The Creation Spirituality Lineage Calling All Social and Environmental Activists, Mystic Explorers, Justice Makers, Cosmic Thinkers, Earth Keepers Daily Meditations with Matthew Fox |
Christmas, Grace & the Divine Life
Inside Us & Our Actions 12/26/2023 |
Yesterday, on Christmas, we cited Peter’s epistle and Clement of Alexandria and Saint Irenaeus, a second century Celtic bishop in Lyons, France, about God becoming human in order to instruct us in our divinity. |
They were not alone in this assessment of the Incarnation, that is the Maker of the universe joining the human race. “God became human in order that humans might become divine,” said saint, mystic and intellectual genius, Thomas Aquinas. He repeats this theme: The Son of God became human in
order that humans might become gods and become the children of God. And still another time: The Incarnation accomplished the following: That God |
Incarnation among the most vulnerable: “Christ in the Rubble.” Modern-day icon by Kelly Latimore on commission for the progressive activist group Red Letter Christians for peacemaking in Gaza. Used with permission; to purchase, click HERE. |
became human and that humans became God and shared in the divine nature (cf 2 Pet: 1:4). This sharing in the divine nature is called by theologians “sanctifying grace.” This kind of grace means we carry the divine life within ourselves. Theologians talk about another kind of grace, actual grace, which courses through our actions and decision-making and intentions. Thus God became human in order that humans might learn
compassion, for in Judaism compassion is the secret name of God. And in all religions around the world, compassion constitutes the truest essence of healthy religion. The Dalai Lama says that “we can do away with all religion, but we can’t do away with compassion. Compassion is my religion.” |
Alan Watts discusses the difference between control and compassion in our relationships. Wake Up
Humanity | How alike this is to Jesus’s teaching, “Be you compassionate as your Father in Heaven is
compassionate” (Lk 6:36). And Matthew 25, “Do it to the least and you do it to me.” “Feed the hungry and you feed me; visit the prisoner and you visit me; care for the |
sick and you care for me,” etc. “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Compassion is an accomplishment of the mammal brain that checkmates the excess of the reptilian brain (“I win, you lose”). If Christmas happened and God became human in order that humans become divine and act the way God acts, the obvious question arises: How are we doing? |
Adapted from Matthew Fox, Sheer Joy: Conversations with Thomas Aquinas on Creation Spirituality, pp. 116f.
See also: Fox, A Spirituality Named Compassion: Uniting Mystical Awareness with Social Justice
And Fox, Original Blessing: A Primer in Creation
Spirituality
And Fox, The Coming of the Cosmic Christ: The Healing of Mother Earth and the Birth of a Global Renaissance, pp. 109, 114-116.
Banner Image: “Dorothy Day and the Holy Family of the Streets.” Painting by iconographer Kelly Latimore. Published with permission; to purchase, click HERE. |
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Queries for Contemplation What does it mean to you to become sharers in the divine nature? And to act like it? How are we doing as a
species? |
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. |
Sheer Joy: Conversations with Thomas Aquinas on Creation
Spirituality
Matthew Fox renders Thomas Aquinas accessible by interviewing him and thus descholasticizing him. He also translated many of his works such as Biblical commentaries never before in English (or Italian or German of French). He gives Aquinas a forum so that he can be heard in our own time. He presents Thomas Aquinas entirely in his own words, but in a form designed to
allow late 20th-century minds and hearts to hear him in a fresh way.
“The teaching of Aquinas comes through will a fullness and an insight that has never been present in English before and [with] a vital message for the world today.” ~ Fr. Bede Griffiths (Afterword).
Foreword by Rupert Sheldrake |
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A Spirituality Named Compassion: Uniting Mystical Awareness with Social Justice
In A Spirituality Named Compassion, Matthew Fox delivers a profound exploration of the
meaning and practice of compassion. Establishing a spirituality for the future that promises personal, social, and global healing, Fox marries mysticism with social justice, leading the way toward a gentler and more ecological spirituality and an acceptance of our interdependence which is the substratum of all compassionate activity.
“Well worth our deepest
consideration…Puts compassion into its proper focus after centuries of neglect.” –The Catholic Register |
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Original Blessing: A Primer in Creation Spirituality
Matthew Fox lays out a whole new direction for Christianity—a direction that is in fact very ancient and very grounded in Jewish thinking (the fact that Jesus was a Jew
is often neglected by Christian theology): the Four Paths of Creation Spirituality, the Vias Positiva, Negativa, Creativa and Transformativa in an extended and deeply developed way.
“Original Blessing makes available to the Christian world and to the human community a radical cure for all dark and derogatory views of the natural world wherever these may have originated.” –Thomas Berry, author,
The Dream of the Earth; The Great Work; co-author, The Universe Story |
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The Coming of the Cosmic Christ: The Healing of Mother Earth and the Birth of a Global Renaissance
In what may be considered the most comprehensive outline of the Christian
paradigm shift of our Age, Matthew Fox eloquently foreshadows the manner in which the spirit of Christ resurrects in terms of the return to an earth-based mysticism, the expression of creativity, mystical sexuality, the respect due the young, the rebirth of effective forms of worship—all of these mirroring the ongoing blessings of Mother Earth and the recovery of Eros, the feminine aspect of the Divine.
“The eighth
wonder of the world…convincing proof that our Western religious tradition does indeed have the depth of imagination to reinvent its faith.” — Brian Swimme, author of The Universe Story and Journey of the Universe. |
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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! 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. "Matthew Fox does it again, here for our young ones, who so need a positive, cosmic vision to thrive, or even survive, in a sad time." - Father Richard Rohr, Author of The Universal Christ "Matthew Fox offers a resounding
affirmation of what our souls have always suspected: we are made for joy." - Mirabai Starr, Author of God of Love and Wild Mercy Receive a 20% discount when you buy this and one other book from Matthew Fox’s store! Use Promo Code 20% at
checkout. |
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________________________________________________________________ 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 |
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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.
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Inspired by this post? Share your insights on Universeodon, Instagram or Twitter using the hashtag #RevDrMatthewFox and tag Matt with @RevDrMatthewFox FOLLOW MATTHEW FOX: |
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