2 Kings 5:1-15 / Luke 4:24-30
One of our instinctive reactions to something unpleasant or threatening is anger.
Anger is a defensive response to something that we don't know how to handle or something that puts us into trouble.
In today's two readings, we see anger exploding in tensed situations.
In the 1st reading, the king of Israel blew up in anger when he received that letter from the king of Aram so much so that he tore his robes.
That was because he was asked to do something for Naaman to cure him of his leprosy and that left him fuming.
But later on it was Naaman who was fuming when he was asked by Elisha's servant to bathe seven times in the Jordan.
Yes, anger is the reaction when our security and comfort is threatened. Yet, more often than not it is people in authority and with some power who will flare up in anger.
Yet, in the heat of the anger of the king of Israel and also of Naaman, it was the lowly servants who eventually pacified them and helped them see things in perspective.
Let us pray that we too will be like those humble and lowly servants who will bring peace to tensed situations and calm the anger of people with the love of God.
And may God also send us humble and lowly persons to us when we lose our cool so that we can see things in perspective.