Remedies for anger. — These include the following:

It is necessary to uproot the very roots of anger and the causes, such as: excessive self-love, voluptuousness, greed, and especially pride.

It is necessary to suppress anger at the very beginning, when it is like only sparks. And when it turns into a flame, it will not be possible to extinguish it, and it will destroy the oncoming thing.

An important remedy against anger is postponement and noble endurance of insult; Sometimes it is necessary to delay, sometimes to suppress anger with humility, sometimes to cover the insult with a smile, turning it into a joke.

We must put ourselves in the place of others with whom we are angry, and ask ourselves whether we have not done something similar. Should we be angry? How would we feel if they were angry with us? Knowing one's own weaknesses and faults, one must graciously forgive the faults of others. Age excuses a child, Seneca said, sex excuses a woman, liberty excuses a stranger, and a domestic property excuses him. Did a friend insult you? He did something he didn't want to. Did the enemy insult you? He did what he had to do. Let us yield to the prudent, let us forgive the fool. In any case, let us say to ourselves: "Even wise men often sin; There is no one so circumspect that he will never make a mistake in anything. And prudence demands not to be irritated." Whoever has offended you is either stronger or weaker than you; if it is weaker, then spare him; If you are stronger, then take care of yourself. It is necessary to refrain from anger, whether the one who offended you is equal, or higher or lower than you; It is doubtful to argue with an equal, to compete with an equal, it is dangerous to argue with the higher, and it is humiliating to argue with the lower. Anger can be tamed by anticipating trouble, preparing the spirit to meet it, and courage.

It is necessary to remember the words of the Lord's Prayer: "Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors" (Matt. 6:12) — and the commandment of the Savior: "If ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will forgive you also" (Matt. 6:14). It is necessary to remember the sufferings of Jesus Christ, which He generously endured, and how He prayed for His tormentors: "Father, forgive them" (Luke 23:34).

Any offense should be considered a temptation sent to us from God or allowed as a punishment for sins, to induce correction or to accustom us to humility, gentleness, patience, and so on.

Envy

Just as anger wants to do harm to another and rejoices in the evil done, so envy grieves for the good of another and wants to deprive him of this good. Envy more often arises from pride, because of which the envious person desires that others should not have the perfection, dignity, advantages, or benefits that he alone desires to have; often comes from self-interest, according to which he wishes that others should not enjoy the goods and property that one wants to use; sometimes it comes from voluptuousness, because of which he envies the pleasures of others.

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The malignancy of envy. — Envy causes:

hatred of others, or ill-will;

backbiting in order to blacken the honor of another or to quarrel with someone;

slander is a malicious disclosure of the secret sins of another, which did not exist, in order to dishonor him;