Unless our spirituality becomes one with the way of the prophets we fail to have a real spirituality. Matthew Fox has taught incessantly that Creation Spirituality is not just about communing with nature. The creation tradition cannot imagine a spirituality without justice which, in turn, lies as the fulfillment of the need to birth oneself, because all are to be birthed into justice-making instruments for the work of the spirit.
In February 2025, Pope Francis issued this written rebuke: “I have followed closely the major crisis that is taking place in the United States with the initiation of a program of mass deportations.” He called all people to disagree “with any measure that tacitly or explicitly identifies the illegal status of some migrants with criminality.” He insisted that the human being is constituted internally by relationship with all others, but “especially with the poorest.” He said this specifically to make clear that J.D.Vance’s
understanding of Catholic teachings — basically that loving one’s neighbor means loving people who look like you — is a misappropriation of them.
It is disgusting to see how people such as Trump and Vance now pretend to honor the memory of Francis. “Woe to you (…) who build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous!” (Matthew 23,19). The only difference between the times of Jesus and our times is that Jesus denounces how the heirs of the ones who killed the prophets in the previous generation are building the tombs of the same prophets, while now it is barely weeks before politicians who insulted a dead prophet can praise him with impunity.
Even those who disagree with some of Francis’ positions (for example, on issues of gender and sexuality) cannot fail to acknowledge that he was a true prophet who opposed evil when he encountered it. He did not mince words, and for this reason he was ridiculed and maligned.
But, as Matthew Fox teaches, it is no surprise that prophets find themselves reduced to the powerlessness of the oppressed. In fact, which ones of his great prophetic battles did Pope Francis win? The one on peace? The one on the environment? The one on migrants? None of them. At least not yet. But it is exactly from the position of nonpower that we can derive our greatest wisdom. Not because we don’t want to win any battle, or we like to stay in a state of oppression, but because now — as always — true prophetic actions need to incubate. It is by experiencing in our depths the via negativa of these dark times that true rebirth may
ensue.
*Letter of the Holy Father Francis to the Bishops of the United States of America.
Matthew Fox, Original Blessing: A Primer in Creation Spirituality, p. 248.
To read the transcript of Matthew Fox’s video meditation, click HERE.
Banner image: Pope Francis lying in state at the Basilica of St. Peter at the Vatican. The Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva pays his respects.
Photo by Ricardo Stuckert / PR. Wikimedia Commons.
Queries for Contemplation
How do I denounce in practice the evil/injustice that is being perpetrated today by those in power? Am I ready to accept and experience in my depths a position of “nonpower” in order to come out with a new prophetic/spiritual voice?
Recommended Reading
Original Blessing: A Primer in Creation Spirituality
Matthew Fox lays out a whole new direction for Christianity—a direction that is in fact very ancient and very grounded in Jewish thinking (the fact that Jesus was a Jew is often neglected by Christian theology): the Four Paths of Creation Spirituality, the Vias Positiva, Negativa, Creativa and Transformativa in an extended and deeply developed way.
“Original Blessing makes available to the Christian world and to the human community a radical cure for all dark and derogatory views of the natural world wherever these may have originated.” –Thomas Berry, author, The Dream of the Earth; The Great Work; co-author, The Universe Story
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7 thoughts on “Denouncing Evil as Prophetic Action”
Prophets may be opposed and oppressed but none are powerless. What would the world or local state of affairs be without the presence of the prophet, without the presence of Pope Francis? Is the prophet not receptive to Divine messaging and direction? Or maybe it is the faithful that they serve have a weakening faith, or wilful disobedience or indifference to the will of the Trinity?
The group holding ‘of the world’ power will always be there to some degree, but the faithful or not so faithful being Christ’s disciples, require an ‘infusion’ of knowledge, practice, love, truth, grace, compassion, mercy and justice. That is the prophet’s, the shepherd’s, greatest challenge. — BB.
Thank you, gives me hope. We m=nee many more like Pope Francis. These are sad times and I need support now and again. The meditations I’ve me that support. We are not vey loud and ai am not very loud so I fi in..However, we need to support one another through good times and difficult times. Thank you all
Thank-you, Gianluigi and Matthew for consistently and thoughtfully naming and calling out evil.
In response to being a new prophetic/spiritual voice, I have sent Matthew a copy of “Maya Mire – A Spiritual Journey into Cosmic Truth and the Dawning of a New World”. https://www.amazon.com/Maya-Mire-Spiritual-Journey-Dawning/dp/1803415525
“I am just now reading your book, or should I say your personal journey. Fascinating.” ― Caroline Myss
“I finished your quite wonderful book this morning and wanted to thank you for sending it along. Amazing, giant ideas that I had never considered before from a source that was completely unknown. But it all made sense – deeply – for which I am very appreciative. It also raised many questions. Thanks again for opening this extraordinary window to such a big, comprehensive – and timely – perspective.” ― John L Petersen, Founder and President, The Arlington Institute
Ancient prophets in the Bible were not heeded by all, but those who did as the prophets urged grew spiritually and acted so that many followed their lead; and slowly or rapidly humanity has become ennobled. The Golden Rule is widely practiced; generosity and hospitality are known traits of some societies, and human decency is expected by more people than in past centuries. It may take several generations for practical care of creation to be more widely embraced. Pope Francis was not unique or first to exhort the world to act rapidly and radically in defense of Mother Nature. Let all who have ears and hearts move with fellowship and love for our common home.
I continue to faithfully and contemplatively be open in my body~heart~mind~Soul to God’s Divine Flow of LOVE~WISDOM with-in Our LOVING DIVERSE ONENESS in the Sacred Process of the ETERNAL PRESENT MOMENT….
I grew up with “non power”. Many women did.
We were told that we were “LESS than” men.
Then I became a mystic, discovered eventually that it was “mysticism” (a name for the awe-shocking experience!) and then that it was “Neoplatonic.” And then, over the years, I studied tons of mystical texts.
And then I got angry.
Because I realized that the Mystical Revelation — the ACTUAL TRUTH OF THE EXPERIENCE AND ITS IMPLICATIONS — was NOT WHAT WAS BEING TOLD IN THE CHURCH, even though they claimed to teach it.
Jesus came to fix everything, to heal the earth, straighten things out and shake things up with THE REAL (Divine Mystical) Model and Path for people to live by.
But the Church RE-inserted a Roman CULTURAL (read: “earthly”) interpretation of it, with “woman” as “fundamentally flawed” (lesser-souled), instead of the Divine/Mystical (“heavenly,” “highest” or “from Christ”) model of egalitarianism that JESUS HIMSELF demonstrated as Mystical TRUTH AND TEMPLATE FOR CHRISTIAN LIFE. He came to show and share the Divine Love and Equality, to spread it around to everyone.
But the Church apparently disagreed with Jesus. It substituted an abusive, authoritarian earthly model for the Loving, egalitarian, Divine-Mystical one that Jesus COMMANDED people to live by.
So, yeah, I speak up about this.
Women deserve better from the Church.
And from all societies claiming to be Christian.