Queerying 18th after Pentecost C

Suzannah Porter and Brooke McLain musically queery the RCL readings.

How do you build community in a dumpster fire? 

What makes you glad to be alive?

What priorities get lost when your focus zooms in too close?

What have you learned from times when you have needed God to take the wheel?

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Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.

Gospel: Luke 17:11-19
¹¹On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee. ¹²As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance, ¹³they called out, saying, “Jesus, Commander, have mercy on us!”

¹⁴When he saw them, Jesus said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were made clean.

¹⁵Then one of them, when they saw that they were healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. ¹⁶They prostrated themself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. And they were a Samaritan.

¹⁷Then Jesus asked, “Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? ¹⁸Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” ¹⁹Then Jesus said to them, “Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.”

Queeries for the text:
What is between Samaria and Galilee?
What is leprosy?
To whom do we show ourselves when made clean?
What makes you turn back?
When is turning back good?
How do we classify foreigner?
How does faith heal? How doesn't it?

What are your queeries?

Queerying Holy Trinity C

Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.

Gospel: John 16:12-15
¹²“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. ¹³When the Spirit of truth comes, She will guide you into all the truth; for She will not speak on Her own, but will speak whatever She hears, and She will declare to you the things that are to come. ¹⁴She will glorify me, because She will take what is mine and declare it to you. ¹⁵All that the Caregiver has is mine. For this reason I said that She will take what is mine and declare it to you.

Queeries for the text:
What does Jesus still have to say?
What can't we bear?
What does the Spirit of truth have to say?
What is Jesus'?
What does the Spirit declare?
How do you imagine the Trinity?

What are your queeries?

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 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 4th after Epiphany C

River Needham, MA ThM queeries the Tanakh reading.

Tanakh: Jeremiah 1:4-10
The word of the Becoming One came to me:
Before I created you in the womb, I selected you;
Before you were born, I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet concerning the nations.

I replied:
Ah, Becoming Itself!
I don’t know how to speak,
For I am still a boy.
And the Becoming said to me:
Do not say, “I am still a boy,”
But go wherever I send you
And speak whatever I command you.
Have no fear of them,
For I am with you to deliver you
—declares the Becoming One.

The Becoming One put out Her hand and touched my mouth, and the Becoming One said to me: Here, I put My words into your mouth.
See, I appoint you this day
Over nations and kingdoms:
To uproot and to pull down,
To destroy and to overthrow,
To build and to plant.

Queeries for the text:
What nations does this author refer to?
Who are the prophets?
What is God saying today?
What can we build and plant?

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Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.

Gospel: Luke 4:21-30
²¹Then Jesus began to say to the crowd gathered in the synagogue, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” ²²All spoke well of Jesus and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They said, “Is not this Joseph’s son?”

²³Jesus said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘Doctor, cure yourself!’ And you will say, ‘Do here also in your hometown the things that we have heard you did at Capernaum.’”

²⁴And Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in the prophet’s hometown. ²⁵But the truth is, there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a severe famine over all the land; ²⁶yet Elijah was sent to none of them except to a widow at Zarephath in Sidon. ²⁷There were also many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.”

²⁸When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with rage. ²⁹They got up, drove Jesus out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might hurl him off the cliff.

³⁰But Jesus passed through the midst of them and went on his way.

Queeries for the text:
Which scripture?
Who is spoken well of today? Who speaks well of others?
What expectations do we place on helpers?
What did God do in Zarephath?
What did God do to Namaan?
How do some people fill with rage so quickly?
How do people pass through the midst of crowds? 

What are your queeries?


 

Queerying 3rd after Epiphany C

River Needham, MA ThM queeries the Tanakh reading.

Tanakh: Nehemiah 8:1-3,[4,]5-6,[7,]8-10
The entire people assembled as one human in the square before the Water Gate, and they asked Ezra the scribe to bring the scroll of the Teaching of Moses with which the Becoming One had charged Israel.

On the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought the Teaching before the congregation, people of many genders and all who could listen with understanding.

He read from it, facing the square before the Water Gate, from the first light until midday, to all the people and those who could understand; the ears of all the people were given to the scroll of the Teaching.

[Ezra the scribe stood upon a wooden tower made for the purpose, and beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah at his right, and at his left Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, Meshullam.] Ezra opened the scroll in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people; as he opened it, all the people stood up. Ezra blessed the Becoming One, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” with hands upraised. Then they bowed their heads and prostrated themselves before the Becoming One with their faces to the ground.

[Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites explained the Teaching to the people, while the people stood in their places.] They read from the scroll of the Teaching of God, translating it and giving the sense; so they understood the reading. Nehemiah the Tirshatha, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were explaining to the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Becoming One your God: you must not mourn or weep,” for all the people were weeping as they listened to the words of the Teaching. He further said to them, “Go, eat choice foods and drink sweet drinks and send portions to whoever has nothing prepared, for the day is holy to our sovereign. Do not be sad, for your rejoicing in the Becoming One is the source of your strength.”

Queeries for the text:
Who interprets the texts today?
Who keeps people safe when reading the Teaching?
Why are we eating choice foods this week?
Why are Teachings good?

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Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.

Gospel: Luke 4:14-21
¹⁴Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country. ¹⁵He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.

¹⁶When Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, ¹⁷and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written: ¹⁸“The Spirit of God is upon me, because She has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. She has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, ¹⁹to proclaim the year of God’s favor.”

²⁰And Jesus rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. ²¹Then Jesus began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

Queeries for the text:
Where did Jesus return from?
How long did it take to unroll the scroll?
What is good news to the poor?
What can release to the captives look like?
What kind of sight do the blind have?
How do the oppressed go free?
What is the year of the God's favor? 

What are your queeries?

 

Queerying All the Christmases

This post was originally published for Christmas 2020 and is being republished this year.

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River Needham, MA queeries the Tanakh reading.

Tanakh I: Isaiah 9:2-7

The people that walked in darkness have seen a brilliant light; on those who dwelt in a land of gloom light has dawned.

You have magnified that nation, have given it great joy; they have rejoiced before You as they rejoice at reaping time, as they exult when dividing spoil. For the yoke that they bore and the stick on their back— the rod of their taskmaster— You have broken as on the day of Midian. Truly, all the boots put on to stamp with and all the garments donned in infamy have been fed to the flames, devoured by fire. For a child has been born to us, a son has been given us. Authority has settled on his shoulders. He has been named “The Mighty God is planning grace; The Eternal Father, a peaceable ruler”— in token of abundant authority and of peace without limit upon David’s throne and kingdom, that it may be firmly established in justice and in equity now and evermore. The zeal of the Becoming One of Angel Armies shall bring this to pass.

Queeries for the text:
How have Christians misappropriated this text?
Who was Hezekiah?

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Tanakh II: Isaiah 62:6-12

Upon your walls, O Jerusalem, I have set watchers, who shall never be silent by day or by night. O you, the reminders of the Becoming One, take no rest and give no rest to Her, until She establishes Jerusalem and makes her renowned on earth. The Becoming One has sworn by Her right hand, by Her mighty arm: nevermore will I give your new grain to your enemies for food, nor shall foreigners drink the new wine for which you have labored. But those who harvest it shall eat it and give praise to the Becoming One; and those who gather it shall drink it in My sacred courts.

Pass through, pass through the gates! Clear the road for the people; build up, build up the highway! Remove the rocks! Raise a flag over the peoples!

See, the Becoming One has proclaimed to the end of the earth: Announce to fair Zion, your Deliverer is coming! See, Her reward is with Her, Her recompense before Her. They shall be called, “The Holy People, the Redeemed of the Becoming One,” and you shall be called, “Sought Out, a City Not Forsaken.”

Queeries for the text:
What are tribute payments?
Who is colonized today?

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Tanakh III: Isaiah 52:7-10

How welcome on the mountain are the footsteps of the herald announcing happiness, heralding good fortune, announcing victory, telling Zion, “Your God is Queen!”

Hark! Your watchers raise their voices, as one they shout for joy; for every eye shall behold the Becoming One’s return to Zion. Raise a shout together, O ruins of Jerusalem! For the Becoming One will comfort Her people, will redeem Jerusalem.The Becoming One will bare Her holy arm in the sight of all the nations, and the very ends of earth shall see the victory of our God.

Queeries for the text:

When did the Becoming One return to Zion?
What is the victory of our God?

 

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Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel readings.

 

 

Gospel 1: Luke 2:1-20

 

In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the Roman world should be registered. ²This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. ³All went to their own towns to be registered. 

 

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. ⁵Joseph went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. 

 

⁶While Mary and Joseph were in Bethlehem, the time came for her to deliver her child. ⁷And Mary gave birth to her firstborn and wrapped the infant in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the guest room. 

 

⁸In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹Then an angel of God stood before them, and the glory of God shone around them, and the shepherds were terrified. 

 

¹⁰But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see— I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: ¹¹to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Becoming One. ¹²This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” ¹³And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly angel armies, praising God and saying, ¹⁴“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom God favors!” 

¹⁵When the angels had left the shepherds and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which God has made known to us.” ¹⁶So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. ¹⁷When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; ¹⁸and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. ¹⁹But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. 

 

²⁰The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

 

Queeries for the text:

What was that night like for Mary?

Where was the manger?

What sort of workers were the shepherds?

 

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Gospel 2: John 1:1-14

 

¹In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ²The Word was in the beginning with God. ³All things came into being through Her, and without Her not one thing came into being. What has come into being ⁴in the Word was life, and the life was the light of all people. ⁵The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. 

 

⁶There was a person sent from God, whose name was John. ⁷John came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through the light. ⁸John himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. ⁹The true light, which makes everyone vivid, was coming into the world. 

 

¹⁰The true light was in the world, and the world came into being through Faer; yet the world did not know Faer. ¹¹The light came to what was Faen own, and Faen own people did not accept Faer. ¹²But to all who received the light, who believed in Faen name, the light gave power to become children of God, ¹³who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of a man, but of God. 

 

¹⁴And the Word became flesh and pitched Her tent among us, and we have seen the glory of the Word, the glory as of a parent’s only child, full of grace and truth.

 

Queeries for the text:

Who is the Word?

How are light and darkness in conflict? How do they work together?

What is the will of those who are not a man?

 

What are your queeries?

 

 

Queerying All Saints B

River Needham, MA ThM queeries the Tanakh reading.

Tanakh: Isaiah 25:6-9
The Becoming One of angel armies will make on this mount
For all the peoples
A banquet of rich foods,
A banquet of choice wines
Of rich foods seasoned with marrow,
Of choice wines well refined.
And E will destroy on this mount the shroud
That is drawn over the faces of all the peoples
And the covering that is spread
Over all the nations:
E will destroy death forever.
My Becoming God will wipe the tears away
From all faces
And will put an end to the reproach of Eir people
Over all the earth—
For it is the Becoming One who has spoken.
In that day they shall say:
This is our God;
We trusted in Em, and E delivered us.
This is the Becoming One, in whom we trusted;
Let us rejoice and exult in Eir deliverance!

Queeries for the text:
What rich food and fine wines are without guilt?
What is deliverance?
What is the feast referenced?
What is the final disposition of death?
For whom do we mourn?

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Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.

Gospel: John 11:32-44
³²When Mary came where Jesus was and saw him, she knelt at his feet and said to him, “Teacher, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

³³When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. ³⁴He said, “Where have you laid Lazarus?”

They said to Jesus, “Teacher, come and see.”

³⁵Jesus began to weep.

³⁶So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”

³⁷But some of them said, “Could not the one who opened the eyes of the blind one have kept this one from dying?”

³⁸Then Jesus, again greatly disturbed, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. ³⁹Jesus said, “Take away the stone.”

Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to Jesus, “Teacher, already there is a stench because Lazarus has been dead four days.”

⁴⁰Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” ⁴¹So they took away the stone. And Jesus looked upward and said, “Caregiver, I thank you for having heard me. ⁴²I knew that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me.” ⁴³When he had said this, Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”

⁴⁴The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to those gathered, “Unbind him, and let him go.”

Queeries for the text:
Why did Jesus come here?
Why were the Jews following Mary?
Why do we weep?
Where is the stench of death?
What do we say for the sake of others? 
Who else comes out? How does Lazarus come out?
What is bound? What needs binding?

What are your queeries?

Queerying 16th after Pentecost B

River Needham, MA ThM queeries the Tanakh reading.

Tanakh: Proverbs 1:20-33
Wisdom cries aloud in the streets,
raises her voice in the squares.

At the head of the busy streets she calls;
at the entrance of the gates, in the city, she speaks out:

“How long will you simple ones love simplicity,
you scoffers be eager to scoff, you willfully ignorant hate knowledge?

You are indifferent to my rebuke;
I will now speak my mind to you, and let you know my thoughts.

Since you refused me when I called,
and paid no heed when I extended my hand,

you spurned all my advice,
and would not hear my rebuke,

I will laugh at your calamity,
and mock when terror comes upon you,

When terror comes like a disaster, and calamity arrives like a whirlwind,
When trouble and distress come upon you.

Then they shall call me but I will not answer;
they shall seek me but not find me.

Because they hated knowledge,
and did not choose fear of the Becoming One;

They refused my advice,
and disdained all my rebukes,

They shall eat the fruit of their ways,
and have their fill of their own counsels.

The tranquillity of the simple will kill them,
and the complacency of the willfully ignorant will destroy them.

But she who listens to me will dwell in safety,
untroubled by the terror of misfortune.”

Queeries for the text:
Who is Wisdom?
What advice and rebukes are being rejected and ignored?
What is the terror of misfortune?
Does God punish us?

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Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.

Gospel: Mark 8:27-38
²⁷Jesus went on with his chosen family to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his chosen family, “Who do people say that I am?”

²⁸And they answered Jesus, “John the Baptizer; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.”

²⁹Jesus asked them, “But who do you say that I am?”

Peter answered him, “You are the Messiah.”

³⁰And Jesus sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him. ³¹Then Jesus began to teach them that the Human One must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the religious authorities, and the legal authorities, and be killed, and after three days rise again. ³²He said all this quite openly. And Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him.

³³But turning and looking at his chosen family, Jesus rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”

³⁴Jesus called the crowd with his chosen family, and said to them, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. ³⁵For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. ³⁶For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? ³⁷Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? ³⁸Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Human One will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Caregiver with the holy angels.”

Queeries for the text:
What did we skip?
Why John the Baptizer, Elijah, or one of the prophets?
What is a messiah?
Who "must" undergo great suffering?
What does it mean to deny yourself and take up your cross?  What doesn't it mean?
Who gains the world to lose life?
What does it mean to be ashamed?  What doesn't it mean?

What are your queeries?

 

Queerying 12th after Pentecost B

River Needham, MA ThM queeries the Tanakh reading.

Tanakh: 1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14
So David slept with his ancestors, and he was buried in the City of David. The length of David’s reign over Israel was forty years: he reigned seven years in Hebron, and he reigned thirty-three years in Jerusalem, then Solomon sat upon the throne of his father David, and his rule was firmly established.
[...]
Then, Solomon, though he loved the Becoming One and followed the practices of his father David, also sacrificed and offered at the shrines. The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the largest shrine; on that altar Solomon presented a thousand burnt offerings. At Gibeon the Becoming One appeared to Solomon in a dream by night.

God said, “Ask, what shall I grant you?”

Solomon said, “You dealt most graciously with Your servant my father David, because he walked before You in faithfulness and righteousness and in integrity of heart. You have continued this great kindness to him by giving him a son to occupy his throne, as is now the case. So now, O Becoming One, my God, You have made Your servant king in place of my father David; but I am a young lad, with no experience in leadership. Your servant finds himself in the midst of the people You have chosen, a people too numerous to be numbered or counted. Grant, then, Your servant an understanding mind to judge Your people, to distinguish between good and bad; for who can judge this vast people of Yours?”

The Becoming One was pleased that Solomon had asked for this.

God said to him, “Because you asked for this—you did not ask for long life, you did not ask for riches, you did not ask for the life of your enemies, but you asked for discernment in dispensing justice— I now do as you have spoken. I grant you a wise and discerning mind; there has never been anyone like you before, nor will anyone like you arise again. And I also grant you what you did not ask for—both riches and glory all your life—the like of which no king has ever had. And I will further grant you long life, if you will walk in My ways and observe My laws and commandments, as did your father David.”

Queeries for the text:
What's missing from this reading?
Who was worshipped at the shrines?
Was she God's spouse?
Is God monogamous?
Did God care about the shrine?

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Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.

Gospel: John 6:51-58
Jesus continued:
⁵¹“I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

⁵²The Judeans then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this person give us his flesh to eat?”

⁵³So Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, unless you gnaw on the flesh of the One Born of Woman and drink Their blood, you have no life in you. ⁵⁴Those who gnaw on my flesh and drink my blood have everlasting life, and I will raise them up on the last day; ⁵⁵for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. ⁵⁶Those who gnaw on my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. ⁵⁷Just as the living Caregiver sent me, and I live because of the Caregiver, so whoever gnaws on me will live because of me. ⁵⁸This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever.”

Queeries for the text:
What is given for the life of the world?
Who eats flesh?
Where is life?
When did Jesus become a vampire?
Why do we live? How?
What bread comes down from heaven?

What are your queeries?

Queerying 11th after Pentecost B

Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.

Gospel: John 6:35, 41-51
³⁵Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

[...]

⁴¹Then the Judeans began to complain about Jesus because he said, ‘I am the bread that came down from heaven.’ ⁴²They were saying, ‘Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, “I have come down from heaven”?’

⁴³Jesus answered them, ‘Do not complain among yourselves. ⁴⁴No one can come to me unless drawn by the Caregiver who sent me; and I will raise that person up on the last day. ⁴⁵It is written in the prophets, “And they shall all be taught by God.” Everyone who has heard and learned from the Caregiver comes to me. ⁴⁶Not that anyone has seen the Caregiver except the one who is from God; this one has seen the Caregiver. ⁴⁷Very truly, I tell you, whoever believes has everlasting life. ⁴⁸I am the bread of life. ⁴⁹Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. ⁵⁰This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. ⁵¹I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live for ever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.’

Queeries for the text:
What's missing?
What other bread came down from heaven?
What happens when we change?
How are we drawn by the Caregiver?
Where is it written in the prophets?
How do we not die?
How is flesh given?

What are your queeries?

Queerying 8th after Pentecost B

River Needham, MA ThM queeries the Tanakh reading.

Tanakh: 2 Samuel 7:1-14a
When the king was settled in his palace and the Becoming One had granted him safety from all the enemies around him, the king said to the prophet Nathan: “Here I am dwelling in a house of cedar, while the Ark of the Becoming One abides in a tent!”

Nathan said to the king, “Go and do whatever you have in mind, for the Becoming One is with you.”

But that same night the word of the Becoming One came to Nathan: “Go and say to My servant David: thus said the Becoming One: are you the one to build a house for Me to dwell in? From the day that I brought the people of Israel out of Egypt to this day I have not dwelt in a house, but have moved about in Tent and Tabernacle. As I moved about wherever the Israelites went, did I ever reproach any of the tribal leaders whom I appointed to care for My people Israel: why have you not built Me a house of cedar?

“Further, say thus to My servant David: thus said the Becoming God of Angel Armies: I took you from the pasture, from following the flock, to be ruler of My people Israel, and I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut down all your enemies before you. Moreover, I will give you great renown like that of the greatest people on earth. I will establish a home for My people Israel and will plant them solidly, so that they shall dwell secure and shall tremble no more. Evil people shall not oppress them anymore as in the past, ever since I appointed chieftains over My people Israel. I will give you safety from all your enemies.

“The Becoming One declares to you that Femme, the Becoming One, will establish a house for you. When your days are done and you lie with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring after you, one of your own issue, and I will establish his kingship. He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish his royal throne forever. I will be a parent to him, and he shall be a child to Me.”

Queeries for the text:
What does it mean to have a home?
Who do you know that doesn't live in a home?
What makes a family?
Where does the temple of God live today?
Where does David's house live today?
What's wrong with adopting a person abandoned by their family?

-----

Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.

Gospel: Mark 6:30-34, 53-56
³⁰The chosen family gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught. ³¹Jesus said to them, “Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. ³²And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves. ³³Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they hurried there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. ³⁴As Jesus went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.

[...]

⁵³When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored the boat. ⁵⁴When they got out of the boat, people at once recognized Jesus, ⁵⁵and rushed about that whole region and began to bring the sick on mats to wherever they heard Jesus was. ⁵⁶And wherever he went, into villages or cities or farms, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged Jesus that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed.

Queeries for the text:
Who has done a lot?  Who needs rest?
How do people travel faster than a boat?
What did Jesus teach them?  What's missing?
Was Jesus ever able to go somewhere unrecognized?
Where are the sick laid today?
Who else touched the fringe of Jesus' cloak?

What are your queeries?

Queerying 5th after Pentecost B

Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.

Gospel: Mark 5:21-43

²¹When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered around him; and he was by the sea. ²²Then one of the leaders of the synagogue named Jairus came and, when he saw Jesus, fell at his feet ²³and begged him repeatedly, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live.”

²⁴So Jesus went with Jairus. And a large crowd followed him and pressed in on him. ²⁵Now there was a woman who had been suffering from vaginal bleeding for twelve years. ²⁶She had endured much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse. ²⁷She had heard about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, ²⁸for she said, “If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well.” ²⁹Immediately her hemorrhage stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease.

³⁰Immediately aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my clothes?”

³¹And Jesus' disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say, ‘Who touched me?’”

³²Jesus looked all around to see who had done it. ³³But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before him, and told Jesus the whole truth. ³⁴He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”

³⁵While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the leader’s house to say, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?”

³⁶But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the leader of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” ³⁷He allowed no one to follow him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. ³⁸When they came to the house of the leader of the synagogue, Jesus saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. ³⁹When he had entered, he said to them, “Why do you make a commotion and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping.”

⁴⁰And they laughed at Jesus. Then he put them all outside, and took the child’s parents and those who were with him, and went in where the child was. ⁴¹He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha cum,” which means, “Little girl, get up!” ⁴²And immediately the girl got up and began to walk about (she was twelve years of age). At this they were overcome with amazement.

⁴³He strictly ordered them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.

Queeries for the text:
What did we skip?  Whose names are missing?
Who is at the point of death?
Who endures much under many physicians?
What happens when someone loses all that blood?
What are the boundaries of self?
What makes us well?  From what diseases do we need healing?
What happens when different people have needs?
What happens while someone is still speaking?
Who counts as no one?
When is healing private?

What are your queeries?

Queerying 2nd after Pentecost B

Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.

Gospel: Mark 3:20-35
²⁰and the crowd came together again, so that they could not even eat. ²¹When Jesus' family heard it, they went out to restrain him, for people were saying, “He has gone out of his mind.” ²²And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebul, and by the ruler of the demons he casts out demons.”

²³And Jesus called them to him, and spoke to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? ²⁴If a reign is divided against itself, that reign cannot stand. ²⁵And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. ²⁶And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but his end has come. ²⁷But no one can enter a strong person’s house and plunder their property without first tying up the strong person; then indeed the house can be plundered.

²⁸“Truly I tell you, people will be forgiven for their sins and whatever blasphemies they utter; ²⁹but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit can never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”— ³⁰for they had said, “He has an unclean spirit.”

³¹Then Jesus' mother and his brothers came; and standing outside, they sent to him and called him.

³²A crowd was sitting around him; and they said to Jesus, “Your mother and your siblings are outside, asking for you.”

³³And Jesus replied, “Who are my mother and my siblings?” ³⁴And looking at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my siblings! ³⁵Whoever does the will of God is my sibling and mother.”

Queeries for the text:
When did the crowd come together before?
Who is out of their mind?  Who do we restrain?
By whom are demons cast out?
Who is divided?
What is a blasphemy against the Holy Spirit?
Why don't people come inside?
Who is family?

What are your queeries?

 

Queerying Pentecost B

River Needham, MA ThM queeries the Tanakh reading.

Tanakh: Ezekiel 37:1-14
The hand of the Becoming One came upon me. She took me out by the spirit of the Becoming One and set me down in the valley. It was full of bones. She led me all around them; there were very many of them spread over the valley, and they were very dry. She said to me, “O mortal, can these bones live again?” 

I replied, “O Becoming God, only You know.” 

Then She said to me, “Prophesy over these bones and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the Becoming One! Thus said the Becoming God to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you and you shall live again. I will lay sinews upon you, and cover you with flesh, and form skin over you. I will put breath into you, and you shall live again. You shall know that I am the Becoming One!” 

I prophesied as I had been commanded. While I was prophesying, suddenly there was a sound of rattling, and the bones came together, bone to matching bone. I looked, and there were sinews on them, and flesh had grown, and skin had formed over them; but there was no breath in them. 

Then She said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, O mortal! Say to the breath: Thus said the Becoming God: Come, O breath, from the four winds, and breathe into these slain, that they may live again.” 

I prophesied as She commanded me. The breath entered them, and they came to life and stood up on their feet, a vast multitude. 

Then, She said to me, “O mortal, these bones are the whole House of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up, our hope is gone; we are doomed.’ Prophesy, therefore, and say to them: Thus said the Becoming God: I am going to open your graves and lift you out of the graves, O My people, and bring you to the land of Israel. You shall know, O My people, that I am the Becoming One, when I have opened your graves and lifted you out of your graves. I will put My breath into you and you shall live again, and I will set you upon your own soil. Then you shall know that I the Becoming One have spoken and have acted”—declares the Becoming One. 

Queeries for the text:
When does life begin? 

Who has access to life?
Who gets breath when they can't breathe? 

Do the bones get to respond to the prophecy? 

What happens when bones get dry?

How can doom become hope?  

-----

Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Acts reading.

 

 

First Reading: Acts 2:1-21

When the day of Pentecost had come, Jesus' Chosen Family were all together in one place. ²And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. ³Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. ⁴All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as She gave them ability. ⁵Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. ⁶And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each.

⁷Amazed and astonished, the crowd asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? ⁸And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? ⁹Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, ¹⁰Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jewish born and proselytes, ¹¹Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.”

¹²All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?”

¹³But others sneered and said, “They are filled with new wine.”

¹⁴But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, “People of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. ¹⁵Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. ¹⁶No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:

¹⁷‘In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your children of all genders shall prophesy, and your youth shall see visions, and your elders shall dream dreams. ¹⁸Even upon my slaves, of all genders, in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. ¹⁹And I will show portents in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and smoky mist. ²⁰The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the coming of the Becoming One’s great and glorious day. ²¹Then everyone who calls on the name of the Becoming One shall be saved.’” 

 

Queeries for the text:

Who were all gathered in one place?

When else do violent winds show up?

What all kinds of fire?

How many languages?

How many nations? Who's missing?

What's happening to Native languages?

Who do we sneer at today?

What has flesh?
 

-----

Guest queerier, Pace Warfield-May, queeries the Gospel reading.

 

Gospel: John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15
Jesus said to the Chosen Family:
^15:26"When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Caretaker, the Breath of truth who comes from the Caretaker, She will testify on my behalf. ²⁷You also are to testify because you have been with me from the beginning.

^16:4b"I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. ⁵But now I am going to She who sent me; yet none of you asks me, 'Where are you going?' ⁶ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts. ⁷Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Her to you. ⁸And when She comes, She will prove the world wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: ⁹about sin, because they do not believe in me; ¹⁰about righteousness, because I am going to the Caretaker and you will see me no longer; ¹¹about judgment, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.

¹²"I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.¹³When the Breath of truth comes, She will guide you into all the truth; for She will not speak on Her own, but will speak whatever She hears, and She will declare to you the things that are to come. ¹⁴She will glorify me, because She will take what is mine and declare it to you. ¹⁵All that the Caretaker has is mine. For this reason I said that She will take what is mine and declare it to you.”

Queeries for the text:
On whose behalf will the Advocate testify?

What is missing from this passage? 

What is the ruler of the world? 

What is the Breath of truth taking and declaring to us? 

What does the Breath of truth look like?

What are your queeries?