When anger and rage and resentment and violence are prominent in politics and the media, when they are “in the air,” one can readily question whether humans have an interior life. Whether empathy and compassion, caring and feeling for others, exists at all.
We have a name for people who seem to be completely out of touch with their interior lives: Sociopaths. People who exhibit no feeling whatsoever in the presence of the pain and suffering of others.
Many examples come to mind, among them being the fellow who hit 82-year-old Mr. Pelosi on the head with a hammer and fractured his skull.
Or the fellow with a hate-filled radio show, by which he makes millions of dollars, who was recently fined close to one billion dollars for pursuing for decades the grieving parents who lost children in Sandy Hook school massacre, pronouncing on the public air waves for all the world to hear that they were faking it, that Sandy Hook was fake news, that their children did not die.
There are those who are committed to denying the reality of climate change, even as they suffer as the rest of us do from the ever record-breaking heat and wild fires and droughts and hurricanes and floods that are products of climate change.
For those who are still in touch with their interior life, who can still feel the realness of Joy and Suffering, Creativity and Compassion, and feel themselves called to respond, let us meditate with some wisdom offered through the centuries about humanity’s interior life as it relates to our work.
They all attain perfection when they find joy in their work. (Bhagavad Gita)
Always rejoice in the good work that you do. (Thomas Aquinas)
In work, do what you enjoy. (Tao Te Ching)
Every angel is with his whole joy and his whole bliss inside me and the Godself with all the divine bliss. Yet I do not perceive this. (Meister Eckhart)
My occupation: Love. It’s all I do. (John of the Cross)
Adapted from Matthew Fox, The Reinvention of Work, pp. 91f.
To read the transcript of Matthew Fox’s video teaching, click HERE.
Banner Image: A health care worker examines a patient in a street clinic in São Luís, Brazil. Photo by Carlos Magno on Unsplash
Queries for Contemplation
Which of these testimonies to the interior life of our work touches you the deepest? Why is that so?
Recommended Reading
The Reinvention of Work: A New Vision of Livelihood For Our Time
Thomas Aquinas said, “To live well is to work well,” and in this bold call for the revitalization of daily work, Fox shares his vision of a world where our personal and professional lives are celebrated in harmony–a world where the self is not sacrificed for a job but is sanctified by authentic “soul work.”
“Fox approaches the level of poetry in describing the reciprocity that must be present between one’s inner and outer work…[A]n important road map to social change.” ~~ National Catholic Reporter
9 thoughts on “More on Humanity’s Interior Life or Lack Thereof”
Matthew, Today you tell us that “we have a name for people who seem to be completely out of touch with their interior lives: Sociopaths. People who exhibit no feeling whatsoever in the presence of the pain and suffering of others.” But “for those who are still in touch with their interior life, who can still feel the realness of Joy and Suffering, Creativity and Compassion, and feel themselves called to respond, let us meditate with some wisdom offered through the centuries about humanity’s interior life as it relates to our work.” Then you list five different quotations on work and ask us: “Which of these testimonies to the interior life of our work touches you the deepest? Actually these two quotations touch me most deeply: “They all attain perfection when they find joy in their work.” (Bhagavad Gita)–that is something I must sometimes remind myself , because too often I get caught up in the details of my work. And the second quotation that touches me deeply is: “My occupation: Love. It’s all I do.” (John of the Cross)–and for the same reason mentioned above I need to remind myself of this.
In work, do what you enjoy. (Tao Te Ching) This rings true to me and has been my focus since a student in college. I have seen too many hate their jobs, hate getting up and going to work. When we spend so much time there it drains the enjoyment out of life when at work and when not. I enjoy my job even with its corporate challenges, the pros outweigh the cons.
My occupation: Love. It’s all I do. (John of the Cross) This is where I need to focus in all of my actions at work and especially beyond. COMPASSION to all.
Thank you for your insights!
Oh that really spoke to me today. Thank you!!
Being fully present, whether in work, play or otherwise, allows us to be available to the joy and possibilities of the moment. Without judgment we experience life in its fullest.
The mystery and prayerful mantra of Divine Love that is the most meaningful to me is openness and awareness of the Living Spirit of Divine Love~Wisdom within, through, among, around us in the Sacred Process and Diverse Oneness of the Eternal Present Moment….
🔥💜🌎🙏
I suggest that those who engage in violent or abusive actions are deeply immersed in their own interior life of suffering, and don’t know how to express those emotions constructively, appropriately. I stand by Paul Gilbert’s statement that “Violence is what we do when we don’t know what else to do with our suffering.”
I have been including the daily meditations in my morning routine. I also spend time contributing to political commentary, especially as of late. The thoughts and information I have gathered here have helped me gain a deeper insight. This morning as I was waking I thought about this site and also about how thoughts of love are sadly missing from the social discussion. What a coincidence to open todays discussion and find that love is the main topic..!
Occupying space
choosing to participate
descending from above
manifesting love
evolving through time
weaving threads that bind.
Knots of imperfection
signal time for reflection
owning missing the mark
truth speaks to my heart
finding strength from within
arising I begin once again.
Doing the best that I can
remembering all that I am
awakening and emerging
letting go and purging
seeing the dark and the light
acceptance of both ends the fight.
Self-compassion I reclaim
relinquishing the pain
of never being enough
just a diamond in the rough
love lived softening hard edges
creating bridges instead of wedges.
Gathering lost fragments of my soul
the journey of becoming whole
rediscovering all that’s mine
in being human and yet devine
there are tears and joyfilled laughter
in resurrecting this love that I’m after.
This week’s meditation’s are where I find my peace within. Beautiful consciousness as all holy paths guide toward. Thank you a wake up call.