Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
In a time of darkness and elevation once again of might over right, a return to Celtic spirituality can be a welcome thing. Scottish theologian John Philip Newell has been doing an excellent job of rediscovering the essence of Celtic Christianity, as in his two most recent books, Sacred Earth, Sacred Soul and The Great Search. Indeed, he and I engaged in a rich conversation on spirituality in today’s world, just two months ago.
In the first book, he tells us that St. Patrick (c. 385-461), who was trained in Gaul by the imperial church, was “not as pure an expression of the Celtic tradition as Pelagius and Brigid” about whom Newell wrote in previous chapters of his book. Nevertheless, the prayer attributed to him in later centuries called The Breastplate Hymn of St. Patrick, “is typical of the Celtic vision of the interweaving of spirit and matter and the seeing of the divine within the naturalness of the physical world.” In other words, it is very much creation-centered spirituality, as is all of the Celtic tradition.
This tradition does not separate nature from grace. Nor does it begin with original sin or put down women or denigrate sexuality. It is all about the union and reunion of nature and grace and the sacredness of nature. If the West had followed this tradition, we would not currently be facing our own and millions of other species’ extinction, because we would not have tolerated the anthropocentrism of modern consciousness that puts humanity overpowering the rest of nature.
The poem falls into a category of “protection prayers” in the Celtic world. It begins by calling on the Trinity for Protection:
I bind unto myself today the strong name of the Trinity.
I bind unto myself for ever Christ’s Incarnation.
I bind unto myself this day the love of angels and of saints.
I bind to myself today
The energy of stars,
The brilliance of sun,
The whiteness of moon,
The splendor of fire,
The flashing of lightning,
The wildness of wind,
The depth of seas,
The fecundity of earth,
The solidity of rocks.*
Notice how this poem and prayer invite us to integrate the powers and beauty of the universe into ourselves, as an empowerment and guard against evil forces. Its psychology is that of microcosm/macrocosm—how we are in union with the cosmos and all its powers and splendor and magnificence. The primary cosmic elements of earth, air, fire and water are celebrated as integral to our existence, we who are microcosm of macrocosm.
All the great Western mystics whom I celebrate carry this Celtic awareness of how cosmos precedes the human, and spirituality begins with the sacredness of being. Consider Hildegard of Bingen (who was raised in a Celtic monastery on the Rhine); Francis of Assisi; Thomas Aquinas; Mechtild of Magdeburg who was deeply influenced by Aquinas; Meister Eckhart who declared “nature is grace”; Julian of Norwich; Nicolas of Cusa; Teilhard de Chardin, Thomas Merton, Mary Oliver. And many more.
May the Celtic tradition and creation spirituality help us “reinvent the human” (Thomas Berry’s phrase) this St. Patrick’s day, to be a breastplate in these perilous times.
*Newell’s literal translation of the ancient Irish text attributed to St. Patrick. See John Philip Newell, Sacred Earth, Sacred Soul: Celtic Wisdom For Reawakening to What Our Souls Know and Healing the World, pp. 72-78.
See Matthew Fox, Essential Writings on Creation Spirituality.
And Fox, Hildegard of Bingen, A Saint For Our Times.
And Fox, The Tao of Thomas Aquinas: Fierce Wisdom for Hard Times.
And Fox, Meister Eckhart: A Mystic-Warrior For Our Times.
And Fox, Julian of Norwich: Wisdom in a Time of Pandemic—and Beyond.
And Fox, A Way To God: Thomas Merton’s Creation Spirituality Journey.
And Fox, Original Blessing.: A Primer in Creation Spirituality
To read the transcript of Matthew Fox’s video meditation, click HERE.
Banner Image: An elaborately carved Celtic Cross by a forest trail. Photo by Boys in Bristol Photography on Pexels.
Queries for Contemplation
How do you see the Celtic and creation centered spirituality as medicine for our struggles today, and a “breastplate” for strength and defense against rising forces of fascism and species narcissism?
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.
Matthew Fox writes in Hildegard of Bingen about this amazing woman and what we can learn from her.
In an era when women were marginalized, Hildegard was an outspoken, controversial figure. Yet so visionary was her insight that she was sought out by kings, popes, abbots, and bishops for advice.
“This book gives strong, sterling, and unvarnished evidence that everything – everything – we ourselves become will affect what women after us may also become….This is a truly marvelous, useful, profound, and creative book.” ~~ Andrew Harvey, author of The Hope: A Guide to Sacred Activism.
The Tao of Thomas Aquinas: Fierce Wisdom for Hard Times
A stunning spiritual handbook drawn from the substantive teachings of Aquinas’ mystical/prophetic genius, offering a sublime roadmap for spirituality and action.
Foreword by Ilia Delio.
“What a wonderful book! Only Matt Fox could bring to life the wisdom and brilliance of Aquinas with so much creativity. The Tao of Thomas Aquinas is a masterpiece.”
–Caroline Myss, author of Anatomy of the Spirit
Meister Eckhart: A Mystic-Warrior For Our Time
While Matthew Fox recognizes that Meister Eckhart has influenced thinkers throughout history, he also wants to introduce Eckhart to today’s activists addressing contemporary crises. Toward that end, Fox creates dialogues between Eckhart and Carl Jung, Thich Nhat Hanh, Rabbi Heschel, Black Elk, Karl Marx, Rumi, Adrienne Rich, Dorothee Soelle, David Korten, Anita Roddick, Lily Yeh, M.C. Richards, and many others.
“Matthew Fox is perhaps the greatest writer on Meister Eckhart that has ever existed. (He) has successfully bridged a gap between Eckhart as a shamanistic personality and Eckhart as a post-modern mentor to the Inter-faith movement, to reveal just how cosmic Eckhart really is, and how remarkably relevant to today’s religious crisis! ” — Steven Herrmann, Author of Spiritual Democracy: The Wisdom of Early American Visionaries for the Journey Forward
Julian of Norwich: Wisdom in a Time of Pandemic–and Beyond
Julian of Norwich lived through the dreadful bubonic plague that killed close to 50% of Europeans. Being an anchoress, she ‘sheltered in place’ and developed a deep wisdom that she shared in her book, Showings, which was the first book in English by a woman. A theologian way ahead of her time, Julian develops a feminist understanding of God as mother at the heart of nature’s goodness. Fox shares her teachings in this powerful and timely and inspiring book.
“What an utterly magnificent book. The work of Julian of Norwich, lovingly supported by the genius of Matthew Fox, is a roadmap into the heart of the eco-spiritual truth that all life breathes together.” –Caroline Myss
Now also available as an audiobook HERE.
A Way to God: Thomas Merton’s Creation Spirituality Journey
In A Way to God, Fox explores Merton’s pioneering work in interfaith, his essential teachings on mixing contemplation and action, and how the vision of Meister Eckhart profoundly influenced Merton in what Fox calls his Creation Spirituality journey.
“This wise and marvelous book will profoundly inspire all those who love Merton and want to know him more deeply.” — Andrew Harvey, author of The Hope: A Guide to Sacred Activism
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
