The Creation Spirituality Lineage Calling All Social and Environmental Activists, Mystic Explorers, Justice Makers, Cosmic Thinkers, Earth Keepers Daily Meditations with Matthew Fox |
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Two Lessons Learned on
Wisdom & Growing Older 09/13/2024 |
NOTE: With days ticking down to 11/5, Matthew Fox’s urgent new book turns the Anti-Christ archetype into a searing device for understanding the deeper stakes in the 2024 election. For immediate access to Trump & The MAGA Movement as Anti-Christ: A Handbook for the 2024 Election, order the e-book
with 10 full-color prints from Amazon or Barnes & Noble. To receive the limited-edition, full-color paperback copy, order
from MatthewFox.org. |
It is sometimes said that wisdom comes with old age. Well, it comes from the young too and the Scriptures speak to that and I am glad they do. “Out of the mouth of babes, comes wisdom.” (Ps 8.2) And “Wisdom gave speech to the tongues of babes.” (Wis
10.21)
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Two things I will say about wisdom and old age is this. First, experience can—no guarantee—bring some wisdom. Experience of failure and experience of achievement. This is one sad element of a certain presidential candidate who seems so utterly ill at ease at losing. There is much to learn from |
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losing, and learning to be a good loser as well as a good winner is a virtue. Losing means getting up and trying some again, trying harder, evaluating, learning therefore. But is there a worse loser on the planet than Mr. Trump? What he did on January 6—and planned for weeks in advance
as we now know—is an ultimate sign of a bad loser. His conspiring to take down the government that he was trying to head is hard to fathom. No other president has attempted such a thing in 248 years of the American republic. Even harder to fathom is that 47% of the American population seem quite okay with such behavior. |
Matthew Fox’s brothers Tom and Nathaniel. Photo from Matthew Fox’s collection. | Why is Trump such a bad loser? Did he ever play sports? Sports can teach one how to lose with some grace and yet return to win
another day. As I reflect on the passing of my two older brothers, one important element of our relationship as kids was sports and they were especially generous in inviting me to play with them and their buddies even though I was 2-3 years younger and a lot smaller as a
child. |
But
I loved playing with them and occasionally received congratulations if I caught a pass or outran an opponent, etc. I also learned to lose. Another element of old age is this: People you love die. Not only parents and siblings, but friends. Again, loss is part of life. Letting go is a big part of life. In
fact, Meister Eckhart says, “we sink eternally from letting go to letting go into the One.” It never stops, this letting go. It’s an eternal thing. I’m not sure it ever gets easier, but it does get familiar and one can develop habits of letting go. I sometimes talk of building muscles of letting go—such
muscles need flexing and developing as any other muscles do. |
The wisdom involved in death of loved ones has something to do with sizing up one’s own life and learning and re-learning that life is a one-time thing, a gift not to be squelched or underestimated or taken for granted. Give it all you’ve got. If older ones can teach that to younger ones,
then wisdom is |
Aleshah Time performs Emily Webb’s monologue from Thornton Wilder’s Our
Town. |
passing from generation to generation and that is a good thing. Let wisdom roll, from young to old and from old to young. Let there be intergenerational wisdom. Let each generation inspire the other. |
See Matthew Fox, “Honoring the Child within—Youth and the Cosmic Christ,” in Fox, The Coming of the Cosmic Christ, pp. 180-198.
See also Fox, The A.W.E. Project: Reinventing Education, Reinventing the Human.
Banner Image: Matthew Fox’s brothers Nat and Tom with their wives Lily and
Anna. From Matthew Fox’s photo collection. |
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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. |
Queries for Contemplation |
What have you learned about the wisdom found either in 1) growing old or 2) being young? How can older and younger generations inspire one another? |
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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The A.W.E. Project: Reinventing Education, Reinventing the Human
The A.W.E. Project reminds us that awe is the appropriate response to the unfathomable wonder that is creation… A.W.E. is also the acronym for Fox’s proposed style of
learning – an approach to balance the three R’s. This approach to learning, eldering, and mentoring is intelligent enough to honor the teachings of the Ancestors, to nurture Wisdom in addition to imparting knowledge, and to Educate through Fox’s 10 C’s. The 10 C’s are the core of the A.W.E. philosophy and process of education, and include: compassion, contemplation, and creativity. The A.W.E. Project does for the vast subject of “learning” what Fox’s Reinvention of Work did for vocation
and Original Blessing did for theology. Included in the book is a dvd of the 10 C’s put to 10 video raps created and performed by Professor Pitt.
“An awe-based vision of educational renewal.” — Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice.
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Trump & The MAGA Movement as Anti-Christ: A Handbook for the 2024 Election
Matthew Fox tells us that he had always shied away from using the term “Anti-Christ” because it was so often used to spread control and fear. However, given today’s
rise of authoritarianism and forces of democracide, ecocide, and christofascism, he turns the tables in this book employing the archetype for the cause of justice, democracy, and a renewed Earth and humanity.
From the Foreword: If there was ever a time, a moment, for examining the archetype of the Antichrist, it is now…Read this book with an open mind. Good and evil are real forces in our world. ~~ Caroline
Myss, author of Anatomy of the Spirit and Conversations with the Divine. |
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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 |
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UPCOMING EVENTS See Matthew Fox's full calendar
HERE |
MONTHLY: Join Matthew Fox, Mariko Middleton, and Skylar Wilson of the Order of the Sacred Earth in a free virtual meeting for connection and networking with other mystic warriors. Last Tuesday of every month, 4:00-5:00pm PT.
Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88665302478
Meeting ID: 886 6530 2478 Learn more at www.orderofthesacredearth.org |
Matthew Fox will make a guest appearance during the Creation Spirituality
Communities course, Creation Spirituality in a Time of Apocalypse. He will talk about his new book on the antichrist, which is an apocalyptic archetype. Join Theodore Richards, founder of the Chicago Wisdom Project and editor of the online Magazine/Podcast ReImagining as he takes us through 4 sessions exploring how Creation Spirituality can give birth to
new stories during times of upheaval. Dates: Sept 9, 16, 23, 30 from 7-9 PM ET. Cost: $150 per student. Register HERE. |
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Join Matthew Fox as he discusses his book Occupy Spirituality: A Radical Vision for a New Generation in an Our Lady of the Prairie Retreat, Thursday, September 19, 4:00-5:30 pm PT.
Register HERE. |
ConvergenceCoLab hosts Matthew Fox, Margaret Wheatley, and Brian McLaren in an online conversation on “Post-Doom Spirituality," Wednesday, October 16, 6-8:30 PM ET. Register now with an EARLY BIRD rate of $30, HERE. |
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Join Matthew Fox as he discusses his two books, In the Beginning There was Joy and The Return of Father Sky, in an Our Lady of the Prairie Retreat, Thursday, October 17, 4:00-5:30 pm
PT.
Register HERE. |
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Creation Spirituality Conversations |
Talia Baroncelli interviews Matthew Fox on The Analysis in part 1 of an in-depth interview titled "Trump and the MAGA Movement as Anti-Christ," where Fox asserts that the archetype applies
to the darker side of MAGA and its Christian-nationalist backers. |
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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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