I Am Joseph Sheperd, Dreamer, SaviourJuly 14, 2015 By Collegeville Instititute Staff Cathleen Horrell Cathleen Horrell, 2015 Visit this title>> At the end of Genesis the creation of the human person is complete. From the pit in the wilderness to Joseph’s rise to power in Egypt comes a journey narrative of transformation where the counterpoised symbols and images in the story tell us something about the language of the soul and the nature of our dreams. Shepherds and sheaves of wheat, camels and caravans, meals and dreams, a temptress and a king, are markers on Joseph’s journey to becoming fully human. Through trials of the heart and tests of endurance Joseph grows from a bumptious shepherd boy lording his dreams over his family to a wise and compassionate man who will shepherd his family to safety and save a hungry world from starvation. In this engaging tale of love and hate, betrayal and forgiveness, Joseph shows us how to navigate the challenges life throws up in our path and what it means to become fully human. The story charts a path to wholeness where God is not an extra-terrestrial. In the Joseph narrative the Creator who walked in the cool of the day becomes the Convener of the Dream. These reflections include the chapter on Tamar as essential to understanding the larger context of the Joseph narrative. Tamar, like Joseph, in a bold and dangerous act, saves the tribe of Jacob/Israel from extinction. Together they face a hobbled patriarchy lacking in imagination and vision, whose fear threatens the promise made to Israel and her future. Like this post? Subscribe to have new posts sent to you by email the same day they are posted.
