This is a weekly summary of the previous week’s Daily Meditations. Some are written by Matthew Fox (MF), and some by Gianluigi Gugliermetto (GG). You can click on the title of a DM in order to view the original piece in its entirety. Also, please note, we will continue to offer a video teaching by Matthew each Monday.
October 27, 2025: Big But Quiet News Buried Behind the News of White House Rubble (MF)
Recently, we were all astonished to find that the entire East Wing of the White House had been demolished—without warning and without Congressional approval. Equally disturbing was the cost, which jumped from $200 million to $300 million—all for a ballroom that no one wants or needs. The fact that it is supposedly being paid for by Trump’s billionaire buddies is no comfort. What did he promise them in return? Meanwhile, one tiny bit of good news. This week, King Charles III, head of the Anglican church, visited the Vatican to pray with Pope Leo XIV, marking a religious reconciliation after 500 years of separation. The future of humanity is to practice more simply and surely the teachings of its inspired spiritual and religious founders. And to respect one another, as King Charles and the Pope modeled for us.
October 28, 2025: Is Peter Thiel Afraid to Debate Me on the Anti-Christ? (MF)
Recently, in both a DM and a private letter, Matthew challenged Peter Thiel to a debate on the Antichrist. This invitation has gone unacknowledged by Thiel. Perhaps he fears he could not control the truth, as billionaires are busy buying up media such as CBS, The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, X, Facebook, etc. Or perhaps, having declared he is “religious and not spiritual,” Mr. Thiel is not interested in learning about a spirituality that calls for practicing Gratitude and Justice and Compassion. Or maybe he just doesn’t want to waste time with a Christian priest—though he does seem to call himself a Christian and cites Christian philosophers and theologians.
October 29, 2025: On Cruelty (GG)
Recently we learned that Germany expressed willingness to help rebuild Gaza, but not in contributing to the “martyrs’ pensions” because that would mean “helping the terrorists.” Never mind that the fund is for widows and children. And what about the cruelty of Israel’s intentional starvation of the people of Gaza? And recently, Gianluigi heard the owner of a cafe vehemently declare that she cares more about the suffering of animals than the Palestinian children. Why? It is important to understand these whys so that we can confront and respond to the cruelty and evils being perpetrated.
October 30, 2025: The Remnant (GG)
Yesterday, Daniel, a member of this community of readers, offered a threefold response to why cruelty seems to be flourishing. He points to: 1) The objectification of the “other,” starting with Nature. 2) Sensory overload which produces desensitization (largely due to rampant consumption of videos and social media). 3) The “syndrome of the cornered tiger.” (The latter is about our terror of living in an “end age” caused by our folly as a species.) GG offers three suggestions to combat these behaviors and thought patterns: 1) Model awareness of our ecological crisis while still maintaining a spirit of compassion. 2) Drastically limit our screen time, instead scheduling conscious activities—either with others or by ourselves. 3) Be careful not to label and objectify others. Instead, we can accept the responsibility that comes from awareness, in humility and service.
October 31, 2025: All Hallows’ Eve (Halloween) (GG)
One thousand years ago, as people in the countryside kept celebrating the feast of Samhain, the monks of Cluny decided to Christianize it, creating the double feast of All Hallows Eve and All Souls Day. We can choose to make this seasonal time more holy by taking the time to go within and reflect on the saints and our ancestors. GG confesses to feeling the weight of darkness, not necessarily a dark night of the soul but a dark night of our species and dark night of democracy. In his book Christian Mystics, Matthew talks about the Cosmic Christ as “light of the world” in ways that seem very appropriate for this time that we are living in.
November 1, 2025: Is Cruelty the Name of the Latest MAGA Politics?
Whatever happened to the “common good?” This current administration has thrown the concept out the window as they: gut USAID, leave millions of Americans hungry during this government shutdown, do everything in their power to block the Epstein files from being released, encourage masked thugs to abduct law-abiding, taxpaying immigrants, etc. Incidentally, never before in American history has the SNAP program been interrupted–even during government shutdowns. All this cruelty is designed to incite fear. The hatred and cruelty we witness in today’s version of authoritarian politics derives from a deep place of self-hatred indeed.
Banner image: Day of the Dead altar in el Ciudad de México. Photo by Roger Ce on Unsplash
Related Readings by Matthew Fox
Trump & The MAGA Movement as Anti-Christ: A Handbook for the 2024 Election
Matthew Fox tells us that he had always shied away from using the term “Anti-Christ” because it was so often used to spread control and fear. However, given today’s rise of authoritarianism and forces of democracide, ecocide, and christofascism, he turns the tables in this book employing the archetype for the cause of justice, democracy, and a renewed Earth and humanity.
From the Foreword: If there was ever a time, a moment, for examining the archetype of the Antichrist, it is now…Read this book with an open mind. Good and evil are real forces in our world. ~~ Caroline Myss, author of Anatomy of the Spirit and Conversations with the Divine.
For immediate access to Trump & The MAGA Movement as Anti-Christ: A Handbook for the 2024 Election, order the e-book with 10 full-color prints from Amazon HERE.
To get a print-on-demand paperback copy with black & white images, order from Amazon HERE or IUniverse HERE.
To receive a limited-edition, full-color paperback copy, order from MatthewFox.org HERE.
Order the audiobook HERE for immediate download.
Sins of the Spirit, Blessings of the Flesh: Transforming Evil in Soul and Society
Visionary theologian and best-selling author Matthew Fox offers a new theology of evil that fundamentally changes the traditional perception of good and evil and points the way to a more enlightened treatment of ourselves, one another, and all of nature. In comparing the Eastern tradition of the 7 chakras to the Western tradition of the 7 capital sins, Fox allows us to think creatively about our capacity for personal and institutional evil and what we can do about them.
“A scholarly masterpiece embodying a better vision and depth of perception far beyond the grasp of any one single science. A breath-taking analysis.” — Diarmuid O’Murchu, author of Quantum Theology: Spiritual Implications of the New Physics
A Spirituality Named Compassion: Uniting Mystical Awareness with Social Justice
In A Spirituality Named Compassion, Matthew Fox delivers a profound exploration of the meaning and practice of compassion. Establishing a spirituality for the future that promises personal, social, and global healing, Fox marries mysticism with social justice, leading the way toward a gentler and more ecological spirituality and an acceptance of our interdependence which is the substratum of all compassionate activity.
“Well worth our deepest consideration…Puts compassion into its proper focus after centuries of neglect.” –The Catholic Register
Christian Mystics: 365 Readings & Meditations
As Matthew Fox notes, when an aging Albert Einstein was asked if he had any regrets, he replied, “I wish I had read more of the mystics earlier in my life.” The 365 writings in Christian Mystics represent a wide-ranging sampling of these readings for modern-day seekers of all faiths — or no faith. The visionaries quoted range from Julian of Norwich to Martin Luther King, Jr., from Thomas Merton to Dorothee Soelle and Thomas Berry.
“Our world is in crisis, and we need road maps that can ground us in wisdom, inspire us to action, and help us gather our talents in service of compassion and justice. This revolutionary book does just that. Matthew Fox takes some of the most profound spiritual teachings of the West and translates them into practical daily mediations. Study and practice these teachings. Take what’s in this book and teach it to the youth because the new generation cannot afford to suffer the spirit and ethical illiteracy of the past.” — Adam Bucko, spiritual activist and co-founder of the Reciprocity Foundation for Homeless Youth.
One River, Many Wells: Wisdom Springing from Global Faiths
Matthew Fox calls on all the world traditions for their wisdom and their inspiration in a work that is far more than a list of theological position papers but a new way to pray—to meditate in a global spiritual context on the wisdom all our traditions share. Fox chooses 18 themes that are foundational to any spirituality and demonstrates how all the world spiritual traditions offer wisdom about each.“Reading One River, Many Wells is like entering the rich silence of a masterfully directed retreat. As you read this text, you reflect, you pray, you embrace Divinity. Truly no words can fully express my respect and awe for this magnificent contribution to contemporary spirituality.” –Caroline Myss, author of Anatomy of the Spirit
2 thoughts on “Week of 10/27-11/1/2025: Reflecting on Cruelty, the Destruction of the East Wing, and All Hallows’ Eve”
Why is my Comment to yesterday’s DM “awaiting moderation” ?
In reply to Damian Maureira.
Thank you for reaching out, Damian…I’ve approved it and a number of others that were also marked Pending Moderation. Normally WordPress alerts me that comments are awaiting, but for some reason the “notify” switch was toggled off (how or why, I don’t know) and notifications were no longer being sent. I have fixed it and all should be well now.
Appreciation,
Phila Hoopes
Blog Manager