to see Christ in the people he served, I decided I too would try to see Christ in those who annoy me the most!
🌱 Ask St. Vincent to pray that you may be able to see Christ (or at least goodness) in the people who stir up anger within you.

St. Peter: The impulsive one

Often, anger is the result of reacting too quickly. This is certainly true for me and, among the saints, for the apostle Peter.

Not calm or measured, Peter was quick to use both his actions and words, without stopping to think. Even when speaking with Jesus. When Jesus predicted his own suffering and death, Peter couldn’t hold back, he chided him! (Matthew 16:22)

In the Garden of Gethsemane, his anger turned violent. And later that very night, his fear turned to anger as he cursed and swore that he had never known Jesus!

Reckless, raw, and impulsive. That’s what Peter’s anger was like. And sometimes, so is mine. But Peter’s story didn’t end in that courtyard. It had a new beginning after the Resurrection, when Jesus restored him with a threefold call to love and serve the flock.

What I learned: Christ’s gentle forgiveness and encouragement helped the rough fisherman replace his anger with the passion to lead the Church. Surely, His love could do the same for me. I must turn then to Jesus immediately in the moment of anger and give it into His hands.
🌱 When you’re seething and simply want to lash out, ask St. Peter to pray that you may learn to use your passion for good.

Letting God transform our anger

Anger is a natural emotion, but we should be careful how we act upon it (Ephesians 4:26). I still remember the outburst that led me to confession. I had crossed a line.

But as I rested in John 15:4 and learned about these three saints, hope sprang up. They allowed God to enter into their anger, to abide there, and to slowly transform them.

So if you wrestle with anger, know that you are not alone.
Lean on Christ and Scripture like St. Jerome.
Learn to see Christ in others like St. Vincent.
Let Christ’s forgiveness help you begin again like St. Peter.

The next time you feel that rage rise, breathe.
Bring your anger to Him.
With Jesus, your anger can become the place where grace blossoms.

In faith,

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