A Love Song to the World, The Power of Gratitude and of Art

I was deeply moved by the song “Grateful: A Love Song to the World” in yesterday’s DM and I thank Phila Hoopes, one of our hunter-gatherers after pics and videos for our DM project for finding it.

GRATEFUL: A Love Song to the World| nimo featuring daniel nahmod. Video by emptyhandsmusic

I encourage you to revisit that video, for it is as fine a telling of the Via Positiva by way of song and picture as we may ever find.  It puts Gratitude to music and I love the diversity of ages, ethnicities and races that contribute to the joy.

Of course, it is “only” one of the paths of a deep or spiritual life, that of the Via Positiva.  There is also the reality and deep experience of the Via Negativa, but of course we see that daily on television and the internet watching the Ukrainian war and its atrocities including millions of  refugees fleeing, destroyed domiciles and all the rest. 

And when we learn of the conscious plot to dismember democracy that let up to January 6 and is still alive and active in efforts in American politics today.  And at work in many other places in the world today including obviously Putin’s Russia.

Carol Anderson, Emory University chair of African American studies, tells CBS News of the triple threat to democracy in the U.S.

A good dose of the Via Positiva goes a long way to feeding us with the beauty and goodness and love that allows us to persevere in combating Evil and its many, many faces.  Returning to the sacred and Original Blessing is absolutely essential in the face of human folly at work today as we face our own extinction and that of other species.

As Thomas Berry reminds us:

We will recover our sense of wonder and our sense of the sacred only if we appreciate the universe beyond ourselves as a revelatory experience of that numinous presence whence all things come into being.  Indeed, the universe is the primary sacred reality.  We become sacred by our participation in this more sublime dimension of the world about us.

Dissident Russian editor Kevin Rothrock tweets images of an anti-war performance artist’s protests at Moscow landmarks.

Yesterday’s Gratefulness video does that, it inspires us and resurrects us and thereby render us “participants” in the primary sacred reality in a time of darkness and unknowing.  In doing so, it underscores the important role that the Via Creativa plays in keeping us well and strong. 

It reminds us of our potential for joy and reverence and gratitude and links us to the Source, the Source that Aquinas calls “Sheer Goodness.”  Therefore it prepares us and girds us for our work in the Via Transformativa.  There is no prophet who was not an artist.  Imagination is what prophets bring to the task of interfering.  Consider these artists at work in Russia today.  

A bow and a Thank You to the makers of “Grateful: A Love Song to the World.”


See Matthew Fox, Original Blessing, pp. 108-116.  

And Charles Burack, ed., Matthew Fox: Essential Writings on Creation Spirituality, pp. 53-60.

To read the transcript of Matthew Fox’s video teaching, click HERE.

Banner Image: “Legendary Spring Birds.” Detail of Painting by David Chethlahe Paladin. Used with permission.

Queries for Contemplation

Were you also moved by the video on “Grateful: A Love Song to the World”?  What role do the Via Positiva and the Via Creativa or art play girding you to be a spiritual warrior?


Recommended Reading

Matthew Fox: Essential Writings on Creation Spirituality
Selected with an Introduction by Charles Burack

To encapsulate the life and work of Matthew Fox would be a daunting task for any save his colleague Dr. Charles Burack, who had the full cooperation of his subject. Fox has devoted 50 years to developing and teaching the tradition of Creation Spirituality and in doing so has reinvented forms of education and worship.  His more than 40 books, translated into 78 languages, are inclusive of today’s science and world spiritual traditions and have awakened millions to the much neglected earth-based mystical tradition of the West. Essential Writings begins by exploring the influences on Fox’s life and spirituality, then presents selections from all Fox’s major works in 10 sections.
“The critical insights, the creative connections, the centrality of Matthew Fox’s writings and teaching are second to none for the radical renewal of Christianity.” ~~ Richard Rohr, OFM.


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8 thoughts on “A Love Song to the World, The Power of Gratitude and of Art”

  1. Richard Reich-Kuykendall
    Richard Reich-Kuykendall

    Matthew, Today our Queries for Contemplation are: “Were you also moved by the video on “Grateful: A Love Song to the World”? I too was deeply moved by the song “Grateful: A Love Song to the World” in yesterday’s DM and I too thank Phila Hoopes for finding it. It puts Gratitude to music and I too love the diversity of ages, ethnicities and races that contribute to the joy. Returning to the sacred and Original Blessing, is absolutely essential in light of the world today as we face our own extinction and that of other species. Let us recognize and truly be grateful for the gift that has been given to us in the gift of the earth!
    “What role do the Via Positiva and the Via Creativa or art play girding you to be a spiritual warrior?” The Via Positiva provides us with the positive impetus to move forward despite the problems, and the Via Creativa gives us the creative ideas that enable us to do what needs to be done to bring about change! And thus we come to the Via Transformativa!

  2. This is awesome.
    Only discovered Matthew Fox last night.
    I am on a huge voyage out of addiction and into discovery. Spiritual discovery.
    This is awesome.
    I live in N. Ireland and this thinking/teaching does not exist.
    I have only rediscovered my Catholic faith after much pain.
    I now see how to live,exist among the pain and disorder of nature by humans.
    Others like me exist.
    I am overawed and grateful 🙏🕊️🌞🌻🌺❤️❤️❤️ absolutely awesome 🙏🙏🙏

    1. Richard Reich-Kuykendall
      Richard Reich-Kuykendall

      Yvonne, Thank you so much for your comment. I’m glad you found Matthew when you did–we all have some kind of addiction we need to let go of. A large part of what Matthew calls, the “Via Negativa” is letting go and letting be. Thank you for walking one of the four paths with us !!!

  3. I saved my morning “surfing” until after my morning meditation/centering prayer. When I viewed the video of yesterday’s DM I was moved to tears of joy. So very grateful for the infusion of joy it brought. Medicine to the soul. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

  4. Jeanette Metler

    I too, was moved by yesterday’s video, which led me to emailing it to several friends. I was particularly drawn to the words, “Every prophet is an artist”, in today’s DM. What also struck me, is how the link to the site of artists in Russia… speaking out against Putin’s war on Ukraine, demonstrated the truth of this statement… as well as validated Mathew’s teaching of how the suffering of injustice… (the via negativa)… can motivate this prophetic spirit, to creatively and courageously give voice to this suffering and injustice, in a nonviolent way… (the via positiva and the via creativa)… unfolding, evolving and emerging together. What also came to my remembrance was Mathew’s previous teachings of Love being tethered to Justice as well… (the via transformativa)… yet to come. I appreciate all the connections within today’s DM.

  5. Deepest gratitude to you, Mathew Fox, and your DM team!
    “Gratitude, A Love Song to the World” is moving with joy! I so appreciate your deliberate and varied mediums and pathways to honor restore the Sacred. I don’t want countless enemies, I want friends in all of creation. Thank you.

  6. Matthew, today’s DM helped me become more aware and appreciate the deep interrelationships of the four phases, not necessarily consecutive, of Creation Spirituality. I’m sure this awareness and understanding will deepen even more on my spiritual journey after I read your two books mentioned in the bottom of your DM. Creation Spirituality is very w(h)olistic! My contemplative spiritual journey in a way also includes these four phases, but it emphasizes the graceful daily inner transformation process of developing the spiritual fruits and gifts of the Spirit, including compassionate being/action in daily life, with others, Mother Nature and all Her creatures, and All ongoing co-Creation with-in the Universe~Cosmos…
    I believe all the spiritual journeys lead to this deepening sacred transformation of our eternal souls to Loving Diverse Creative Oneness with-in our Mother~Father Creator, Cosmic Christ Consciousness….
    🔥❤️🙏

  7. I just read about the power of art, dance and holy imagination in One River, Many Wells and found this amazing reflection.
    Thank you Matthew Fox for your incredible insights over all these years.
    This gift could not be kept to myself so I risked vulnerability and sent it to a few others. Thank you for your daily meditations and so many important books.

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