Week of 10/27-11/1/2025: Cruelty,

the Destruction of the East Wing,

& All Hallows’ Eve

11/2/2025

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. 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 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.

King Charles and Pope Leo XIV Exchange Gifts During Historic Vatican Visit

“King Charles and Pope Leo XIV Exchange Gifts During Historic Vatican Visit.” The Royal Family Channel

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.

“Resist Hate.” Sign at Fourth of July protest in Doylestown, Pennsylvania.

Photo by Cynthia Greb. Used with permission.

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 this year, 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 a “light of the world” in ways that seem very appropriate for this time that we are living in.

Grief for the lost: an elderly woman prays after placing a wreath upon the tombstone of her loved one. “All Souls’ Day,” J Schikaneder 1888.

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