This is a summary of the previous week’s daily meditations. Some are written by Matthew Fox (MF) and some are written by his colleague, Gianluigi Gugliermetto. (GG) You can click on any title to view the DM in its entirety. Also, remember that each Monday DM continues to include a video teaching by Matthew Fox. Thank you for your loyal readership.
October 12, 2026: Neiman on Evil, continued (MF)
In Susan Neiman’s recent book, Call It Evil: Understanding the Trump Era, she offers profound insight into the significance of Evil in our time. One thing she does is praise Albert Einstein up for his courageous stand on justice. She cites his declaration from 1934: “Striving for social justice is the most valuable thing to do in life.” He also called racism America’s “worst disease.” He also supported a bi-national state in Palestine with “complete equality for the Arab citizens living in our midst.” He believed socialism is “the only way to advance beyond the predatory phase of human development.” He taught: “Embedded in the tradition of the Jewish people there is a love of justice and reason which must continue to work for the good of all nations now and in the future.”
October 13, 2026: Come to a Free Book Launch Tonight! And a Dialogue on It Tomorrow (MF)
ake Drive Books is publishing Matthew’s new book, Trump & The MAGA Movement as Antichrist: Recognizing the Archetype of Evil in Our Times, just in time for the important 2026 midterm election. Matthew considers it a companion to three other recently published books on the topic of evil: Gil Durán’s dynamite study, The Nerd Reich: Silicon Valley Fascism and the War on Democracy; Naomi Klein and Astra Taylor’s powerful call to action, End Times Fascism and the Fight for the Living World; and Susan Neiman’s very timely book, Call It Evil: Understanding the Trump Era. One thing Matthew has learned is how uncomfortable we are talking about Evil in our culture. He was surprised by how few religious journals dared write reviews of his book in the past two years. Fortunately, things are beginning to change. New to this edition of the book is a three-page Appendix that lists 26 articles on Trump or MAGA as Antichrist that have been published recently. And the list is only partial.
October 15, 2026: Apocalyptic Times (GG)
These are indeed apocalyptic times, and especially in the sense that horrible things are being revealed. Gianluigi says, “If we don’t heed such revelations, the times are simply bad. If we pay attention and we connect the dots, we may learn something useful.” After the Nobel Peace was recently granted to the honorable Judge Navi Pillay, a distinguished retired member of the International Criminal Court, Trump, of course, threw a fit and retaliated by imposing sanctions against the ICC. Meanwhile, Putin asked that some members of ICC be extradited to Russia to serve a prison sentence because they dared to accuse Putin of war crimes. In the latest incarnation of evil, Hegseth has called for a live stream execution of Nidal Hasan by means of a firing squad. Fortunately, there was widespread condemnation of the plan from both sides of the political aisle. GG believes that “Hegseth is not just evil and clownesque. He is also apocalyptic like Trump.”
October 16, 2026: Cathars Today (GG)
GG promised to rectify the understanding of the Cathars which he presented when he wrote about Hildegard preaching against them in an earlier DM in August 31. The Cathars were among the many groups of dissidents in Europe between the 12th and 14th centuries who criticized the corruption of the clergy. They rejected Church hierarchies and elevated women. They espoused an apostolic life of poverty, humility, and trust in God’s providence. They sought to elevate themselves beyond the physical world. It was this that Hildegard took issue with. Hildegard, and others in the Creation Spirituality lineage (including us!), always celebrate the beauty and energy of material creation. Because of the Cathars’ criticism of the Church, they were deemed heretics. Béziers, which was a stronghold of Catharism in southern France, suffered the consequences when, in 1209, 20,000 people were massacred in a crusade.
October 17, 2026: The Evil of Genocide (GG)
In 1944, a Polish lawyer of Jewish descent, Raphael Lemkin, coined the term “genocide.” He was referring, of course, to the systematic elimination of European Jews by Nazis, but also the Armenian massacres of 1915, the Assyrian massacres of the same period, and the crusade against the Cathars during the first half of the 13th century. It is upsetting that many today refuse to speak of the genocide happening in Palestine, as Lemkin’s definition clearly applies. Genocide is not only about the killing of people, but about their displacement from their homeland, and the eradication of their cultural and religious identity. The killing of people in war, especially civilians, is repugnant to moral consciousness. Genocidal actions hit even harder. Not letting clean water, food, and medical supplies reach the citizens of Gaza is a war crime, but once one realizes the genocidal intent of those actions, they feel even worse.
October 18, 2026: Wisdom—or Folly? John of the Cross, MAGA & the Antichrist (MF)
In the other new book coming out this fall, Matthew addresses the triple dark night of our times—namely: the demise of democracy; the rape and matricide of Mother Earth; and the resultant chaos taking place in our souls and body politic. The remedy to all of this is Wisdom. Wisdom is a She in the Bible and in other religions around the world as well. Unlike AI and fascist power-grabbers, Wisdom sees the big picture. She recognizes the wonder of our universe and our place in it. She rejects the idolatry of power, might, power-over and rapaciousness. So big is awe and gratitude that instead of fleeing the suffering and triple dark nights of our time, we are encouraged to journey through them into a new world that we ourselves are called to co-create. John of the Cross tried to reform the Catholic Church of the 16th century. For his efforts, he was tortured by his own Carmelite brothers. What saved him in the darkness of his imprisonment and despair was his poetry (the Via Creativa). Therein lies wisdom for our times too. Keep the Via Positiva alive while fighting the good fight for truth and justice.
Banner image: Memorial gravestones of Srebrenica massacre. Photo by Michael Büker. Wikimedia Commons.
Related Reading by Matthew Fox
TRUMP AND THE MAGA MOVEMENT AS ANTICHRIST: Recognizing the Archetype of Evil in Our Time
The Beloved Will Guide You: St. John of the Cross and the Triple Dark Night of Our Times
Sins of the Spirit, Blessings of the Flesh: Transforming Evil in Soul and Society
Meister Eckhart: A Mystic Warrior for Our Time
Hildegard of Bingen, A Saint for Our Times: Unleashing Her Power in the 21st Century
Illuminations of Hildegard of Bingen
The Tao of Thomas Aquinas: Fierce Wisdom for Hard Times
A Way to God: Thomas Merton’s Creation Spirituality Journey
A Spirituality Named Compassion: Uniting Mystical Awareness with Social Justice
Original Blessing: A Primer in Creation Spirituality
.jpg){kind=link}
