On at the present time twenty years in the past, a 74-year-old white-haired North American lady was gunned down by employed assassins on a dust street within the jungle of the Amazon. Why?
Sister Dorothy Stang was a member of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Lamur, whose charism is to work with the poor. For 40 years she doggedly labored with the peasants within the Amazon area, serving to them construct faculties and defend the rainforest. The landowners resented the empowerment that occurred among the many peasants she was working with.
She stated, “We’re solely right here on the land for just a few a long time. Use daily to carry pleasure and never greed to our drained land so stuffed with anguish.”
Most of the peasants had been crushed down for generations and landowners had been indignant with the sisters for exposing the injustices.
Attending our program on Creation Spirituality throughout a sabbatical, she fell very a lot in love with Hildegard of Bingen, who helped floor her in a non secular lineage and practices that strengthened her resistance to highly effective forces. She grew in power to face in opposition to those that want tearing down the rainforest for fast income from cattle ranching, reasonably than honoring it and passing it on to future generations who will love and respect it.
Not not like these as we speak, whoever they’re, who shout “Drill, child drill,” reasonably than honor the sacredness of Mom Earth and urge an finish to fossil fuels.
She noticed the unlawful logging and slash-and-burn destruction of the rainforest and it broke her coronary heart.
She lobbied lawmakers, helped train sustainable companies like rising cacao, arrange a woodworking store, mentored younger sisters, assisted farmers with authorized paperwork, on a regular basis with a worth on her head. She inspired small farmers to construct neighborhood and houses and develop forest-friendly crops. She labored with kids, constructed quite a few faculties and confronted magistrates. She lived a really poor life among the many poor.
She stated, “Our Gospel response calls us to take dangers amongst our individuals.” In Anapu as we speak there are actually 85 farming communities, up from solely 35 when she died. Sister Dorothy’s organizing farmers right into a cohesive and highly effective drive erased the isolation and mistrust of each other that had beforehand held sway.
For this she was gunned down.
For this she is honored in Latin America and world wide, together with in a latest ceremony in Rome honoring up to date martyrs. There they introduced a vial of her blood blended with the soil of the Amazon the place she fell. Sister Dot is the primary North American lady so honored.
All of us partake of her sacrifice, braveness and non secular warriorhood on behalf of the poor and the struggling of Mom Earth.
This being black historical past month, it appears becoming to hyperlink Sr. Dot’s warriorhood and sacrifice with that of Dr. MLK King, Jr. This prayer from Dr. King appears becoming for marking this anniversary:
Be part of with the Earth and one another to carry new life to the land, to revive the waters, to refresh the air, to resume the forests, to take care of the crops, to guard the creature, to have a good time the seas, to rejoice within the daylight, to sing the tune of the celebrities, to recall our future, to resume our spirits, to reinvigorate our our bodies, to recreate the human neighborhood, to advertise justice and peace, to like our youngsters and love each other, to affix collectively as many and various expressions of 1 loving thriller, for the therapeutic of the Earth and the renewal of all life.
Thanks, Sister Dorothy, thanks, Dr. King, on your work, braveness, witness and supreme sacrifice. On your power and non secular warriorhood.
See Matthew Fox, Creation Spirituality: Liberating Items for the Peoples of the Earth.
And Fox, Unique Blessing: A Primer in Creation Spirituality.
And Fox, “Non secular Warriors” in Fox, The Hidden Spirituality of Males: Ten Metaphors to Awaken the Sacred Masculine, pp. 77-104.
And Fox, “Non secular Warriorhood,” in Fox, One River, Many Wells: Knowledge Springing from Religion Traditions, pp. 404-422.
And Fox, Skylar Wilson, Jen Lustig, Order of the Sacred Earth: An Intergenerational Imaginative and prescient of Love and Motion.
Banner Picture: Element of the flyer marking the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namurs’ rededication to the legacy of Sister Dorothy Stang.
Queries for Contemplation
How do you honor the sacredness of Mom Earth and attempt to remind others of the identical—whoever they’re? Does Dr. King’s prayer converse for you additionally? And Sister Dorothy’s life and work and demise?
Beneficial Studying
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 by which we be taught to honor the earth and the individuals who inhabit it because the reward of a great and simply Creator.
“A watershed theological work that provides a standard floor for non secular seekers and activists of all stripes.” — Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Apply.
“I’m studying Liberating Items for the Individuals of the Earth by Matt Fox. He’s one which fills my coronary heart and thoughts for brand spanking new life regardless of a lot that’s violent in our world.” ~ Sister Dorothy Stang.
Unique Blessing: A Primer in Creation Spirituality
Matthew Fox lays out a complete new course for Christianity—a course that’s actually very historical and really grounded in Jewish considering (the truth that Jesus was a Jew is commonly uncared for by Christian theology): the 4 Paths of Creation Spirituality, the Vias Positiva, Negativa, Creativa and Transformativa in an prolonged and deeply developed method.
“Unique Blessing makes out there to the Christian world and to the human neighborhood a radical remedy for all darkish and derogatory views of the pure world wherever these could have originated.” –Thomas Berry, creator, The Dream of the Earth; The Nice Work; co-author, The Universe Story
The Hidden Spirituality of Males: Ten Metaphors to Awaken the Sacred Masculine
To awaken what Fox calls “the sacred masculine,” he finds ten metaphors, or archetypes, starting from the Inexperienced Man, an historical pagan image of our basic relationship with nature, to the Non secular Warrior….These timeless archetypes can encourage males to pursue their larger calling to connect with their deepest selves and to reinvent the world.
“Each man on this planet ought to learn this guide — to not point out each lady who needs to know the struggles, usually unconscious, that form the boys they know.” — Rabbi Michael Lerner, creator of The Left Hand of God
One River, Many Wells: Knowledge Springing from World Faiths
Matthew Fox calls on all of the world traditions for his or her knowledge and their inspiration in a piece that’s excess of an inventory of theological place papers however a brand new approach to pray—to meditate in a world non secular 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 non secular 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. Actually no phrases can absolutely categorical my respect and awe for this magnificent contribution to up to date spirituality.” –Caroline Myss, creator of Anatomy of the Spirit
Order of the Sacred Earth: An Intergenerational Imaginative and prescient of Love and Motion
By Matthew Fox, Skylar Wilson, and Jen Listug
Within the midst of worldwide fireplace, earthquake and flood – as species are going extinct daily and nationwide and world economies totter – the planet doesn’t want one other church or faith. What it wants is a brand new Order, grounded within the Knowledge traditions of each East and West, together with science and indigenous. An Order of the Sacred Earth united in a single sacred vow: “I promise to be the perfect lover and defender of the Earth that I could be.”
Co-authored by Matthew Fox, Skylar Wilson, and Jennifer Berit Listug, with a ahead by David Korten, this assortment of essays by 21 non secular visionaries together with Brian Swimme, Mirabai Starr, Theodore Richards, and Kristal Parks marks the founding of the varied and inclusive Order of the Sacred Earth, a neighborhood now evolving world wide.
“The Order of the Sacred Earth not solely calls us house to our true nature as Earth, but additionally presents us invaluable steering and firm on the way in which.” ~~ Joanna Macy, environmental activist and creator of Energetic Hope.
