The Creation Spirituality Lineage Calling All Social and Environmental Activists, Mystic Explorers, Justice Makers, Cosmic Thinkers, Earth Keepers Daily Meditations with Matthew Fox |
Be sure not to miss Matthew
Fox's weekly video reflection every Monday! |
Gifts
Given: In Gratitude to Mary Oliver 01/17/2024 |
Today is the fourth anniversary of Mary Oliver’s death. She died January 17, 2019. She did not die before her work was finished, her work of paying attention–what she rightly called “prayer”– and poetry, her sharing of what paying attention accomplishes.
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She is a prime example of a creation-centered mystic and artist, a lover and observer of life and nature’s great fecundity and holiness. When I heard her speak to a large audience shortly |
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before she died, she ended the evening with this message intended “especially to the young”, that summarized “all she had learned” about life: “1. Pay attention. 2. Be astonished. 3. Share your astonishment.” And share it she did. Near the end of her life, she gathered her favorite poems in
a volume called Devotions: The Selected Poems of Mary Oliver. Webster’s Dictionary defines “devotion” as “a religious exercise” or “prayer.” |
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| Her first poem in the 442-page collection, from 2015, begins with a question: “Why do people
keep asking to see God’s identity papers…?” Her second poem, called “This Morning,” dwells on new chicks hatched nearby |
—the chicks are so new they don’t see anything and don’t even know they have wings. This simple neighborhood event she calls “a miracle”. Her fifth poem, called “Storage,” tells the story of all the stuff she put in a storage space and how eventually she just called the trash man to take it all away. She felt like a small donkey relieved when things on his back are removed. She urges us to get rid
of things, to “burn them!”–this is why birds who own nothing can fly. |
The final poem in the first section of eleven pages, called “The Gift,” closes with the advice to let God and the world know we are grateful, grateful “that the gift has been given.” Otto Rank defines the artist as one who wants to leave behind a gift. So many
gifts |
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Mary Oliver leaves us, including a reminder to leave behind our own. |
See Matthew Fox, “Living Words and the Cosmic Christ: Hildegard Meets Mary Oliver” in Fox, Hildegard of Bingen: A Saint For Our Times: Unleashing Her Power in the 21st Century, pp. 11-24.
And Fox, Original Blessing: A Primer in Creation Spirituality.
And Fox, Creativity: Where the Divine and the Human Meet.
Banner Image: “Willing to Be Dazzled.” Photo by
Cam Miller on Flickr, honoring and citing Mary Oliver's poem by the same name. |
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Queries for Contemplation Which of these teachings from Mary Oliver reveal the most to you about the presence of the Divine in our everyday lives? Why is that
so? How grateful are you that “the gift has been given”? |
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. |
Hildegard of Bingen, A Saint for Our Times: Unleashing Her Power in the 21st Century
Matthew Fox writes in Hildegard of Bingen about this amazing woman and what we can learn from
her.
In an era when women were marginalized, Hildegard was an outspoken, controversial figure. Yet so visionary was her insight that she was sought out by kings, popes, abbots, and bishops for advice.
“This book gives strong, sterling, and unvarnished evidence that everything – everything – we ourselves become will affect what women
after us may also become….This is a truly marvelous, useful, profound, and creative book.” ~~ Andrew Harvey, author of The Hope: A Guide to Sacred Activism. |
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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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Creativity: Where the Divine and Human Meet
Because creativity is the key to both our genius and beauty as a species but also to our capacity for evil, we need to teach creativity and to teach ways of steering this God-like power in
directions that promote love of life (biophilia) and not love of death (necrophilia). Pushing well beyond the bounds of conventional Christian doctrine, Fox’s focus on creativity attempts nothing less than to shape a new ethic.
“Matt Fox is a pilgrim who seeks a path into the church of tomorrow. Countless numbers will be happy to follow his lead.” –Bishop John Shelby Spong, author, Rescuing
the Bible from Fundamentalism, Living in Sin
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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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