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Fox's weekly video reflection every Monday! |
The
Black Madonna and MLK Jr.’s Holiday 01/16/2024 |
Part of the contribution of Christena Cleveland in her book God Is a
Black Woman is to invite a new appraisal of that archetype within her own community. |
What the Black Madonna stands for is what MLK Jr. stood for: Justice in the face of injustice; attention to the anawim, those without a voice; love, not hatred; peace, not war; forgiveness, not retribution. An appreciation of darkness and blackness. And so much more. |
“Black Madonna” Postal Stamp, Haiti. Image by jovike is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0 |
Several years ago, I was invited to Morehouse University, King’s alma mater and burial place of Howard Thurman, to give a lecture on the Black Madonna. The Black Madonna represents the cosmos—all wisdom figures do—and much of the cosmos we know is very dark. Learning today that 95% of all
matter in our universe is “dark matter” or “dark energy,” that creativity and dark holes go together, is a reminder of the creative power of darkness. |
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| “The ground of the soul is dark,” comments Meister
Eckhart. Thus darkness is about depth and the Black Madonna invites us down to our deeper selves, our truer and deepest selves. Also, she invites us to explore that “underground river” where the God/dess dwells. |
She also represents Mother Africa from which we all derive. She is our origins therefore, the origin of Homo sapiens, all of us. And knowing her gives us perspective; we all come from the same Source. |
She represents grief, for she suffers with the poor and “little ones” without a voice. In her guise as the “Brown Madonna” or Our Lady of Guadalupe, she sides with the indigenous ones, having appeared to a teen-aged indigenous man and spoke to him in his indigenous language ten years after his culture was invaded and decimated by European invaders. She also represents Celebration, Joy and Gratitude. The bell on her headdress represents her call for institutions and individuals to Wake Up and feel the joy |
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and
the grief of living, and get on with healing and celebrating our existence. |
Adapted from Matthew Fox, “The Green Man and the Black Madonna: Sacred Marriage of Nature,” in Fox, The Hidden Spirituality of Men: Ten Metaphors To Awaken the Sacred Masculine, pp. 231-244.
And Fox, Confessions: The Making of a Postdenominational Priest, p. 356.
And Fox,
“Foreword: The Return of the Archetype in Times of Need,” in Alessandra Belloni, Healing Journeys with the Black Madonna: Chants, Music, and Sacred Practices of the Great
Goddess, pp. ix-xviii.
Banner Image: “Aqui Estamos” (Here We Are) – Mural seen in the Pilsen area of Chicago. Artist not known. Photo by Terence Faircloth on Flickr. |
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Queries for Contemplation What does the return of the Black Madonna in our times mean to you? |
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 Hidden Spirituality of Men: Ten Metaphors to Awaken the Sacred Masculine
To awaken what Fox calls “the sacred masculine,” he unearths ten metaphors, or archetypes, ranging from the Green Man, an
ancient pagan symbol of our fundamental relationship with nature, to the Spiritual Warrior….These timeless archetypes can inspire men to pursue their higher calling to connect to their deepest selves and to reinvent the world.
“Every man on this planet should read this book — not to mention every woman who wants to understand the struggles, often unconscious, that shape the men they know.” — Rabbi Michael
Lerner, author of The Left Hand of God |
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Confessions: The Making of a Post-Denominational Priest (Revised/Updated Edition)
Matthew Fox’s stirring
autobiography, Confessions, reveals his personal, intellectual, and spiritual journey from altar boy, to Dominican priest, to his eventual break with the Vatican. Five new chapters in this revised and updated edition bring added perspective in light of the author’s continued journey, and his reflections on the current changes taking place in church, society and the environment.
“The unfolding story of
this irrepressible spiritual revolutionary enlivens the mind and emboldens the heart — must reading for anyone interested in courage, creativity, and the future of religion.”
—Joanna Macy, author of World as Lover, World as Self |
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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. "This delicious book for children of all ages celebrates joy as the essential truth of
reality." - Andrew Harvey, Author of The Hope and Radical Regeneration
"I absolutely LOVED reading this beautiful, creative, stirring story—a charming, whimsical, powerful, parable." - Robert Holden, Author of Happiness NOW!
and Higher Purpose
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 |
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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