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Meditations with Matthew Fox
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Creativity and the Time of Advent, Hannukah and Christmas |
Hanukkah is often celebrated as a time of miracles, for the story tells us that following the expulsion of an invading army from the Temple, oil that was enough for one day burned for eight days. Hanukkah, often called a “Festival of
Lights,” honors that miracle. |
The human species today is so threatened by human folly–whether it be wars, as in Ukraine, or destruction of the Earth from climate change, or chasing after conspiracy theories, or
hating on people different from ourselves--that we could surely use some “miracles” and arrival of Lights to ensure our survival and that of Holy Mother Earth.
We, too, need light that burns incessantly and does not go out. Maybe the light of the ancilla animae or spark of the
soul that we all carry within us that needs constant tending. Or the light | |
of tselem, the image of God in us all. Or the light of Christ. Or the light of the Buddha. Or the light of creativity itself which includes our powers of music and art and dance and celebration and remembrance and solving problems by inventing solutions. |
| We have been talking of Advent and winter as the time of repose and the Divine Feminine and the Godhead. It is also the time of creativity, for the motherly side of us and of
divinity is always creative. |
Says Meister Eckhart, “What does God do all day? God lies on a maternity bed giving birth.”
Divinity and maternity go together. As Carl Jung puts it, “creativity comes from the land of the mothers.” |
What are we giving
birth to this season? This end of year 2022? What are our birthing plans for 2023? |
There is
some good news in the news these days. There is the story of small homes for the homeless. And there is the story of advances in fusion which, if humanity found a way to implement such power in our daily lives, would mean clean and sustainable energy for all that would set back climate change forever. | Visionary, respectful housing for the homeless in San Jose. KPIX CBS on YouTube |
Do not count humanity
out quite yet. We are a resilient and amazingly creative species. Marvelously so, miraculously so (for a miracle is a marvel). |
This is the truth that stories like Hanukkah and Christmas are telling us: A
divine spark is in all humans and all communities and this spark can light bonfires of hope and of healing—provided we make choices that are compassionate and not destructive. |
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Adapted from Matthew Fox, Julian of Norwich: Wisdom in a Time of Pandemic—and Beyond, pp. 102f. And Fox, Meister Eckhart: A Mystic-Warrior for Our Times, pp. 189-199. Banner image: Lighting candles at Advent. Photo by Max Beck on
Unsplash |
Queries for Contemplation What marvels or miracles or light-bringing surprises from the Holy Spirit are you eager for this season? |
Responses are welcomed. To add your comment, please click HERE
to go to our website and scroll down to the Comments field. |
Meister Eckhart: A Mystic-Warrior For Our Time While Matthew Fox recognizes that Meister Eckhart has influenced thinkers throughout history, he also wants to introduce Eckhart to today’s
activists addressing contemporary crises. Toward that end, Fox creates dialogues between Eckhart and Carl Jung, Thich Nhat Hanh, Rabbi Heschel, Black Elk, Karl Marx, Rumi, Adrienne Rich, Dorothee Soelle, David Korten, Anita Roddick, Lily Yeh, M.C. Richards, and many others.
“Matthew Fox is perhaps the greatest writer on Meister Eckhart that has ever existed. (He) has successfully bridged a gap between Eckhart as a shamanistic personality and Eckhart as a
post-modern mentor to the Inter-faith movement, to reveal just how cosmic Eckhart really is, and how remarkably relevant to today’s religious crisis! ” — Steven Herrmann, Author of Spiritual Democracy: The Wisdom of Early American Visionaries for the Journey Forward | |
Julian of Norwich: Wisdom in a Time of Pandemic-And
Beyond
Julian of Norwich lived through the dreadful bubonic plague that killed close to 50% of Europeans. Being an anchoress, she ‘sheltered in place’ and developed a deep wisdom that she shared in her book, Showings, which was the first book in English by a woman. A theologian way ahead of her time, Julian develops a
feminist understanding of God as mother at the heart of nature’s goodness. Fox shares her teachings in this powerful and timely and inspiring book.
“What an utterly magnificent book. The work of Julian of Norwich, lovingly supported by the genius of Matthew Fox, is
a roadmap into the heart of the
eco-spiritual truth that all life breathes together.” –Caroline Myss
Now also available as an audiobook HERE | |
See Matthew Fox's full calendar HERE |
Join Robert Holden and Matthew Fox for A WINTER OF IMAGINATION – a mystical journey in
three 75-minute webinars that reveal the spiritual invitation and deeper meaning of Advent, the Solstice, and Christmas time. Thursdays 12/19 ("A Solstice Meditation"), and 12/22 ("Soul of Christmas"), 12 pm PT/3 pm ET/8 pm UK. Register HERE. Creation Spirituality Conversations |
In a podcast episode with the Earth and Spirit Center, Matthew Fox reflects on how creation-centered spirituality, and the marriage of the divine feminine and sacred masculine, can help us respond with hope
to the troubles of our apocalyptic times. Listen HERE. | |
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