The Creation Spirituality Lineage Calling All Social and Environmental Activists, Mystic Explorers, Justice Makers, Cosmic Thinkers, Earth Keepers Daily Meditations with Matthew Fox |
Advent
2023: Good News & Bad News 11/30/2023 |
Advent is a time of awaiting a new kind of kingdom or queendom: One that announces the coming of Good News. |
In the Bad News department, however, it is no small thing that American Bishops are pushing abortion as the number one issue in an election year. Playing into the hands of fascist politicians eager to end democracy and deny Climate Change is a big thing. |
More than 200 U.S. bishops voted unanimously to approve amendments to a Catholic voting guide framing abortion as a preeminent issue for the 2024 election. Currents News |
Is it possible to be a fascist and a Christian? I think not. I would love to see an encyclical on that subject from Pope Francis before he retires or dies. After all, since Pope Francis’ people fled Italy in the 1930s because of the rising tide of fascism, he seems especially fit to take on this important subject. If fascism has no joy to it, is it Christian? If fascism has no love to it, is it Christian? And since joy is born of love, according to Aquinas, is a joyless and loveless political movement in any way Christian? |
Muscular Jesus breaking away from the cross in a much-reproduced early painting by Boris Vallejo. Reprinted with permission. | Is it not instead a monument to masculine depravity, a control-oriented and idolatrous movement, a heresy in the fullest meaning of that term, that takes one away from Christ’s teachings instead of toward them? Injustice, joylessness, hate, fear, bigotry, projection, institutionalized violence, misogyny, homophobia and denial of the raging sin of climate change–matricide and ecocide—these do not qualify as Christian virtues. Is there anything Christian |
about giving billionaires—whose incomes increased by $1.5 trillion during the pandemic while everyone else’s shrank—more tax breaks and tax shelters? And those who want to kill Medicare and Social Security—is there something Christian about that? |
The Gospel stands for Good News. “Evangelization” means spreading Good News. I do not find fascism in any of its
representations to be either Good or News. Nor do I find Catholic bishops in bed with political zealots bent on authoritarianism, the least bit Christ-like. |
The Damage Report‘s John Iadarola and Mondale Robinson
discuss Christianity Today Editor-in-Chief Russell Moore’s reporting evangelicals describing the Beatitudes as “liberal talking points.” |
Jesus’ words are pretty reliable, however. “He has sent me to bring good news to the poor….” (See Luke 4.16-24.) |
Adapted from Matthew
Fox, The Tao of Thomas Aquinas: Fierce Wisdom for Hard Times.
And Fox, The Pope’s War: Why Ratzinger’s Secret Crusade Has Imperiled the Church and How It Can be Saved, pp. 106-144. Also see In the Beginning There Was Joy: A Cosmic Celebration for Kids of All
Ages
Banner Image: “Jesus 2020” flag at the January 6, 2021 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Photo by Brett Davis on Flickr |
|
Queries for Contemplation Do you see Advent as a time of waiting—and working—for the coming of a new kind of “Kingdom” of Good News for the poor and dispossessed and Mother Earth? |
Responses are welcomed. To add your comment, or read other comments and enter into dialog, please click HERE to go to our website and scroll down to the Comments
field. |
The Tao of Thomas Aquinas: Fierce Wisdom for Hard Times
A stunning spiritual handbook drawn from the substantive teachings of Aquinas’ mystical/prophetic genius, offering a
sublime roadmap for spirituality and action.
Foreword by Ilia Delio.
“What a wonderful book! Only Matt Fox could bring to life the wisdom and brilliance of Aquinas with so much creativity. The Tao of Thomas Aquinas is a masterpiece.”
–Caroline Myss, author of Anatomy of the Spirit |
|
The Pope’s War: Why Ratzinger’s Secret Crusade Has Imperiled the Church and How It Can Be Saved
The Pope’s War offers a provocative
look at three decades of corruption in the Catholic Church, focusing on Josef Ratzinger, Pope Benedict XVI. The final section in the book focuses on birthing a truly catholic christianity.
“This book should be read by everybody, not only for its ferocious courage, but also for its vision for what needs to be saved from the destructive forces that threaten authentic Christianity.” ~ Andrew Harvey, author of The
Hope.
“In the gripping The Pope’s War, Matthew Fox takes an unwavering look at the layers of corruption in the Catholic Church, holding moral truth against power.” — Jason Berry, author of Vows of Silence: The Abuse of Power in the Papacy of John Paul II |
|
In the Beginning There Was Joy: A Cosmic Celebration for Kids of All Ages
The first book in the Father Fox’s Fantastical Fables series tells the story of the big bang and how humans fit into the
awesome, fantastical, cosmic picture! In this full-color, beautifully illustrated book, world- renowned theologian Matthew Fox weaves together modern science and classic spirituality in a whimsical, entertaining format to illustrate important truths to readers aged 4 and up. With artwork curated from illustrators around the world, this book expresses the joy and wonder of all peoples and cultures, planting seeds of respect, cooperation and hope to work together for the healing of our
planet.
Receive a 20% discount when you buy this and one other book from Matthew Fox’s store! Use Promo Code 20% at checkout.
|
|
_____________________________________________________________________________________ UPCOMING EVENTS See Matthew Fox's full calendar HERE |
SPECIAL EVENT: 5-DAY WORKSHOP IN AQUINAS’ HOMETOWN OF ORVIETO, ITALY
WITH MATTHEW FOX, MESHI CHAVEZ, AND CLAUDIA PICARDI
JUNE 9-14,
2024
LEARN MORE HERE. |
Join Matthew Fox as he discusses his book “Confessions: The Making of a Post-Denominational Priest ” in an Our Lady of the Prairie Retreat.Thursday, January 18, 4:00-6:00 pm PT Register HERE |
Join Matthew Fox as he lectures on “What the Mystics Tell Us About Dying “ at the Conference on Death, Grief and Belief, “Emerging Spiritualities: Death and Bereavement Across the Spiritual Spectrum,” Saturday, January 20, 9:00am – 5:00pm
PT Register HERE |
Join Matthew Fox as he discusses his book “The Lotus & The Rose” in an Our Lady of the Prairie Retreat. Thursday, February 15, 4:00-6:00 pm PT Register HERE |
|
Creation Spirituality Conversations |
Hunger for Wholeness: What is Wholeness in the Midst of Crisis with Matthew Fox (Part 1) In the midst of increased violence between Israel and Palestine, Ilia Delio and theologian
Matthew Fox discuss the state of the world today and how to have courage in Part 1 of their conversation. Ilia and Matt discuss his mentor, Marie Dominique Chenu, the influence of liberation theology on social justice in the church today, and what can still be learned.
|
|
Inspired by this post? Share your insights on Universeodon, Instagram or Twitter using the hashtag #RevDrMatthewFox and tag Matt with @RevDrMatthewFox FOLLOW MATTHEW FOX: |
|
|
|
