of anger forestalls the judgment
of his reason; or in relation to the desired object, as when one
desires to be avenged in a trifling matter, which should be deemed of
no account, so that even if one proceeded to action, it would not be
a mortal sin, for instance by pulling a child slightly by the hair,
or by some other like action. Secondly, the movement of anger may be
inordinate in the mode of being angry, for instance, if one be too
fiercely angry inwardly, or if one exceed in the outward signs of
anger. In this way anger is not a mortal sin in the point of its
genus; yet it may happen to be a mortal sin, for instance if through
the fierceness of his anger a man fall away from the love of God and
his neighbor.

Reply Obj. 1: It does not follow from the passage quoted that all
anger is a mortal sin, but that the foolish are killed spiritually by
anger, because, through not checking the movement of anger by their
reason, they fall into mortal sins, for instance by blaspheming God
or by doing injury to their neighbor.

Reply Obj. 2: Our Lord said this of anger, by way of addition to the
words of the Law: "Whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the
judgment" (Matt. 5:21). Consequently our Lord is speaking here of the
movement of anger wherein a man desires the killing or any grave
injury of his neighbor: and should the consent of reason be given to
this desire, without doubt it will be a mortal sin.

Reply Obj. 3: In the case where anger is contrary to charity, it is a
mortal sin, but it is not always so, as appears from what we have
said.
_______________________

FOURTH ARTICLE [II-II, Q. 158, Art. 4]

Whether Anger Is the Most Grievous Sin?

Objection 1: It would seem that anger is the most grievous sin. For
Chrysostom says [*Hom. xlviii in Joan.] that "nothing is more
repulsive than the look of an angry man, and nothing uglier than a
ruthless* face, and most of all than a cruel soul." [*_Severo_. The
correct text is _Si vero._ The translation would then run thus . . .
"and nothing uglier." And if his "face is ugly, how much uglier is
his soul!"]. Therefore anger is the most grievous sin.

Obj. 2: Further, the more hurtful a sin is, the worse it would seem
to be; since, according to Augustine (Enchiridion xii), "a thing is
said to be evil because it hurts." Now anger is most hurtful, because
it deprives man of his reason, whereby he is master of himself; for
Chrysostom says (Hom. xlviii in Joan.) that "