Simpleigh

On Wednesday, my Emergent Gathering professor led us in an exercise called "Midrash."  Midrash  is the Hebrew term  for a unique style of storytelling used by Jewish Rabbinic Sages to explain passages from the bible.  Midrash is a creative way to fill in plot gaps, add detail to whats been left vague, and explore biblical personalities.  Midrash is not exegesis, which seeks to extract meaning. Instead, midrash is a form of eisegesis, wherein meaning is given.  The beauty of doing a group midrash is you get to hear a variety of voices all give their take on a single passage.  In my very first month at Wesley I was accused of being a midrash-fangirl. While this statement is somewhat of a hyperbole, I do enjoy a good midrash. So,   I thought I would post mine in the hope that something I've said will resonate with you, or perhaps cause a rupture that leads you to deeper truth.  Given 15 minutes, we were asked to listen and then reflect on  John 10:22-30 . The Sheep.

As part of my Spiritual Formation class, I'm required to visit a local non-profit with a small group of peers. This past week I visited the Father McKenna Center (a Jesuit run day shelter for homeless men) for a final time before the end of the semester. I chose the Father McKenna Center for a number of reasons, not least of which is the feeling of genuine concern for these men I get from the staff and volunteers. Perhaps one of the more unique features of the center, is their midday "check in" group. During this time, the men (numbering in the 40s and 50s) share their feelings, anxieties, joys, and dreams with the group. A moderator oversees the meeting, answering technical questions about affordable housing or job training, and sometimes delivers a motivational message. In general, I tend to be suspect of self-help style pep talks. In my opinion, they have a propensity to communicate the destructive myth that your value comes from what you produce. However, I rather l