In yesterday’s DM, we celebrated St. Patrick’s feast day by meditating on a brand new translation from John Philip Newell of a poem attributed to him and by demonstrating how creation-centered the Celtic spirituality is.
(Jansenism, exported from France within the 17th century to Eire, and primarily based on Augustine’s abusive dualism, poisoned Irish spirituality for hundreds of years with a perverse Christian angle that’s the reverse of Celtic spirituality—one which places down nature and sexuality and couldn’t be much less Celtic in virtually each method. Sadly, it was exported to America with Irish immigration.)
One other dimension to Celtic spirituality is the “I’m” poems, prayers that after once more start with the universe and rejoice the awe, surprise and grandeur of the cosmos and our place in it. The cosmic Christ is all over the place in these historic prayers which, like St. Patrick’s poem, function a breastplate or strengthening system for us in these instances that decision for braveness and power and the religious warrior to face as much as reality and justice and love.
Celtic scholar John O’Donohue calls the next poem “the primary poem ever composed in Eire.”
I’m the wind which breathes upon the ocean,
I’m the wave of the ocean
I’m the murmur of the billows,
I’m the ox of the seven combats,
I’m the vulture upon the rocks,
I’m a beam of the solar,
I’m the wild boar in valour,
I’m the salmon within the water,
I’m a lake within the plain,
I’m a world of information,
I’m the purpose of the lance of battle,
I’m the God who created the fireplace within the head.
How unmodern and in contrast to Descartes’s instructing that is—he who declared, “I believe due to this fact I’m.” That is about group—“I’m as a result of the whole lot else is. I’m in the whole lot and the whole lot is in me.” The Divine “I’m” is omnipresent if we study to see appropriately.
Within the Biblical custom, God is the good “I’m.” That is what Moses discovered on asking methods to inform the Jewish individuals who God is. Within the E book of Exodus (3:13f.), we’re advised: Moses requested: ‘But when they ask me what his [God’s] title is, what am I to inform them?’ And God stated to Moses, ‘I’m who I’m….I Am has despatched me to you.’ (Additionally translated: “I’m who I will probably be.”)
In John’s gospel, Christ is depicted as declaring his personal “I’m” on a number of events. “I’m the great shepherd,” “I’m the sunshine,” “I’m the door,” and many others. Students are saying that Jesus didn’t speak this fashion, so it’s seemingly that gospel writers who wrote these items some sixty years after Jesus lived had been placing these phrases into Jesus’ mouth. In both case, they provide highly effective insights about Jesus’ relationship and ours to the divine.
And so they strengthen us for the “good struggle” that we’re known as to face up and struggle for. A struggle to redeem democracy which is, in any case, based on the dignity of the human particular person and the divine “I’m” in all individuals.
And the Celts are doing a parallel factor with their “I’m” poems. And they aren’t alone, for the “I’m” apply and language may be discovered world wide as we’ll present in forthcoming meditations.
Tailored from Matthew Fox, One River, Many Wells: Knowledge Flowing From International Faiths, pp. 171, 176-179.
See additionally: Matthew Fox and Bishop Marc Andrus, Stations of the Cosmic Christ.
And Fox, The Coming of the Cosmic Christ.
And Fox, Creation Spirituality: Liberating Items for the Peoples of the Earth.
And Fox, Trump & The MAGA Motion as Anti-Christ, pp. 31-50.
And Fox,“The Christ of the Cosmos: Meister Eckhart Meets Teilhard de Chardin and Thomas Berry,” and “The Historic Jesus: Meister Eckhart Meets Marcus Borg, Bruce Chilton, and John Dominic Crossan,” in Fox, Meister Eckhart: A Mystic-Warrior for Our Occasions, pp. 15-34, 97-116.
Banner Picture: The solar via a Celtic cross. Photograph by Jonathan Brennan on Flickr.
Queries for Contemplation
Do you are feeling a deep sense of interdependence and group with the sacredness of the universe once you pray the traditional “I’m” poem above? Have you ever ever written your individual “I’m” poem? I extremely advocate it.
Beneficial Studying
One River, Many Wells: Knowledge Springing from International Faiths
Matthew Fox calls on all of the world traditions for his or her knowledge and their inspiration in a piece that’s way over a listing of theological place papers however a brand new method to pray—to meditate in a world religious context on the knowledge all our traditions share. Fox chooses 18 themes which can be foundational to any spirituality and demonstrates how all of the world religious traditions provide knowledge about every.“Studying One River, Many Wells is like coming into the wealthy silence of a masterfully directed retreat. As you learn this textual content, you replicate, you pray, you embrace Divinity. Really no phrases can totally categorical my respect and awe for this magnificent contribution to up to date spirituality.” –Caroline Myss, writer of Anatomy of the Spirit
Stations of the Cosmic Christ
By Matthew Fox and Bishop Marc Andrus.
This can be a e book of meditations on the Cosmic Christ, accompanying the photographs of 16 fantastic clay tablets by Javier Ullrrich Lemus and M.C. Richards. Collectively, these photographs and meditations go far past the normal Stations of the Cross to encourage a spirit awakening and understanding of the cosmic Christ Consciousness, Buddha consciousness, and consciousness of the picture of God in all beings, so wanted in our instances.
“A divinely impressed e book that should be learn by each human being dedicated to religious and world survival. It’s cosmically good.” — Caroline Myss, writer of Anatomy of the Spirit
In what could also be thought-about essentially the most complete define of the Christian paradigm shift of our Age, Matthew Fox eloquently foreshadows the way during which the spirit of Christ resurrects when it comes to the return to an earth-based mysticism, the expression of creativity, mystical sexuality, the respect due the younger, the rebirth of efficient types of worship—all of those mirroring the continued blessings of Mom Earth and the restoration of Eros, the female facet of the Divine.
“The eighth surprise of the world…convincing proof that our Western non secular custom does certainly have the depth of creativeness to reinvent its religion.” — Brian Swimme, writer of The Universe Story and Journey of the Universe.
“This e book is a basic.” Thomas Berry, writer of The Nice Work and The Dream of the Earth.
Creation Spirituality: Liberating Items for the Peoples of the Earth
Fox’s spirituality weds the therapeutic and liberation present in North American Creation Spirituality and in South American Liberation Theology. Creation Spirituality challenges readers of each non secular and political persuasion to unite in a brand new imaginative and prescient via which we study to honor the earth and the individuals who inhabit it because the present of and simply Creator.
“A watershed theological work that gives a typical floor for non secular seekers and activists of all stripes.” — Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Follow.
“I’m studying Liberating Items for the Folks of the Earth by Matt Fox. He’s one which fills my coronary heart and thoughts for brand new life despite a lot that’s violent in our world.” ~ Sister Dorothy Stang.
Trump & The MAGA Motion as Anti-Christ: A Handbook for the 2024 Election
Matthew Fox tells us that he had at all times shied away from utilizing the time period “Anti-Christ” as a result of it was so typically used to unfold management and worry. Nevertheless, given as we speak’s rise of authoritarianism and forces of democracide, ecocide, and christofascism, he turns the tables on this e book using the archetype for the reason for justice, democracy, and a renewed Earth and humanity.
From the Foreword: If there was ever a time, a second, for analyzing the archetype of the Antichrist, it’s now…Learn this e book with an open thoughts. Good and evil are actual forces in our world. ~~ Caroline Myss, writer of Anatomy of the Spirit and Conversations with the Divine.
For instant entry to Trump & The MAGA Motion as Anti-Christ: A Handbook for the 2024 Election, order the e-book with 10 full-color prints from Amazon HERE.
To get a print-on-demand paperback copy with black & white photographs, order from Amazon HERE or IUniverse HERE.
To obtain a limited-edition, full-color paperback copy, order from MatthewFox.org HERE.
Order the audiobook HERE for instant obtain.
Meister Eckhart: A Mystic-Warrior For Our Time
Whereas Matthew Fox acknowledges that Meister Eckhart has influenced thinkers all through historical past, he additionally needs to introduce Eckhart to as we speak’s activists addressing up to date crises. Towards that finish, Fox creates dialogues between Eckhart and Carl Jung, Thich Nhat Hanh, Rabbi Heschel, Black Elk, Karl Marx, Rumi, Adrienne Wealthy, Dorothee Soelle, David Korten, Anita Roddick, Lily Yeh, M.C. Richards, and plenty of others.
“Matthew Fox is probably the best author on Meister Eckhart that has ever existed. (He) has efficiently bridged a spot between Eckhart as a shamanistic persona and Eckhart as a post-modern mentor to the Inter-faith motion, to disclose simply how cosmic Eckhart actually is, and the way remarkably related to as we speak’s non secular disaster! ” — Steven Herrmann, Writer of Non secular Democracy: The Knowledge of Early American Visionaries for the Journey Ahead
