Queerying Christmas 1A

River Needham queeries the Tanakh reading.

Tanakh: Isaiah 63:7-9

I will recount the kind acts of the Becoming One, the praises of the Becoming One— for all that the Becoming One has wrought for us, the vast bounty to the house of Israel that She bestowed upon them according to Her mercy and Her great kindness. She thought: surely they are my people, children who will not play false. So She was their deliverer. In all their troubles She was troubled, and the angel of Her presence delivered them. In Her love and pity She Herself redeemed them, raised them, and exalted them all the days of old.

Queeries for the text:
What are kind acts?
What kind acts has the Becoming One done?
What kind acts has the Becoming One done?
Who plays false?
What's a location of trouble in our world?
Where and how is there deliverance from this trouble in our world? How does God participate?

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Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.

Gospel: Matthew 2:13-23

¹³Now after the magi had left, an angel of the Becoming One appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and their mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy them.” ¹⁴Then Joseph got up, took the child and their mother by night, and went to Egypt, ¹⁵and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Becoming One through the prophet, “Out of Egypt I have called my child.”

¹⁶When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he was infuriated, and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had learned from the magi. ¹⁷Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah:
  ¹⁸“A voice was heard in Ramah,
    wailing and loud lamentation,
   Rachel weeping for her children;
    she refused to be consoled, because they are no more.”

¹⁹When Herod died, an angel of the Becoming One suddenly appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, ²⁰“Get up, take the child and their mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child’s life are dead.” ²¹Then Joseph got up, took the child and their mother, and went to the land of Israel. ²²But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And after being warned in a dream, he went away to the district of Galilee. ²³There he made his home in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, “They will be called a Nazorean.”

Queeries for the text:
What if Joseph had warned the other families with young children?
What children are being killed today?
How are we weeping with Rachel?
Which came first: Joseph's decision or God's affirmation of it?
How do dreams work on us?
Why does Matthew care so much about making sure "that what had been spoken through the prophet(s) might be fulfilled"?

What are your queeries?

Queerying 6th after Pentecost C

Periodic queerier, River Needham, queeries the Tanakh reading.

Tanakh: Amos 8:1-12
This is what my Becoming God showed me: there was a basket of figs.
Ze said, “What do you see, Amos?”
“A basket of figs,” I replied.

Then, the Becoming One said to me: “The hour of doom has come for My people Israel; I will not pardon them again. The singing women of the palace shall howl on that day—declares my Becoming God: So many corpses left lying everywhere! Hush!”

Listen to this, you who devour the needy, annihilating the poor of the land,  saying, “If only the new moon were over, so that we could sell grain; the sabbath, so that we could offer wheat for sale, using an ephah that is too small, and a shekel that is too big, tilting a dishonest scale, and selling grain refuse as grain! We will buy the poor for silver, the needy for a pair of sandals.”

The Becoming One swears by the pride of Jacob: “I will never forget any of their doings.”

Shall not the earth shake for this, and all that dwell on it mourn? Shall it not all rise like the Nile and surge and subside like the Nile of Egypt?

And in that day —declares my Becoming God— I will make the sun set at noon, I will darken the earth on a sunny day.

I will turn your festivals into mourning, all your songs into dirges; I will put sackcloth on all loins, tonsures on every head. I will make it mourn as for an only child, all of it as on a bitter day.

A time is coming—declares my Becoming God—when I will send a famine upon the land: not a hunger for bread or a thirst for water, but for hearing the words of the Becoming One.

So that they shall possess the rest of Edom and all the nations once attached to my name —declares the Becoming One who will bring this to pass.

Queeries for the text:
Where else do figs show up?
What measures are used today?
What is the pride of Jacob?
When is noon?
How do only children come up culturally?
For what do we repent today?
For what do we repent today?
For what do we repent today?
What are the words of the Becoming One today? What might they mean?

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Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.

Gospel: Luke 10:38-42
³⁸Now as the Jesus and the disciples went on their way,

Jesus entered a certain village,

where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home.

³⁹She had a sister named Mary,

who sat at the Boss’ feet
and listened to what he was saying.

⁴⁰But Martha was distracted by her many tasks;

so she came to Jesus and asked,

“Boss, do you not care that my sister has left me

to do all the work by myself?

Tell her then to help me.”

⁴¹But the Boss answered her,

“Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things;

⁴²there is need of only one thing.
Mary has chosen the better part,

which will not be taken away from her.”

Queeries for the text:
Which "certain village" did Jesus enter?
Why was it Martha's house?  Did she and Mary not share it?  Were they sisters or "sisters"?
Which tasks distracted Martha?  Which tasks distract us?
Is there anything about which Jesus doesn't care?
Did Martha already ask for Mary to help her?
What worries Martha?  What worries us?  Why?
What is the better part for us?  Is it guaranteed the way Jesus guarantees Mary's better part?

What are your queeries?

Easter Day year C

Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.

Gospel: Luke 24:1-12
But on the first day of the week,

at early dawn,

the women came to the tomb,

taking the spices that they had prepared.

²They found the stone rolled away from the tomb,

³but when they went in,

they did not find the body.

⁴While they were perplexed about this,

suddenly two people in dazzling clothes stood beside them.

⁵The women were terrified

and bowed their faces to the ground,

but the people said to them,

“Why do you look for the living among the dead?

Jesus is not here,

but has risen.

⁶Remember how Jesus told you,

while still in Galilee,

⁷that the Human One must be handed over to sinners,

and be crucified,

and on the third day rise again.”

⁸Then the women remembered Jesus' words,

⁹and returning from the tomb,

they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest.

¹⁰Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James,

and the other women with them who told this to the apostles.

¹¹But these words seemed to them an idle tale,

and they did not believe them.

¹²But Peter got up and ran to the tomb;

stooping and looking in,

Peter saw the linen cloths by themselves;

then he went home,

amazed at what had happened.

Queeries for the text:
Which spices? How did the stone get rolled away?
What else dazzles? What is happening?!
How do we look for the living among the dead?
How much can we be expected to remember without the context?
Did Jesus tell more than just "the Twelve" about the upcoming death?
What should the role of women be?
What truths seem idle tales today?
How fast does Peter run?
Why didn't Peter share his amazement and findings with others?

What are your queeries?

22nd after pentecost year b - mark

The sons of Thunder!!!  (or just the cause)

Mark 10:35-45
³⁵James and John,

the sons of Zebedee,

came forward to Jesus and said to him,

“Teacher,

we want you to do for us

whatever we ask of you.”

³⁶And Jesus said to them,

“What is it you want me to do for you?”

³⁷And they said to Jesus,

“Grant us to sit,

one at your right hand and one at your left,

in your glory.”

³⁸But Jesus said to them,

“You do not know what you are asking.

Are you able to drink the cup that I drink,

or be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?”

³⁹They replied,

“We are able.”

Then Jesus said to them,

“The cup that I drink you will drink;

and with the baptism with which I am baptized,

you will be baptized;

⁴⁰but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant,

but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.”

⁴¹When the ten heard this,

they began to be angry with James and John.

⁴²So Jesus called them and said to them,

“You know that among the Gentiles

those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them,

and their great ones are tyrants over them.

⁴³But it is not so among you;

but whoever wishes to become great among you

must be your servant,

⁴⁴and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all.

⁴⁵For the Human One came not to be served but to serve,

and to give his life a ransom for many.”

Queeries for the text:
What have we skipped since last week?
What does thunder have to do with this?
Will the disciples *EVER* get it?
How much more entitled could the Sons of Thunder be?
Which baptism was Jesus baptized with?
For whom have those special seats been prepared?
How do rulers today lord their power over others?
Who are the servants among us?  Who are those legally enslaved in the u.s. today?
What does it mean to ransom others?
How is Jesus rejecting the false binaries of ruler/servant and powerful/powerless?

What are your queeries?



If you're interested in checking out the sermon that came out of this queery, you can find a brief description of the sermon and the image here!

easter 7 year b - acts

Acts 1:15-17, 21-26
¹⁵In those days 
     Peter stood up among the believers 
          (together the crowd numbered about one hundred twenty persons) 
     and said,
          ¹⁶“Friends, the scripture had to be fulfilled, 
               which the Holy Spirit through David foretold 
                    concerning Judas, 
                         who became a guide for those who arrested Jesus—
                              ¹⁷for he was numbered among us 
                              and was allotted his share in this ministry.”
          ²¹“So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time 
               that the Sovereign Jesus went in and out among us,
                    ²²beginning from the baptism of John 
                    until the day when Jesus was taken up from us—
                         one of these must become a witness with us 
                              to the resurrection.”
²³So they proposed two, 
     Joseph called Barsabbas, 
          who was also known as Justus, 
     and Matthias. 
²⁴Then they prayed and said, 
     “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. 
          Show us which one of these two you have chosen
               ²⁵to take the place in this ministry and apostleship 
                    from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.”
²⁶And they cast lots for them, 
     and the lot fell on Matthias; 
          and he was added to the eleven apostles.

Queeries for the text:
Is Peter confusing himself with God?
Does God even want someone to replace Judas?
What if God wants all of us to replace Judas?
Is "Luke" as obsessed with the perfection of the number 12(0) as Peter is?
Is Peter taking the easy way out?
Why does Peter only consider men? Is he that intimidated by people of other genders?
Does Peter even give God a "none of the above" option in this casting of lots?
Isn't Paul the final apostle? 
What would it look like to always have room for one more follower instead of obsessively filling in the extra spot to avoid any perception of imperfection?
  
What are your queeries?

lent 4 year b - ephesians

Ephesians 2:1-10

You were dead through the trespasses and sins 

     ²in which you once lived,

          following the course of this world,

          following the ruler of the power of the air,

               the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient.

     ³All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh,

          following the desires of flesh and senses,

     and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else.

⁴But God, who is rich in mercy,

     out of the great love with which They loved us 

          ⁵even when we were dead through our trespasses,

     made us alive together with Christ—

          by grace you have been saved— 

     ⁶With Christ God raised us up

     and enthroned us in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

          ⁷so that in the ages to come 

               God might show the immeasurable riches of Her grace

                    in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 

     ⁸For by grace you have been saved through faith,

          and this is not your own doing;

               it is the gift of God— 

                    ⁹not the result of works,

                         so that no one may boast. 

                    ¹⁰For we are what God has made us,

                         created in Christ Jesus for good works,

                              which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.

Queeries for the text:
What is the course of this world?
Who are the disobedient ones?
What are the passions of our flesh?
Is Paul coming out as Lutheran?
How are God's immeasurable riches of grace shown in this age?
What has God made us?
Who is the ruler of the power of the air?

What are your queeries?

epiphany year b - matthew

Matthew 2:1-12

In the time of King Herod,

     after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea,

          wise ones from the East came to Jerusalem, ²asking,

               “Where is the child 

                    who has been born king of the Jews?

                    For we observed his star at its rising,

                         and have come to pay him homage.” 

³When King Herod heard this,

     he was frightened,

     and all Jerusalem with him; 

     ⁴and calling together 

          all the chief priests 

          and scribes of the people,

          he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. 

     ⁵They told him,

          “In Bethlehem of Judea;

               for so it has been written by the prophet: 

                    ⁶‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,

                    are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;

                         for from you shall come a ruler 

                              who is to shepherd my people Israel.’” 

     ⁷Then Herod secretly called for the wise ones

          and learned from them the exact time 

               when the star had appeared. 

          ⁸Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying,

               “Go and search diligently for the child;

                    and when you have found him,

                         bring me word 

                              so that I may also go 

                              and pay him homage.”

⁹When they had heard the king,

     they set out;

     and there, ahead of them,

          went the star that they had seen at its rising,

               until it stopped over the place where the child was. 

          ¹⁰When they saw that the star had stopped,

               they were overwhelmed with joy. 

          ¹¹On entering the house,

               they saw the child with Mary his mother;

               and they knelt down and paid him homage.

               Then, opening their treasure chests,

                    they offered him gifts 

                         of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 

        ¹²And having been warned in a dream 

               not to return to Herod,

                    they left for their own country by another road.

Queeries for the text

How many magi were there?

Were the wise ones really magicians?  Witches and wizards?  Did their descendants know Harry Potter?

How long does it take to travel from the Far East to Bethlehem?

If Herod hadn't noticed, were Mary and Joseph planning on raising Jesus in Bethlehem?

Does that mean they found a home to live in during Jesus' first couple years of life?

Why do powerful men feel so threatened by those who are most vulnerable?

What do you do with awkward gifts?

Did Mary keep the frankincense and myrrh as they fled to Egypt as undocumented refugees?

What are your queeries?