Some may wonder why we are meditating on creation and its sacredness when the very foundations of our democracy are burning to the ground in places like Arizona, Georgia, Texas, where one political party is making every effort to obstruct fair elections in America.
There is a deep connection between loving creation and recognizing the suffering of Mother Earth in our time; and in celebrating the reality of a healthy democracy and speaking the truth of the peril facing it. Mother Earth and Democracy are both struggling to survive at this time in America and around the world.
The same political party that is busy trying to kill democracy by undoing fair elections in America denies climate change and its importance. One recognizes a patriarchy that spawns “fatalistic self-hatred” (Adrienne Rich), for to kill the Earth and democracy and deny it seem awful lot like fatalistic self hatred to me.
Where are we if the Earth is depleted? Where are we if democracy is ditched?
Denial is a choice to lie to oneself and others. As such, it insults Divinity whose name is often Truth. According to Thomas Aquinas, denial is a mortal sin, i.e. deadly to both soul and society, for it destroys comity and community which cannot survive without an agreed upon truth.
Truth and justice are partners. Lies (including denial and what is now known as “misinformation”) are companions of injustice. Truth and Justice? Or Denial and Injustice? We have a choice. A hunger for truth and a hunger for justice lie in the recesses of every human being—as Aquinas puts it, “the proper objects of the heart are truth and justice.”
The party that denies climate change has turned its back on investigating the insurrection of January 6. Its leaders assure us that it is not important to examine what was at its roots and how thoroughly attitudes of elected officials helped instigate it and keep it going and the slow response to stopping it is not important. “We all know what happened on January 6,” said the minority leader of the Senate two days ago, while vetoing a commission to investigate that fateful day.
Clearly we don’t know what happened on Jan 6 and before—we saw the results, the effects, but not the full cause: the preparation, the intentions, the instructions various agencies responsible for stopping such a riot received or did not receive. Nor how many elected lawmakers and presidents and their advisors were involved directly or indirectly. (We do know the lawmakers who did not want to certify the vote count however—and there were hundreds of them.) All this is what a commission would teach us.
If it is true, as poet Derrick Walcott tells us, that “we must fall in love with the world in spite of history,” then to focus and meditate on the goodness and sacredness of creation at this historical moment of peril to Earth and Democracy is vital at this time. Especially at this time.
To be continued
See Matthew Fox, The Tao of Thomas Aquinas: Fierce Wisdom for Hard Times, 101-108.
Banner Image: “Democracy Awakening rally at U.S. Capitol, U.S. Capitol Building, Washington, DC, April 17, 2016.” Photo by Becker1999 on Flickr.
What parallels do you see between lies about climate change and lies about political elections? How to resist both?
Recommended Reading
The Tao of Thomas Aquinas: Fierce Wisdom for Hard Times
A stunning spiritual handbook drawn from the substantive teachings of Aquinas’ mystical/prophetic genius, offering a sublime roadmap for spirituality and action.
Foreword by Ilia Delio.
“What a wonderful book! Only Matt Fox could bring to life the wisdom and brilliance of Aquinas with so much creativity. The Tao of Thomas Aquinas is a masterpiece.”
–Caroline Myss, author of Anatomy of the Spirit
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5 thoughts on “Sacred Creation, Democracy, and Unsacred Politics”
Our biological interface with our Birth Mother Earth:
Eating Sweet Potatoes….
It’s been said that God first separated the salt water from the fresh, made dry land, planted a garden, made animals and fish… All before making a human. He made and provided what we’d need before we were born. Sweet Potatoes are best & more powerful when eaten raw. We’re such slow learners…
God left us a great clue as to what foods help what part of our body!
God’s Pharmacy! Amazing!
A sliced Carrot looks like the human eye. The pupil, iris and radiating lines look just like the human eye… And YES, science now shows carrots greatly enhance blood flow to and function of the eyes.
A Tomato has four chambers and is red. The heart has four chambers and is red. All of the research shows tomatoes are loaded with lycopine and are indeed pure heart and blood food.
Grapes hang in a cluster that has the shape of the heart. Each grape looks like a blood cell and all of the research today shows grapes are also profound heart and blood vitalizing food.
A Walnut looks like a little brain, a left and right hemisphere, upper cerebrums and lower cerebellums. Even the wrinkles or folds on the nut are just like the neo-cortex. We now know walnuts help develop more than three (3) dozen neuron-transmitters for brain function.
WOW Gwen. I’ve never heard these truths described with such simplicity and beauty. I’m in awe and as a result I will see things now differently. Thanks for sharing.
Gwen, thank you for your fascinating comment. Unfortunately we could not print it in full due to space…
Thank you Matthew for reminding us that God is a Spirit of Love-Truth-Justice!
As daughters and sons of God we are co-Creators with God in taking care of one another and
Mother Earth….
– Damian Maureira
And thank you for your kind words, Damian !!!