Queerying Transfiguration C

Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.

Gospel: Luke 9:28-36[37-43a]
²⁸Now about eight days after these sayings Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. ²⁹And while Jesus was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling. ³⁰Suddenly the chosen family present saw two people, Moses and Elijah, talking to Jesus. ³¹They appeared in glory and were speaking of Jesus' departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.

³²Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory and the two who stood with him. ³³Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, “Leader, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah” —not knowing what he said.

³⁴While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. ³⁵Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my Child, my Chosen; listen to him!”

³⁶When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen.

[³⁷On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met Jesus. ³⁸Just then a man from the crowd shouted, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my child; they are my only child. ³⁹Suddenly a spirit seizes them, and all at once they shriek. It convulses them until they foams at the mouth; it mauls them and will scarcely leave them. ⁴⁰I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they were not able.”

⁴¹Jesus answered, “You faithless and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you and bear with you? Bring your child here.”

⁴²While they were coming, the demon dashed the child to the ground in convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the child, and gave them back to their father. ⁴³And all were astounded at the greatness of God.]

Queeries for the text:
After which sayings?
How dazzling?
What departure was Jesus about to accomplish?
What happens when someone is weighed down by sleep? 
Why Moses and Elijah?
When else does a voice speak?
Who still keeps silent today?
When are people not able to help?
Why is Jesus burnt out?
What needs rebuking today?

What are your queeries?

Queerying 7th after Epiphany C

Guest queerier, Pace Warfield-May, queeries the Tanakh Reading.

Tanakh Reading: Genesis 45:3-11, 15
³Joseph said to their brothers, "I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?" But Joseph’s brothers were so stunned in realizing that they were in Joseph’s presence. ⁴Then Joseph said to their brothers, "Come near to me." And they came near.

Joseph said, "I am your sibling, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. ⁵And now do not grieve nor be angry at yourselves because you sold me here; for out of this situation God has sent me before you to preserve life. ⁶For the famine has been in the land these two years; and there are five more years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. ⁷God sent me ahead of you for you to be a remnant on earth, and to save your lives by escaping the famine. ⁸So it was not you who sent me here, but God; She has made me Pharaoh's caregiver and supervisor of all Pharaoh’s house and ruler over all the land of Egypt. ⁹Hurry and go up to my father and say to him, 'Thus says your child Joseph, God has made me the ruler of all Egypt; come down to me, do not delay. ¹⁰You shall settle in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children's children, as well as your flocks, your herds, and all that you have. ¹¹I will provide for you there--since there are five more years of famine to come--so that you and your household, and all whom you love and all that you have, will not come to poverty.'"

...

¹⁵And Joseph kissed all their brothers and wept on them; and after that their brothers talked with them.

Queeries for the text:
What is missing from this passage?
Where or what is Goshen?
How is Joseph framing God’s actions in this story?
What is a famine? Who is impacted the most by famines?
How was Joseph gender nonconforming?
What does it look like to weep on someone?

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Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.

Gospel: Luke 6:27-38
Jesus said:
²⁷"But I say to you that listen, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, ²⁸bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. ²⁹If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your undergarment. ³⁰Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. ³¹Do to others as you would have them do to you.

³²"If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. ³³If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. ³⁴If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. ³⁵But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for She is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. ³⁶Be merciful, just as your Caregiver is merciful.

³⁷"Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven; ³⁸give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back."

Queeries for the text:
How do we love our enemies?
Why would I turn a cheek?
What happens without any clothes?
Where does credit come from?
How do we judge? 
A good measure of what?

What are your queeries?

Queerying 6th after Epiphany C

Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.

Gospel: Luke 6:17-26
¹⁷Jesus came down with his chosen family and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his followers and a great multitude of people from all Judea, Jerusalem, and the coast of Tyre and Sidon. ¹⁸They had come to hear Jesus and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. ¹⁹And all in the crowd were trying to touch Jesus, for power came out from him and healed all of them.

²⁰Then Jesus looked up at his disciples and said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the dominion of God.
²¹“Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled.
“Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.
²²“Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Human One. ²³Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets.
²⁴“But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.
²⁵“Woe to you who are full now, for you will be hungry.
“Woe to you who are laughing now, for you will mourn and weep.
²⁶“Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets.

Queeries for the text:
What did we skip?
How does power come out from someone?
Which people are poor?
Who weeps today?
Who is blessed? Cursed?
Who is hated on account of the Human One?
Who has received consolation?
Who is full?
Who do "all" speak well of? 

What are your queeries?

Queerying 5th after Epiphany C

Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.

Gospel: Luke 5:1-11
Once while Jesus was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, ²he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishers had gone out of them and were washing their fishnets. ³He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat.

⁴When Jesus had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.”

⁵Simon answered, “Leader, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.” ⁶When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. ⁷So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink.

⁸But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Go away from me, Liege, for I am a sinful man!” ⁹For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken; ¹⁰and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon.

Then Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.”

¹¹When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed Jesus.

Queeries for the text:
What did we skip?
What if Simon had not allowed Jesus to board the boat? 
How many fish make a net break? Two nets?
When do we need to call partners because we are overwhelmed?
How does Jesus escalate from Leader to Liege?
What does it mean to be sinful?
What if we don't want to catch people?
Who got the fish they'd caught?

What are your queeries?