Queerying Christmas Eve and Narrative Lectionaries 117 and 118

Pace Warfield-May queeries the Narrative and Revised Common Lectionary Gospel.

Luke 2:1-14[15–20]; Luke 2:8-20
¹Emperor Augustus Caesar, known as Octavian (who reigned from 27 BCE-14 CE) made a decree throughout the entire Roman empire that everyone should be counted in a census. ²This was the first census that was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria (Quirinius was governor from 6-12CE). ³All people throughout Judea went to their towns to be registered for the census. ⁴Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea to the city of David called Bethlehem because he was descended from the house and family of David. ⁵He went there to be registered with his fiancee, Mary, who was pregnant. ⁶While in Bethlehem it came time for her to give birth to the child. ⁷And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in blankets and laid him in a feeding trough as there was no place for them in the upper dwelling of the family home.

⁸As Bethlehem was rural, it was surrounded by fields where shepherds would keep watch over their flock by night. ⁹An angel of the Becoming One suddenly stood before these shepherds, and the glory of the Becoming One shone brightly around them. The shepherds were terrified. ¹⁰But the angel said to them, "Don't be afraid. Look! I'm bringing you great news of abundant joy for you and for everyone! ¹¹Born today in the city of David is the Anointed One, the Savior, a Master and Teacher for us all. ¹²This is the sign for you to know the child when you see him: you will find an infant wrapped in blankets lying in a feeding trough." ¹³And suddenly there was with the angel the entire multitude of the heavenly army, praising God/ess and singing,

¹⁴"Glory to God/ess throughout the cosmos,

and to all inhabitants on the planet Earth, peace for God/ess favors you!"

¹⁵When the angels had left them and returned to the ether, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Becoming One has made known to us." ¹⁶So they quickly went into the town and found Mary, Joseph, and the infant lying in the feeding trough. ¹⁷When they saw this, they told Mary, Joseph, and everyone they encountered what had been told to them about the infant. ¹⁸All who heard the news were amazed at what the shepherds had told them. ¹⁹But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them deeply in her heart. ²⁰The shepherds returned to the fields, glorifying, singing, and praising God/ess for all they had experienced, as it had been told to them.

Queeries for the text:
What is this text building on?
What is the accompanying text?
Where is this going?
How are censuses used for harm? How are they used for good?
How is God's glory experienced throughout the cosmos?

What are your queeries?