“The goal is to anticipate it and not come to the point of anger. Even when you’re warming milk, if you don’t remove it from the heat on time, it will overheat and spill over.  By being attentive at all times: keep watch over yourself and contain your anger, so that the passion will not become rooted in you for, if it does, even if you later should wish to cut it away with an axe, it will continue to sprout suckers.  Remember what David said, “I made haste, and delayed not to keep Thy commandments,”1 Recall the monk who would make the sign of the cross upon leaving his cell and say, “God, protect me from temmptations.” He was ready to confront any temptation. It was as if he was on guard-duty. He was anticipating the temptation and was ready to defend himself. And if some Brother behaved improperly to him, he was ready to address him with meekness and humility. You, too, can do the same…It seems that you do not have much patience, which is why you reach a certain point and then you have an  outburst. You need a little more … patience. Before speaking out, say the Jesus Prayer a few times…”

– ‘Passions and Virtues’