River Needham, MA queeries the Tanakh reading.
Tanakh: Jeremiah 31:7-14
For thus said the Becoming One: cry out in joy for Jacob, shout at the crossroads of the nations! Sing aloud in praise, and say: Save, O Becoming One, Your people, the remnant of Israel. I will bring them in from the northland, gather them from the ends of the earth— the blind and the lame among them, those with child and those in labor— in a vast throng they shall return here. They shall come with weeping, with compassion will I guide them. I will lead them to streams of water, by a level road where they will not stumble. For I am ever a Parent to Israel, Ephraim is My first-born.
Hear the word of the Becoming One, O nations, tell it in the isles afar. Say: the one who scattered Israel will gather them, and will guard them as a shepherd their flock. For the Becoming One will ransom Jacob, redeem him from one too strong for him. They shall come and shout on the heights of Zion, radiant over the bounty of the Becoming One—over new grain and wine and oil, over sheep and cattle. They shall fare like a watered garden, they shall never languish again. Then shall maidens dance gaily, young men and old alike. I will turn their mourning to joy, I will comfort them and cheer them in their grief. I will give the priests their fill of fatness, and My people shall enjoy My full bounty —declares the Becoming One.
Queeries for the text:
Where is the crossroads of the nations?
How might disabled people receive and respond to this passage? How might different people receive and respond to this passage?
Queeries for the text:
Where is the crossroads of the nations?
How might disabled people receive and respond to this passage? How might different people receive and respond to this passage?
Why are level roads important?
Where else do watered gardens show up?
What does it mean to dance gaily?
How is fatness positive?
Where else do watered gardens show up?
What does it mean to dance gaily?
How is fatness positive?
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Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.
Gospel: John 1:1-18
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. 15(John
testified to the Word and cried out, “This was the one of whom I said, ‘The One who
comes after me ranks ahead of me because She was before me.’”) 16From the Word's fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Child, who is close to the Parent’s heart, who has made God known.
Queeries for the text:
Who is the Word?
How are light and darkness in conflict? How do they work together?
How can light be unaccepted?
What is the will of those who are not men?
What is a child's glory?
Why does John the Testifier like riddles so much?
Where is grace and truth in law?What are your queeries?
