Queerying Narrative Lectionary 133

Pace Warfield-May queeries the Narrative Lectionary.

Matthew 22:1-14
Jesus spoke to his chosen family in parables, once more. He said, ²"The kin-dom of heaven could be described as a ruler who gave a wedding banquet for his son. ³He sent all of his slaves to call the guests who had been invited to attend. The guests would not come. ⁴Again, the ruler sent other slaves out, saying to them, 'Tell those who have been invited: Look, everything is prepared: for dinner, the oxen and best quality of my cows have been prepared. Everything is ready! Come to the wedding banquet.' ⁵But the invited guests couldn't be bothered. One went back to his farm, another to his business, ⁶while another guest decided to be extra and seized up the ruler's slaves, mistreated them, and killed them. ⁷The ruler was enraged. He sent his troops, killed the guests who had murdered his slaves and burned their city. ⁸The ruler said to his remaining slaves, 'The wedding is ready, but those I originally invited were not worthy. ⁹Go then into the streets and invite everyone you can find to the wedding banquet.' ¹⁰The slaves went out into the streets and gathered everyone they could find, regardless of their character or worthiness, so that the wedding hall was filled with guests.

¹¹"But when the ruler came in to see all the guests, he noticed that there was a man who was not wearing a wedding robe. ¹²The ruler said to him, 'Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?' And the man was silent. ¹³Then the king said to the guests, 'Bind this man's hands and feet so he cannot get free. Then throw him into the outer unknown, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' ¹⁴For many are called, but few are chosen."

Queeries for the text:
What is this text building on?
What is the accompanying text?
Where is this going?
Why is the ruler such an asshole in this?
How has this text been used in antisemitic and supersessionist ways?
What does the heavenly banquet look like here and now?

What are your queeries?

Queerying Narrative Lectionary 114

Pace Warfield-May queeries the Narrative Lectionary reading.

Esther 4:1-17
¹When Mordecai learned all that had been done--King Xerxes and the noble person Hamman had decided to kill the Jewish people because Mordecai, who was Jewish himself, was not paying appropriate tribute to Hamman--Mordecai tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, as you do, and went through the city, crying, wailing, and weeping bitterly. ²He went up to the entrance of the king’s gate, for no one might enter the king’s gate half naked like he was, donned only in his sackcloth ³In every province, wherever the king’s command and his decree about sending the Jewish people to death came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting and weeping and lamenting, and most of them lay in sackcloth and ashes.

⁴Esther's handmaidens and castrated servants came and told her what was going on with Mordecai half naked outside the gate. The queen was deeply distressed; she sent garments to clothe Mordecai, so that he might take off his sackcloth and be able to enter the king's gate; but he would not accept them. ⁵Then Esther called for Hathach, one of the king’s castrated servants who had been appointed to serve her, and Esther ordered them to go to Mordecai to learn what was happening and why. ⁶Hathach went out to Mordecai in the open square of the city in front of the king’s gate, ⁷and Mordecai told them all that had happened to him, and the exact sum of money that Haman had promised to pay into the king’s treasuries for the destruction of the Jewish people. ⁸Mordecai also gave them a copy of the written decree issued in Susa for the destruction of the Jewish people so that Hathach might show it to Esther, explain it to her, and charge her to go to the king to make supplication to him and hopefully get him to change his mind on behalf of her people.

⁹Hathach went and told Esther what Mordecai had said. ¹⁰Then Esther spoke to Hathach and told them to reply to Mordecai with the following: ¹¹"Everyone knows, from the king's slaves to the nobility, that if anyone goes to the king inside the inner court without being summoned by him, there is but one law—all are to be put to death. Only if the king holds out the golden scepter to someone, may that person live. I myself have not been called to come into the king's chamber for a month." ¹²When they told Mordecai what Esther had said, ¹³Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, "Even in the king's palace and as his wife, don't think you will have a better chance of escaping his genocide than the rest of the Jewish people. ¹⁴For if you keep silence at such a time as this, relief and deliverance will still rise up for the Jews from another path, but you and your extended family will still perish. Who knows? Perhaps you have come into your place as queen in the palace for just such a time as this." ¹⁵Then Esther replied to Mordecai, ¹⁶"Go, gather all the Jewish people to be found in Susa and hold a fast on my behalf. Do not eat nor drink for three days, night or day. I and my servants will also fast as you do. After those three days have passed, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law; and if I am murdered, I am murdered. So be it." ¹⁷Mordecai then went away and did everything as Esther had requested of him.

Queeries for the text:
What is this text building on?
What is the accompanying reading?
Where is this text headed?
Who was Esther?
What are different models of leadership? What makes a good leader?
How can you be an ally to a marginalized and/or oppressed group with your power?
What is genocide?
What can you do in such a time as this?

What are your queeries?

Queerying 16th after Pentecost C

Suzannah Porter and Brooke McLain musically queery the RCL readings.

 What have you learned about trusting in God through trials and tribulations?

In whom as God shown up when you have faced turbulence?

What treasures do we store up when we set our hopes on God?

How does God invite us to join in flipping the script?

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River Needham, MA ThM queeries the Tanakh reading.

Tanakh: Jeremiah 32:1-3a, 6-15
The word which came to Jeremiah from the Becoming One in the tenth year of King Zedekiah of Judah, which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar. At that time the army of the king of Babylon was besieging Jerusalem, and the prophet Jeremiah was confined in the prison compound attached to the palace of the king of Judah.For King Zedekiah of Judah had confined him, saying, “How dare you prophesy."

[...]

Jeremiah said: The word of the Becoming One came to me:
Hanamel, the son of your uncle Shallum, will come to you and say, “Buy my land in Anathoth, for you are next in succession to redeem it by purchase.”

And just as the Becoming One said, my cousin Hanamel came to me in the prison compound and said to me, “Please buy my land in Anathoth, in the territory of Benjamin; for the right of succession is yours, and you have the duty of redemption. Buy it.”

Then I knew that it was indeed the word of the Becoming One. So I bought the land in Anathoth from my cousin Hanamel. I weighed out the money to him, seventeen shekels of silver. I wrote a deed, sealed it, and had it witnessed; and I weighed out the silver on a balance. I took the deed of purchase, the sealed text and the open one according to rule and law, and gave the deed to Baruch son of Neriah son of Mahseiah in the presence of my kindred Hanamel, of the witnesses who were named in the deed, and all the Judeans who were sitting in the prison compound.

In their presence I charged Baruch as follows:
Thus said the The Becoming One, ruler of angel armies, the God of Israel: “Take these documents, this deed of purchase, the sealed text and the open one, and put them into an earthen jar, so that they may last a long time.” For thus said the Becoming One, Ruler of angel armies, the God of Israel: “Houses, fields, and vineyards shall again be purchased in this land.”

Queeries for the text:
Who is stuck in the prison compound?
What is missing from this passage?
How do we value land?
How do we redeem?
What does it mean to be a kindred?

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Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.

Gospel: Luke 16:19-31
Jesus said:
¹⁹“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. ²⁰And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, ²¹who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man’s table; even the dogs would come and lick his sores. ²²The poor man died and was carried away by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried.

²³In Hades, where the no-longer-rich, dead man was being tormented, he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side. ²⁴He called out, ‘Daddy Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in agony in these flames.’

²⁵But Abraham said, ‘Little one, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony. ²⁶Besides all this, between you and us a grand canyon has been fixed, so that those who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.’

²⁷He said, ‘Then, Daddy, I beg you to send him to my Papa’s house— ²⁸for I have five brothers—that he may serve me and warn them, so that they will not also come into this place of torment.’

²⁹Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.’

³⁰He said, ‘No, Daddy Abraham; but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’

³¹Abraham said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”

Queeries for the text:
What did we skip? How can it be good to skip?
Why is purple so special?
Who receives scraps from the table?
How do dogs comfort and heal?
How does the rich man's contempt continue after death?
How does God flip the script?
Where are grand canyons today?
What would startle you into repentance?

What are your queeries?

Queerying Easter 2C

Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Acts reading.

Gospel: Acts 5:27-32
²⁷When the captain and police had brought the Sent Ones, they had them stand before the council. The high priest questioned them, ²⁸saying, “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you are determined to bring this person’s blood on us.”

²⁹But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than any human authority. ³⁰The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. ³¹God exalted Them at Xyr right hand as Lover and Savior that They might give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. ³²And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Xem.”

Queeries for the text:
Why were the captain and police bringing the Sent Ones?
How do Christians bring Jesus' blood on Jewish people?
What is of God?
What happens when someone is hung on a tree?
Who actually hung Jesus on a tree?
How are religious and community leaders complicit in oppression?
Who needs repentance and forgiveness?
What is the Holy Spirit up to?

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J. Pace Warfield- May queeries the reading from Revelation.

Revelation 1:4-8
⁴John to the seven churches that are in Asia:

Grace to you and peace from Them who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before Their throne, ⁵and from Jesus the Anointed, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the Sovereign of the monarchs and leaders of the earth. To Them who loves us and freed us from our harm and harm to others by Their blood, ⁶and made us to be a kin-dom, priests serving Their God/ess and Parent, to Them be glory and authority forever and ever. Amen.

⁷Look! They are coming with the clouds; every eye will see Them, even those who pierced Them; and on Their account all the peoples of the earth will wail. So it is to be. Amen. ⁸"I am the A (the Alpha, the First) and the Z (the Omega, the last)," says the God/ess, who is and who was and who is to come, the Supreme.

Queeries for the text:
Who is this message addressed to?
What does it mean to be firstborn of the dead?
What or who is Jesus witness to?
What does it mean to be a member of Jesus' kin-dom and a priest serving God/ess?
Why will the peoples of the earth wail?

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Find previous queeries for the John text.

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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 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 18th after Pentecost B

River Needham, MA ThM queeries the Tanakh reading.

Tanakh: Esther 7:1-6, 9-10; 9:20-22
So the king and Haman came to feast with Queen Esther.

On the second day, the king again asked Esther at the wine feast, “What is your wish, Queen Esther? It shall be granted you. And what is your request? Even to half the kingdom, it shall be fulfilled.”

Queen Esther replied: “If Your Majesty will do me the favor, and if it pleases Your Majesty, let my life be granted me as my wish, and my people as my request. For we have been sold, my people and I, to be destroyed, massacred, and exterminated. Had we only been sold as bondspeople, I would have kept silent; for the adversary is not worthy of the king’s trouble.”

Thereupon King Ahasuerus demanded of Queen Esther, “Who is he and where is he who dared to do this?”

“The adversary and enemy,” replied Esther, “is this evil Haman!” And Haman cringed in terror before the king and the queen.

[...]

Then Harbonah, one of the eunuchs in attendance on the king, said, “What is more, a stake is standing at Haman’s house, fifty cubits high, which Haman made for Mordecai—the man whose words saved the king.” “Impale him on it!” the king ordered.

So they impaled Haman on the stake which he had put up for Mordecai, and the king’s fury abated.

[...]

Two chapters later

Mordecai recorded these events. He sent dispatches to all the Jews throughout the provinces of King Ahasuerus, near and far, charging them to observe the fourteenth and fifteenth days of Adar, every year— the same days on which the Jews enjoyed relief from their foes and the same month which had been transformed for them from one of grief and mourning to one of festive joy. They were to observe them as days of feasting and merrymaking, and as an occasion for sending gifts to one another and presents to the poor.

Queeries for the text:
What is missing from this text?
Why did Haman want to kill the Jews?
How is this celebrated today?
When is genocide okay?
How are Jews oppressed today?

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Queerying Mark 9:38-50

What are your queeries?

Queerying Easter 3B

Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Acts reading.

 

 

First Reading: Acts 3:12-19

¹²When Peter saw people running to the throuple, he addressed the people, “You Israelites, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we had made the person walk? ¹³The God of Abraham, the God of Rebecca, and the God of Jacob, the God of our ancestors has glorified Zer servant Jesus, whom you handed over and rejected in the presence of Pilate, though he had decided to release him. ¹⁴But you rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked to have a murderer given to you, ¹⁵and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. ¹⁶And by faith in Their name, Their name itself has made this person strong, whom you see and know; and the faith that is through Jesus has given this person this perfect health in the presence of all of you. 

 

¹⁷“And now, friends, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. ¹⁸In this way God fulfilled what Ze had foretold through all the prophets, that Zer Messiah would suffer. ¹⁹Repent therefore, and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out..."

 

Queeries for the text:

What did Peter see and do?  Why is Peter talking to his own community?

Who do we make walk? 

Who else are our ancestors? 

Who handed Jesus over?  Who bears responsibility?  What was Peter up to at the time?

How does naming give strength?

How do we act in ignorance?  Who acts in ignorance? 

Of what do they need to repent?  Who does NOT need to repent?

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

Gospel: Luke 24:36b-48, Luke 24:13-49 for context

¹³Now on that same day two members of Jesus’ chosen family were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, ¹⁴and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. ¹⁵While they were kiki-ing, Jesus Themself approached and went with them, ¹⁶but the eyes of the two chosen family members were prevented from recognizing Them. ¹⁷And They said to them, "What words are you kiki-ing with each other about while you saunter along?" The two stopped in their tracks, looking like they were in mourning. ¹⁸Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered Them, "You alone must be the only tourist in Jerusalem who does not know what happened?"

¹⁹Jesus asked the chosen family members, "What things?" 

The two replied, "The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, ²⁰and how the rulers and chief religious leaders of our own people handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. ²¹But we had hoped that he was the one to liberate Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place. ²²Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the grave early this morning, ²³and when they did not find his body there, they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive. ²⁴Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but they did not see him."

²⁵Then Jesus said to the two of them, "For fuck’s sake! How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to trust all that the prophets have declared! ²⁶Was it not necessary that the Anointed One should suffer these things and then enter into Their glory?" ²⁷Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, They interpreted to them the things about Themself in all the scriptures. ²⁸As they came near the village to which they were going, They walked ahead as if They were going on. ²⁹But they compelled Jesus, saying, "Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over." So They went in to stay with them. ³⁰When They were at the table with the two, They took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. ³¹Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized Them; and They vanished from their sight. ³²They said to each other, "Were not our hearts lit on fire within us while They were talking to us on the road, while They were opening the scriptures to us?"

³³That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. ³⁴They were saying, "The Leader has risen indeed, and They have appeared to Simon!" ³⁵Then the two told what had happened on the road, and how Jesus had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread. ³⁶While they were kiki-ing about this, Jesus Themself stood among them and said to them, "Peace and wholeness be with you."

³⁷They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost. ³⁸Jesus said to Their chosen family, "Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? ³⁹Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself. Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have." ⁴⁰and when They had said this, They showed them Their hands and Their feet. ⁴¹While in their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering, They said to them, "Have you anything here to eat?" ⁴²The chosen family gave Them a piece of broiled fish, ⁴³and They took it and ate in their presence. ⁴⁴Then They said to them, "These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you--that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled."

⁴⁵Then Jesus opened their minds to understand the scriptures, ⁴⁶and They said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Anointed One is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, ⁴⁷and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in Their name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. ⁴⁸You are witnesses of these things. ⁴⁹And see, I am sending upon you what my Caretaker promised; so stay here in the city until you have been bedazzled in the power from on high.”

Queeries for the text:
Is Jesus a zombie, ghost, vampire, or other supernatural being?
Why were the disciples afraid and in doubt?
How does one disbelieve and wonder in joy?
What does bedazzlement from on high look like?
How would you react to seeing someone you thought had died?
How does the Road to Emmaus impact the story?
How do you witness justice, repentance, and forgiveness of sins?

What are your queeries?

 

 

Queerying Easter 2B

Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Acts reading.

Inclusion does not = equity.

Diversity does not = justice.

Tolerance does not = love.

— Be A King (@BerniceKing) April 6, 2021

First Reading: Acts 4:32-35

³²Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common. ³³With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Leader Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. ³⁴There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold. ³⁵They laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.

 

Queeries for the text:

How is a whole group of one heart and soul? Were they really?

What happens without private ownership?

What do we hold in common?  What don't we?

What else happens with great power and great grace?

What do Jesus' words mean without needy?

What happens when lands and houses are sold?

 

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

Gospel: John 20:19-31
¹⁹When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where Jesus’ chosen family had met were locked for fear of the authorities, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace and wholeness be with you." ²⁰After They said this, They showed them Their hands and Their side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Leader. ₂₁Jesus said to them again, "Peace and wholeness be with you. As the Caretaker has sent me, so I am sending you." ²²When They had said this, They breathed on the chosen family and said to them, "Receive the Holy Breath. ²³If you let go of the sins of any, they are let go; if you hold on to the sins of any, they are held on to."

²⁴But Thomas (who was nicknamed the Twin), one of the twelve, was notpwith them when Jesus came. ²⁵So the other chosen family members told him, "We have seen the Leader." But he said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe."

²⁶A week later Jesus’ chosen family was gathered again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace and wholeness be with you." ²⁷Then They said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my wounded side. Do not doubt but believe." ²⁸Thomas answered Them, "My Leader and my God!" ²⁹Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe."

³⁰Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of Their chosen family, which are not written in this book. ³¹But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Anointed One, the Child of God, and that through believing you may have life in Their name.

Queries for the Text:
What is the role of skepticism? What is the value in questioning?
Doubting Thomas or conditional Thomas?
Why did Jesus say “Peace and wholeness be with you?”
How do we address antisemitism in passages like this?
How is disability present in this story?

What are your queeries?

 

 

Queerying 20th after Pentecost A

Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.

Gospel: Matthew 22:15-22

¹⁵Then the Pharisees went and plotted to entrap Jesus in what he said. ¹⁶So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality. ¹⁷Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?” 

¹⁸But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites? ¹⁹Show me the coin used for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. ²⁰Then Jesus said to them, “Whose head is this, and whose title?” 

²¹They answered, “The emperor’s.” 

Then Jesus said to them, “Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” ²²When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away.

Queeries for the text:
Where did this conversation take place?
Who do I try to entrap today? Who tries to entrap me?
Who were the Herodians? Why would they collaborate with the Pharisees?
Who pays taxes? Who doesn't?
What purpose do taxes serve today?
Why do they have a denarius in the temple?
What does not belong to God? 

What are your queeries?

Queerying 15th after Pentecost A

River Needham M.A., queeries the Tanakh reading.

Tanakh: Exodus 14:19-31

The angel of God, who had been going ahead of the Israelite army, now moved and followed behind them; and the pillar of cloud shifted from in front of them and took up a place behind them, it came between the army of the Egyptians and the army of Israel. Thus there was the cloud with the darkness, and it cast a spell upon the night so that the armies could not come near the other all through the night.

Then Moses held out his arm over the sea and the Becoming One drove back the sea with a strong east wind all that night, and turned the sea into dry ground. The waters were split, and the Israelites went into the sea on dry ground, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left.

The Egyptians came in pursuit after them into the sea, all of Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and horsepeople. At the morning watch, the Becoming One looked down upon the Egyptian army from a pillar of fire and cloud, and threw the Egyptian army into panic. They locked the wheels of their chariots so that they moved forward with difficulty. The Egyptians said, “Let us flee from the Israelites, for the Becoming One is fighting for them against Egypt.”

Then the Becoming One said to Moses, “Hold out your arm over the sea, that the waters may come back upon the Egyptians and upon their chariots and upon their horsepeople.” Moses held out his arm over the sea, and at daybreak, the sea returned to its normal state, and the Egyptians fled at its approach. But the Becoming One hurled the Egyptians into the sea.

The waters turned back and covered the chariots and the horsepeople—Pharaoh’s entire army that followed them into the sea; not one of them remained. But the Israelites had marched through the sea on dry ground, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left.

Thus the Becoming One delivered Israel that day from the Egyptians. Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the shore of the sea. When Israel saw the wondrous power which the Becoming One had wielded against the Egyptians, the people feared the Becoming One; they had faith in the Becoming One and their servant Moses.

Queeries for the text:
What do we need freedom from?  Who is setting us free?
How do we shift the leaders around us?
How does God work in the world?

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Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.

Gospel: Matthew 18:21-35

²¹Then Peter came and said to Jesus, “Guide, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” 

²²Jesus said to Peter, “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times. 

²³“For this reason the reign of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. ²⁴When the king began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him; ²⁵and, as the slave could not pay, her lord ordered her to be sold, together with her spouse and children and all their possessions, and payment to be made. 

²⁶So the slave fell on her knees before the king, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ ²⁷And out of pity for her, the lord of that slave released her and forgave her the debt. 

²⁸But that same slave, as she went out, came upon one of her fellow slaves who owed her a hundred denarii; and seizing them by the throat, she said, ‘Pay what you owe.’ 

²⁹Then her fellow slave fell down and pleaded with her, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ ³⁰But she refused; then she went and threw them into prison until they would pay the debt. 

³¹When her fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. 

³²Then her lord summoned her and said to her, ‘You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. ³³Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?’ ³⁴And in anger her lord handed her over to be tortured until she would pay her entire debt. 

³⁵So my heavenly Parent will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your sibling from your heart.”

Queeries for the text:

What's so special about 77?
How does a person rack up a debt of 10,000 talents?
How can debts be paid when the debtor is imprisoned? When they are tortured?
Who is master in this story?
What is mercy?

What are your queeries?

Queerying Easter 2A

Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Acts reading.

Acts 2:14a, 22-32
¹⁴But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd in Jerusalem,

²²“You people of Israel, listen to what I have to say:
Jesus of Nazareth, one attested to you by God with deeds of power, wonders, and signs that God did through him among you, as you yourselves know— ²³this man, handed over to you according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of those outside the law. ²⁴But God raised them up, having freed them from death, because it was impossible for them to be held in its power. ²⁵For David says concerning them, ‘I saw the Becoming One always before me, for They are at my right hand so that I will not be shaken; ²⁶therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; moreover my flesh will live in hope. ²⁷For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your Holy One experience corruption. ²⁸You have made known to me the ways of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’

²⁹“You people and kindred, I may say to you confidently of our ancestor David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. ³⁰Since he was a prophet, he knew that God had sworn with an oath to him that They would put one of his descendants on the throne. ³¹Foreseeing this, David spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, saying, ‘They were not abandoned to Sheol, nor did their flesh experience corruption.’ ³²This Jesus God raised up, and of that all of us are witnesses. ...

Queeries for the text:
What's missing?
When is this taking place?
How does God's "definite plan and foreknowledge" of the crucifixion comfort?  How does it disturb?
How might antisemitism be read into this text?  How does Peter's second naming of the crowd challenge that interpretation?
What is the difference between Sheol and Hades?
Is David saying the same thing two different ways?
Whose hands are outside the law?

What are your queeries?

Queerying 19th after Pentecost C

Periodic queerier, River Needham, queeries the Tanakh reading.

Tanakh: Jeremiah 31:27-34

See, a time is coming—declares the Becoming One—when I will sow the House of Israel and the House of Judah with seed of humans and seed of cattle;  and just as I was watchful over them to uproot and to pull down, to overthrow and to destroy and to bring disaster, so I will be watchful over them to build and to plant—declares the Becoming One. In those days, they shall no longer say, “Parents have eaten sour grapes and children’s teeth are blunted.” But every one shall die for their own sins: whoever eats sour grapes, his teeth shall be blunted.  See, a time is coming—declares the Becoming One—when I will make a new covenant with the House of Israel and the House of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors, when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, a covenant which they broke, though I espoused them—declares the Becoming One. But such is the covenant I will make with the House of Israel after these days—declares the Becoming One: I will put my teaching into their inmost being and inscribe it upon their hearts. Then I will be their God, and they shall be my people. No longer will they need to teach one another and say to one another, “Heed the Becoming One”; for all of them, from the least of them to the greatest, shall heed Me—declares the Becoming One. For I will forgive their iniquities, and remember their sins no more.

Queeries for the text:
Who is the House of Israel?
Are humans and cows planted?
What are sour grapes?
How are teeth blunted?
How might we have our hearts inscribed?
How do we do the work of forgiveness?
Does God forget when ze forgives?

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Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.
 

Gospel: Luke 18:1-8

Then Jesus told the disciples a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart. ²Jesus said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people. ³In that city there was a widow who kept coming to the judge and saying, ‘Grant me justice against my opponent.’  

⁴For a while the judge refused; but later said to zirself, ‘Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, ⁵yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.’”

⁶And the Powerful One said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. ⁷And will not God grant justice to Faer chosen ones who cry to Fae day and night? Will Fae delay long in helping them? ⁸I tell you, Fae will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Human One comes, will Ze find faith on earth?”

Queeries for the text:
What did we skip?
What kind of judge are we talking about?
What if the widow had not been just in her request?
How do we wear out the unjust?
Who is more God-like: the widow or the judge?
Where does the after explanation come from?
What does it take for the widow to get justice? 

What are your queeries?

Queerying 16th after Pentecost C

Periodic queerier, River Needham, queeries the Tanakh reading.

Tanakh: Jeremiah 32:1-3a, 6-15

The word which came to Jeremiah from the Becoming One in the tenth year of King Zedekiah of Judah, which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar. At that time the army of the king of Babylon was besieging Jerusalem, and the prophet Jeremiah was confined in the prison compound attached to the palace of the king of Judah. For King Zedekiah of Judah had confined him,
------
Jeremiah said: The word of the Becoming One came to me:

Hanamel, the son of your uncle Shallum, will come to you and say,

“Buy my land in Anathoth, for you are next in succession to redeem it by purchase.”

And just as the Becoming One had said, my cousin Hanamel came to me in the prison compound and said to me,

“Please buy my land in Anathoth, in the territory of Benjamin; for the right of succession is yours, and you have the duty of redemption. Buy it.”

Then I knew that it was indeed the word of the Becoming One. So I bought the land in Anathoth from my cousin Hanamel. I weighed out the money to him, seventeen shekels of silver.I wrote a deed, sealed it, and had it witnessed; and I weighed out the silver on a balance. I took the deed of purchase, the sealed text and the open one according to rule and law, and gave the deed to Baruch son of Neriah son of Mahseiah in the presence of my kinsman Hanamel, of the witnesses who were named in the deed, and all the Judeans who were sitting in the prison compound.  In their presence I charged Baruch as follows:

Thus said the Ruler of Angel Armies, the God of Israel: “Take these documents, this deed of purchase, the sealed text and the open one, and put them into an earthen jar, so that they may last a long time.”

For thus said the God of Angel Armies, the God of Israel: “Houses, fields, and vineyards shall again be purchased in this land.”

Queeries for the text:
What is missing from this reading?
When did this happen? What did the world look like?
Who is confined?
Where is Anathoth?
When can prisoners buy and sell today?
How long do earthen jars last?
When were houses, fields and vineyards again purchased in the land? Who remained in the land?

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Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.

Gospel: Luke 16:19-31

Jesus said:
¹⁹“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. ²⁰And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, ²¹who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man’s table; even the dogs would come and lick his sores.

²²The poor man died and was carried away by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. ²³In Hades, where he was being tormented, he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side.

²⁴He called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in agony in these flames.’

²⁵But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony. ²⁶Besides all this, between you and us a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.’

²⁷He said, ‘Then, father, I beg you to send him to my father’s house— ²⁸for I have five brothers—that he may warn them, so that they will not also come into this place of torment.’

²⁹Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.’

³⁰He said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’

³¹He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”

Queeries for the text:
What did we skip?  Why?
What is with Jesus and all the rich folks?!
What's so great about purple?
What does the name Lazarus mean? Why is the name important?
What impact do dogs have?
Why does the rich man still think he can get what he wants?
Is the after life zero-sum?
What will it take for true repentance from evil?

What are your queeries?

Queerying Easter 3C

Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Acts and Gospel readings.

Acts 9:1-6 [7-20]
Meanwhile Saul,

still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of Jesus,

went to the high priest
²and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus,

so that if Saul found any who belonged to the Way, of any gender,

he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

³Now as Saul was going along and approaching Damascus,

suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.

⁴He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him,

“Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

⁵Saul asked,

“Who are you, Sovereign?”

The reply came,

“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.

⁶But get up and enter the city,
and you will be told what you are to do.”

[⁷The ones who were traveling with Saul stood speechless

because they heard the voice but saw no one.

⁸Saul got up from the ground,

and though his eyes were open,

he could see nothing;

so they led Saul by the hand and brought him into Damascus.

⁹For three days Saul was without sight,

and neither ate nor drank.

¹⁰Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias.

The Sovereign said to him in a vision,

“Ananias.”

Ananias answered,

“Here I am, Sovereign.”

¹¹The Sovereign said to Ananias,

“Get up and go to the street called Straight,

and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul.

At this moment he is praying,

¹²and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in
and lay his hands on Saul so that he might regain his sight.”

¹³But Ananias answered,

“Sovereign, I have heard from many about this man,

how much evil he has done to your saints in Jerusalem;

¹⁴and here he has authority from the chief priests

to bind all who invoke your name.”

¹⁵But the Sovereign said to Ananias,

“Go, for he is an instrument whom I have chosen

to bring my name before Gentiles and rulers
and before the people of Israel;

¹⁶I myself will show Saul how much he must suffer

for the sake of my name.”

¹⁷So Ananias went and entered the house.

He laid his hands on Saul and said,

“Brother Saul,

the Sovereign Jesus,

who appeared to you on your way here,

has sent me so that you may regain your sight

and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

¹⁸And immediately something like scales fell from Saul's eyes,

and his sight was restored.

Then he got up and was baptized,

¹⁹and after taking some food,

Saul regained his strength.

For several days he was with the disciples in Damascus,

²⁰and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying,

“Jesus is the One born of God.”]

Queeries for the text:
Who breathes threats and murder against faithful people today?
How do we persecute Jesus today?
How much evil is done while thinking it is for God?
How is blindness a gift for Saul?
Why would anyone want a street (or anything) called Straight?
How much must Saul suffer for the sake of the Holy Name?
When do we begin to call him Paul?
When have we encountered the Divine?  Do we recognize it?  Do we name it as such?

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Gospel: John 21:1-19
After these things

Jesus showed themself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias;

and they showed themself in this way.

²Gathered there together were Simon Peter,

Thomas called the Twin,
Nathanael of Cana in Galilee,
the sons of Zebedee,
and two others of the disciples.

³Simon Peter said to them,

“I am going fishing.”

They said to him,

“We will go with you.”

They went out and got into the boat,

but that night they caught nothing.

⁴Just after daybreak,

Jesus stood on the beach;

but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.

⁵Jesus said to them,

“Children, you have no fish, have you?”

They answered Jesus,

“No.”

⁶Jesus said to them,

“Cast the net to the right side of the boat,

and you will find some.”

So they cast it,

and now they were not able to haul it in

because there were so many fish.

⁷That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter,

“It is the Sovereign!”

When Simon Peter heard that it was Jesus,

he put on some clothes, for he was naked,

and jumped into the sea.

⁸But the other disciples came in the boat,

dragging the net full of fish,

for they were not far from the land,

only about a hundred yards off.

⁹When they had gone ashore,

they saw a charcoal fire there,

with fish on it, and bread.

¹⁰Jesus said to them,

“Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.”

¹¹So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore,

full of large fish,

a hundred fifty-three of them;

and though there were so many,

the net was not torn.

¹²Jesus said to them,

“Come and have breakfast.”

Now none of the disciples dared to ask Jesus,

“Who are you?”

because they knew it was the Sovereign.

¹³Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them,

and did the same with the fish.

¹⁴This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples

after being raised from the dead.

¹⁵When they had finished breakfast,

Jesus said to Simon Peter,

“Simon son of John,

do you love me more than these?”

Simon Peter said to Jesus,

“Yes, Sovereign;

you know that I love you.”

Jesus said to him,

“Feed my lambs.”

¹⁶A second time Jesus said to him,

“Simon son of John,

do you love me?”

Simon Peter said to Jesus,

“Yes, Sovereign;

you know that I love you.”

Jesus said to him,

“Tend my sheep.”

¹⁷Jesus said to Simon Peter the third time,

“Simon son of John,

do you love me?”

Peter felt hurt because Jesus said to him the third time, “Do you love me?”

And Peter said to Jesus,

“Sovereign, you know everything;

you know that I love you.”

Jesus said to him,

“Feed my sheep.

¹⁸Very truly, I tell you,

when you were younger,

you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished.

But when you grow old,

you will stretch out your hands,
and someone else will fasten a belt around you
and take you where you do not wish to go.”

¹⁹(Jesus said this to indicate

the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God.)

After this Jesus said to him,

“Follow me.”

Queeries for the text:
How many times will Jesus show themself to the disciples?
Why did Simon Peter want to go fishing?
Do the fishing disciples always follow instructions and advice from strangers they don't recognize?
How does the Beloved Disciple know it's Jesus?
Why is Simon Peter in such a rush to get to Jesus?
Why does the disciple whom Jesus loves wait for the boat to get to short to see Jesus?
Why does Jesus want more fish if some was already on the fire?
Why 153?
How many times must Jesus appear for the disciples to get it?
Why does Jesus ask Simon Peter three times?

What are your queeries?