Queerying Advent 2C

River Needham, MA ThM queeries the Tanakh reading.

Tanakh: Malachi 3:1-4
Behold, I am sending My messenger to clear the way before Me, and the Becoming One whom you seek shall come to Her Temple suddenly. As for the angel of the covenant that you desire, they are already coming. But who can endure the day of Her coming, and who can hold out when She appears? For She is like a smelter’s fire and like fuller’s lye. She shall act like a smelter and purger of silver; and she shall purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so that they shall present offerings in righteousness. Then the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem shall be pleasing to the Becoming One as in the days of yore and in the years of old.

Queeries for the text:
What is in the way?
How will she come to her temple?
Which angel came?
What is lye?
What sacrifices are available?

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Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.

Gospel: Luke 3:1-6
In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, ²during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Elizabeth and Zechariah in the wilderness.

³John went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, ⁴as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah, “The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Becoming One, make Her paths straight. ⁵Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth; ⁶and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’”

Queeries for the text:
Where are these places?
How do we situate faith in its historical context?
Who are Elizabeth and Zechariah?
What region is around the Jordan?
Where is it written in Isaiah?
Why should anything be made straight?
How is God invested in accessibility?
What is salvation for flesh?

What are your queeries?

Queerying Advent 1C

River Needham, MA ThM queeries the Tanakh reading.

Tanakh: Jeremiah 33:14-16
See, days are coming—declares the Becoming One—when I will fulfill the promise that I made concerning the House of Israel and the House of Judah. In those days and at that time, I will raise up a true branch of David’s line, and he shall do what is just and right in the land. In those days Judah shall be delivered and Jerusalem shall dwell secure. And this is what she shall be called: “The Becoming One is our Vindicator.”

Queeries for the text:
What is the context of this passage?
For what do we wait?
What prevents Jerusalem dwelling secure?
What other questions might we ask?

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Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.

Gospel: Luke 21:25-36
Jesus said:
²⁵“There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. ²⁶People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. ²⁷Then they will see ‘the Human One coming in a cloud’ with power and great glory. ²⁸Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

²⁹Then Jesus told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees; ³⁰as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near. ³¹So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the reign of God is near. ³²Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things have taken place. ³³Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

³⁴“Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day catch you unexpectedly, ³⁵like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth. ³⁶Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Human One.”

Queeries for the text:
What signs are in the sun, moon, and stars?
What powers are the heavens shaking?
Who comes with power and great glory in a cloud?
How near is the reign of God? Can we help it?
Who has passed away?
What weighs down your heart?
How do you stay alert?

What are your queeries?

Queerying Reign of Christ the Queen B

River Needham, MA ThM queeries the Tanakh reading.

Tanakh: 2 Samuel 23:1-7

These are the last words of David:

The utterance of David son of Jesse,
The utterance of the man set on high,
The anointed of the God of Jacob,
The favorite of the songs of Israel:

The spirit of the Becoming One has spoken through me,
Femmes message is on my tongue;
The God of Israel has spoken,
The Rock of Israel said concerning me:
“He who rules justly,
He who rules in awe of God
Is like the light of morning at sunrise,
A morning without clouds—
Through sunshine and rain
Bringing vegetation out of the earth.”
Is not my House established before God?
For Femme has granted me an eternal pact,
Drawn up in full and secured.
Will Femme not cause all my success
And my every desire to blossom?
But the wicked shall all
Be raked aside like thorns;
For no one will take them in their hand.
Whoever touches them
Must arm themself with iron
And the shaft of a spear;
And they must be burned up on the spot.

Queeries for the text:
What narratives from this year brought out David's complicatedness?
How does this narrative fit with God choosing David?
What are songs of Israel?
How is God Just?
Who was David's successor?
How was David's reign remembered?

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Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.

Gospel: John 18:33-37
³³Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, “Are you the Ruler of the Jews?”

³⁴Jesus answered, “Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?”

³⁵Pilate replied, “I am not Jewish, am I? Your own nation and its elites have handed you over to me. What have you done?”

³⁶Jesus answered, “My reign is not from this world. If my reign were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over. But as it is, my reign is not from here.”

³⁷Pilate asked Jesus, “So you are a ruler?”

Jesus answered, “You say that I am a ruler. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”

Queeries for the text:
When did Pilate enter the headquarters before?
Who is Ruler of the Jewish people?
When is gossip good?
Who else is handed over by their own government and elites?
Who is responsible for harm? 
What is the relationship between truth and power?

What are your queeries?

Queerying 25th after Pentecost B

Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.

Gospel: Mark 13:1-8
As Jesus came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!” 

²Then Jesus asked the disciple, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.”

³When Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately, ⁴“Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?”

⁵Then Jesus began to say to them, “Beware that no one leads you astray. ⁶Many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. ⁷When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come. ⁸For nation will rise against nation, and monarchy against monarchy; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. This is but the beginning of the birth pangs.

Queeries for the text:
Why are they still stuck on superficialities?
When will the temple be thrown down?
Who says they are Christ?
What must take place?
Where are wars?
Where are earthquakes?
Where are famines?
What are birth pangs like?

What are your queeries?




 

Queerying 24th after Pentecost B

Engage with queeries for All Saints here. 

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Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.

Gospel: Mark 12:38-44
³⁸As Jesus taught, he said, “Beware of the officials, who like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, ³⁹and to have the best seats in the worshiping spaces and places of honor at banquets! ⁴⁰They devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”

⁴¹Jesus sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. ⁴²A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. ⁴³Then Jesus called his chosen family and said to them, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. ⁴⁴For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”

Queeries for the text:
What did we skip?
Who are officials?
Who seeks status?
Who devours houses? 
How much did she put in?
How do the sums compare?
Who contributes out of poverty?

What are your queeries?