Queerying Christmas 2A

River Needham, 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,
and 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, and tell it in the isles afar.
Say: The one who scattered Israel will gather them, and will guard them as a shepherd her 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, and over sheep and cattle. They shall fare like a watered garden,
they shall never languish again. Then shall maidens dance gaily, young 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:
What is the crossroads of the nations?
Which remnant of Israel is Jeremiah talking about here?
How does the way we talk about people with disabilities matter?
Why are they weeping when they return?
Where else are Shepherds in the Prophets?
Where else does mourning turn to something joyful?
Why is fatness important? What connotations came with fatness?

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Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.

Gospel: John 1:[1-9] 10-18

[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 Them, and without Them 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. ⁷He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. ⁸John himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. ⁹The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.]
  ¹⁰The true light was in the world, and the world came into being through Them; yet the world did not know Them. ¹¹The light came to what was Their own, and Their own people did not accept Them. ¹²But to all who received the light, who believed in Their 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 man, but of God.
  ¹⁴And the Word became flesh and lived 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 they were 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 does Word become flesh?
What is true light?
What is the law?
How do we testify?

What are your queeries?

Queerying Advent 2A

River Needham, queeries the Tanakh reading.

Tanakh: Isaiah 11:1-10

But a shoot shall grow out of the stump of Jesse, a twig shall sprout from his stock.
The spirit of the Becoming One shall alight upon her:

a spirit of wisdom and insight, a spirit of counsel and valor, a spirit of devotion and reverence for the Becoming One.

She shall sense the truth by her reverence for the Becoming One: she shall not judge by what her eyes behold, nor decide by what her ears perceive.

Thus she shall judge the poor with equity and decide with justice for the lowly of the land. She shall strike down a land with the rod of her mouth and slay the wicked with the breath of her lips.

Justice shall be the girdle of her loins, and faithfulness the girdle of her waist. The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, the leopard lie down with the kid; the calf, the beast of prey, and the fatling together, with a little one to herd them. The cow and the bear shall graze, their young shall lie down together; and the lion, like the ox, shall eat straw. A babe shall play over a viper’s hole, and an infant pass their hand over an adder’s den.

In all of my sacred mount nothing evil or vile shall be done; for the land shall be filled with devotion to the Becoming One as water covers the sea. In that day, the stock of Jesse that has remained standing shall become a standard to peoples— nations shall seek her counsel and her abode shall be honored.

Queeries for the text:
How do twigs sprout from stock?
How is the spirit of the Becoming One separate from or a part of the Becoming One? Does her spirit have devotion and reverence for her? Does this make her narcissistic?
Who are the lowly of the land?
What might the breath of her lips tell us about the Becoming One?
How might biology change in this vision of reality?
How is devotion to the Becoming One quantified?
 
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Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.

Gospel: Matthew 3:1-12
In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming,

²“Repent, for the reign of heaven has come near.” ³This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said,

“The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Becoming One, make their paths straight.’”

⁴Now John wore clothing of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. ⁵Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, ⁶and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

⁷But when John saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism,
he said to them,

“You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? ⁸Bear fruit worthy of repentance. ⁹Do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. ¹⁰Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
¹¹“I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry this one's sandals. They will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. ¹²Their winnowing fork is in their hand, and they will clear their threshing floor and will gather their wheat into the granary; but the chaff they will burn with unquenchable fire.”

Queeries for the text:
Did John apparate into the wilderness? If not, how did John just appear?
Why would the Becoming One want anything straight?
Why locust and wild honey?
What kind of fruit is worthy of repentance?
Can stones become children?
Is good fruit worthy of repentance? Why would good fruit need repentance?
Who is what? Fruit? Wheat? Chaff?  Are we even meant to be in the symbolism?
What sort of baptism happens by fire?

What are your queeries?

Queerying 8th after Pentecost C

Periodic queerier, River Needham, queeries the Tanakh reading.

Tanakh: Hosea 11:1-11
God Said:
I fell in love with Israel when he was still a child; I have called him my son ever since Egypt. Thus were they called, but they went their own way; they sacrifice to Ba'als and offer to carved images. I have pampered Ephraim, taking them in my arms; but they have ignored my healing care. I drew them with human ties, with cords of love; but I seemed to them as one who imposed a yoke on their jaws, though I was offering them food. No! They return to the land of Egypt, and Assyria is their king. Because they refuse to repent, a sword shall descend upon their towns and consume their limbs and devour them because of their designs. For my people persists in its defection from me; when it is summoned upward, it does not rise at all. How can I give you up, O Ephraim? How can I surrender you, O Israel? How can I make you like Admah, render you like Zeboiim? I have had a change of heart, all my tenderness is stirred. I will not act on my wrath, will not turn to destroy Ephraim. For I am God, not human, the Holy One in your midst: I will not come in fury. The Becoming One will roar like a lion, and they shall march behind Hir; when Ze roars, Hir children shall come fluttering out of the west. They shall flutter from Egypt like sparrows, from the land of Assyria like doves; and I will settle them in their homes —declares the Becoming One

Queeries for the text:
Where else is God jealous?
What do we know about jealousy today?
How do religious expression and intimate partner violence interact?
Who can you turn to if you are experiencing intimate partner violence?
What happened to Admah and Zeboiim?
What cycle stages are happening toward the end of the passage?
What flutters?

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Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.

Gospel: Luke 12:13-21
¹³Someone in the crowd said to Jesus,

“Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.”

¹⁴But Jesus said to them,

“Friend, who set me to be a judge or arbitrator over you?”

¹⁵And Jesus said to the crowd,

“Take care!

Be on your guard against all kinds of greed;

for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.”

¹⁶Then Jesus told them a parable:

“The land of a rich man produced abundantly.
¹⁷And he thought to himself,

‘What should I do,

for I have no place to store my crops?’

¹⁸Then the rich man said,

‘I will do this:

I will pull down my barns and build larger ones,

and there I will store all my grain and my goods.

¹⁹And I will say to my soul,

‘Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years;

relax, eat, drink, be merry.’

²⁰But God said to the rich man,

‘You fool!
This very night your life is being demanded of you.

And the things you have prepared,

whose will they be?’

²¹So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves

but are not rich toward God.”

Queeries for the text:
Why would(n't) a sibling share the inheritance?
When do we set the wrong people up to be judge?
How many kinds of greed are there?
Why is it "his crops" when the land is the one to produce?
Is a famine coming?  Is the rich man planning for climate change?
Why does size matter to the rich man?  Is bigger actually better?
Can goods last for many years?
Why is the rich man talking to his own soul?  Is he Voldemort?
What is demanding his life?
Where do our treasures go?


What are your queeries?

Queerying 7th after Pentecost C

Periodic queerier, River Needham, queeries the Tanakh reading.

Tanakh: Hosea 1:2-10

When the Becoming One first spoke to Hosea, the Becoming One said to Hosea, “Go, get yourself a wife of whoredom and children of whoredom; for the land will stray from following the Becoming One.”
So Hosea went and married Gomer daughter of Diblaim. She conceived and bore him a son, and the Becoming One instructed him, “Name him Jezreel; for, I will soon punish the House of Jehu for the bloody deeds at Jezreel and put an end to the monarchy of the House of Israel. In that day, I will break the bow of Israel in the Valley of Jezreel.”
She conceived again and bore a daughter; and Ze said to him, “Name her Lo-ruhamah; for I will no longer accept the House of Israel or pardon them. (But I will accept the House of Judah. And I will give them victory through the Becoming One their God; I will not give them victory with bow and sword and battle and horses and riders.)”
After weaning Lo-ruhamah, she conceived and bore a son. Then Ze said, “Name him Lo-ammi; for you are not My people, and I will not be your God.” The number of the people of Israel shall be like that of the sands of the sea, which cannot be measured or counted; and instead of being told, “You are Not-My-People,” they shall be called Children-of-the-Living-God.

Queeries for the text:
How has whoredom been misappropriated?
Where else does whoredom show up in the Tanakh?
How does the land move?
Where does whoredom exist today?
What is whoredom?
What does it mean to not recieve mercy (lo-ruhamah)?
What does this passage say about the status of women?
Would you change this passage, if you were able to write it today? How would you change it?
What do we need mercy for today?
Who am I not asking about?

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Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.

Gospel: Luke 11:1-13
Jesus was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.”  

²Jesus said to them, “When you pray, say: Zaza, hallowed be your name. Let your reign come. ³Give us each day our daily bread. ⁴And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us. And do not bring us to the time of trial.”  

⁵And Jesus said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to that friend at midnight and say to zir, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; ⁶for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have nothing to set before them.’ ⁷And ze answers from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been locked, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.’ ⁸I tell you, even though ze will not get up and give you anything because you are zir friend, at least because of your persistence ze will get up and give you whatever you need.

⁹“So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. ¹⁰For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. ¹¹Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for a fish, will give a snake instead of a fish? ¹²Or if the child asks for an egg, will give a scorpion? ¹³If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Zaza give the Holy Spirit to those who ask!”

Queeries for the text:
What's with all the certain places?
How are these words different from the versions of the Jesus' Prayer used today?  How else could we pray with this model?
What time of trial?
What quality of friends do you have to not lend bread?
What is asked for and not given?
What do we search for and not find?
What doors are still locked closed?
Would Slytherins give snakes instead of fish?
How are the disciples evil?

What are your queeries?

Queerying Pentecost C

Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the reading from Acts.

Acts 2:1-21
When the day of Pentecost had come,

the disciples 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 the Spirit 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, they 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,

“You Judeans 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 Lord shall be saved.’

Queeries for the text:
Why was it called the day of Pentecost?
What does a violent wind sound like?
Did they know which charm Wendelin the Weird used to protect from fire?
How many languages would be spoken today?
What are they saying about God's deeds of power?
Are they Lutherans? Or is this where Luther got it?
Do others also speak more easily in another language while drinking?  Who drinks at 9am
What are the dreams and visions?  What are the portents?
Is someone cooking over a campfire?  Is Joel talking about lunar and solar eclipses?
How else does coming out give birth to new opportunities and communities?

What are your queeries?

Lent 2 year C

Periodic queerier, River Needham, and guest queerier, Jessica Davis, queery the Tanakh reading.

Tanakh: Genesis 15:1-12, [13-16], 17-18

Some time later, the word of the Becoming One came to Abram in a vision.
She said, “Fear not, Abram, I am a shield to you; Your reward shall be very great.”
Then Abram said, “O Becoming God, what can You give me,

seeing that I shall die childless,

and the one in charge of my household is Dammesek Eliezer!”

Abram continued, “Since You have granted me no offspring,

my steward will be my heir.”

The word of the Becoming One came to him in reply,

“That one shall not be your heir;

none but your very own issue shall be your heir.”

She took him outside and said, “Look toward heaven and count the stars,

if you are able to count them.”

Then She added, “So shall your offspring be.”
And because he put his trust in the Becoming One, She reckoned it to his merit.
Then She said to him, “I am the Becoming One who brought you out

from Ur of the Chaldeans to assign this land to you as a possession.”

And he said, “O Becoming God, how shall I know that I am to possess it?”
She answered, “Bring me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old she-goat, a three-year-old ram,

a turtledove, and a young bird.”

He brought Her all these and cut them in two, placing each half opposite the other;

but he did not cut up the bird.

Birds of prey came down upon the carcasses, and Abram drove them away. As the sun was about to set, a deep sleep fell upon Abram, and a great dark dread descended upon him.
[Then She said to Abram, “Know well that your offspring

shall be strangers  in a land not theirs, and

they shall be enslaved and oppressed four hundred years;

but I will execute judgment on the nation

they shall serve, and in the end they shall go free with great wealth.

As for you, You shall go to your ancestors in peace; You shall be buried

at a ripe old age.

And they shall return here in the fourth generation,

for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.”]

When the sun set and it was very dark, there appeared a smoking oven,

and a flaming torch which passed between those pieces.

On that day the Becoming One made a covenant with Abram, saying,

“To your offspring I assign this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates:..."

Queeries for the text:
Are the Becoming One and the Becoming God the same?
Who else is a steward? How do stewards exist today? What might justice look like for stewards?
What does it mean to count the stars?
What allows Abram to be so forward with demanding things of G-d?
How did Abram carry all the animals? Did he have a pickup truck?
Why was so much of the Becoming One's Covenant omitted from the pericope?
What does it mean for God to give humans land to possess? What does it mean to possess land?
Where did the smoking oven and flaming torch come from? What powers them?

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Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.

Gospel: Luke 13:31-35
³¹At that very hour

some Pharisees came and said to Jesus,

“Get away from here,

for Herod wants to kill you.”

³²Jesus said to them,

“Go and tell that fox for me,

‘Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow,

and on the third day I finish my work.

³³Yet today, tomorrow, and the next day I must be on my way,

because it is impossible for a prophet to be killed outside of Jerusalem.’

³⁴“Jerusalem, Jerusalem,

the city that kills the prophets

and stones those who are sent to it!

How often have I desired to gather your children together

as a hen gathers her brood under her wings,

and you were not willing!

³⁵See, your house is left to you.

And I tell you,

you will not see me until the time comes when you say,

‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Becoming One.’”

Queeries for the text:
At which hour?  Where was Herod?
Why were Pharisees warning Jesus?
Why would Jesus call Herod a fox?
Have prophets ever been killed outside Jerusalem?
Can Jesus the Hen actually protect the brood from a fox?
Who else is like a mother hen?
When will people say "Blessed is the one..."?  Why?
Why does Jesus leave the house to them?

What are your queeries?

Queerying Christmas Eve

Periodic queerier, River Needham, queeried the reading from the Tanakh.

Tanakh: 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.

Queeries for the text:
What is happening to the brilliant light right now?
How do you live on a land of gloom?
What spoils do specific groups of us [unfairly] divide today?
Which taskmasters do we serve today?
How do you plan grace?
What about eternal peace?
Who is this ruler?

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Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeried the reading from the Gospel.

Gospel: Luke 2:1-14[15-20]
In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus

that all the 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 they were there,

the time came for her to deliver her child.

⁷And she gave birth to her firstborn

and wrapped him in bands of cloth,

and laid him in a manger,

because there was no place for them in the inn.

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 they 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 Sovereign.

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 army,

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 them

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:
Why do people get registered?
Who is Quirinius?
Why was Jesus born at that time?
What sort of place was Jesus born?
What do shepherds do with their time?
What happened to the sheep when the shepherds went to Bethlehem?
Who else did the shepherds find with Mary, Joseph, and the child?
How do we treasure and ponder words in our hearts?
How can we glorify and praise God?

What are your queeries?

25th after pentecost year b - mark

Mark 12:38-44
³⁸As Jesus taught, he said,

“Beware of the scribes,

who like to walk around in long robes,

and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces,

³⁹and to have the best seats

in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets!

⁴⁰They devour widows’ houses

and for the sake of appearance say long prayers.

They will receive the greater condemnation.”

⁴¹Jesus sat down opposite the treasury,

and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury.

Many rich people put in large sums.

⁴²A poor widow came

and put in two small copper coins,

which are worth a penny.

⁴³Then Jesus called his disciples and said to them,

“Truly I tell you,

this poor widow has put in more

than all those who are contributing to the treasury.

⁴⁴For all of them have contributed out of their abundance;

but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had,

all she had to live on.”

Queeries for the text:
How does respectability politics factor into the actions of the scribes?
Who likes to have the best seats today?
What do we do for the sake of appearances today?
How would people react today if their giving were being watched?
How does first century Mark know how much a penny is worth?
Is it Widow Sunday this week on purpose?
What does Jesus have to say about class and wealth in this passage?
What about people who are neither the poor widow nor the rich people?
What would happen if the poor widow and the rich people befriended each other like Harry and Ron?

What are your queeries?

17th after pentecost year b - isaiah

Special thanks to guest queerier, River Needham!  

Isaiah 50: 4-9a  
⁴The Becoming One has given me
    The tongue of those who are taught,
    That I should know how to sustain with words the one who is weary;
    Who awakens morning by morning,
    Who awakens my ear
    To hear as they who are taught.
⁵The Becoming One has opened my ear,
    And I was not rebellious,
    Nor turned away backward.
⁶I gave my back to the smiters,
    And my cheeks to the ones that plucked off the hair;
    I hid not my face from shame and spitting.
⁷For The Becoming One will help me;
    Therefore have I not been confounded;
    Therefore have I set my face like a flint,
    And I know that I shall not be ashamed.
⁸Xe is near who justifies me;
    Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together;
    Who is my adversary? Let Xem come near to me.
⁹Behold, the Becoming One will help me; 
    Who is the one who shall condemn me?

Queeries for the text:
Can tongues be transplanted?
How can words sustain us? Teach us?
What is ear opening? How would you respond to ear opening?
What does plucking out hair have to do with anything? What about spitting?
What does it look like when the Becoming One helps? How does it prevent being confounded?
What is justification in this passage; how does Xe enact it?
Is The Becoming One simultaneously justifier and adversary?
How does The Becoming One protect against condemnation?

What are your queeries?

11th after pentecost year b - john

Special thanks once again this week to River Needham for their collaboration!
 
John 6:24-35
²⁴So when the crowd saw
     that neither Jesus nor his disciples were beside the sea,
          they themselves got into the boats 
          and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus.
               ²⁵When they found Jesus on the other side of the sea, 
                    they said to him, 
                         “Rabbi, when did you come here?”  
²⁶Jesus answered them, 
     “Very truly, I tell you, 
          you are looking for me, 
               not because you saw signs, 
                    but because you ate your fill of the loaves.
          ²⁷Do not work for the food that perishes, 
               but for the food that endures for everlasting life, 
                    which the Human One will give you. 
                         For it is on the Human One 
                              that God, the Father, has set the seal.” 
²⁸Then they said to Jesus, 
     “What must we do to perform the works of God?”  
²⁹Jesus answered them, 
     “This is the work of God, 
          that you believe in the one whom God has sent.”  
³⁰So they said to Jesus, 
     “What sign are you going to give us then, 
          so that we may see it and believe you? 
               What work are you performing?
          ³¹Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; 
               as it is written, 
                    ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” 
³²Then Jesus said to them, 
     “Very truly, I tell you, 
          it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, 
               but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven.
                    ³³For the bread of God is 
                         that which comes down from heaven 
                         and gives life to the world.”  
³⁴They said to Jesus, 
     “Ruler, give us this bread always.”  
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.

Queeries for the text:
What did we skip from last week to this week?
What kind of seal did "God the Father" set on Jesus?  Can this seal be broken?  Are these seals set on other creatures also?
Is Jesus making faith into a work?
Does Jesus want them to care about the sign or not?
Do they still want to make Jesus king?  Or do they just think that Jesus is a wizard? 
Is manna true bread or elven bread?  Is Jesus manna?
Will the Human One give the bread of life or does God?  Or is the Human One the bread of life?
What am I hungering for?
How does bread quench thirst?
How does Jesus feel about low-carb diet fads? 

What are your queeries?



Sermon: 
Last night's sermon drew on my experience of queerying this text along with the first reading: Exodus 16:2-4, 9-15.  As with other sermons, I understand clearly how they connect, but if you don't or you want to know more, please ask!

The visual for today's sermon.

 

ascension day year b - acts

Acts 1:1-11
In the first book, Theophilus, 
     I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught 
          from the beginning 
               ²until the day when They were taken up to heaven, 
                    after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit 
                         to the apostles whom Jesus had chosen. 
     ³After Jesus' suffering  
          They presented Themself alive to the apostles 
               by many convincing proofs, 
                    appearing to them during forty days 
                    and speaking about the reign of God. 
          ⁴While staying with them, 
               Jesus ordered the apostles not to leave Jerusalem, 
                    but to wait there for the promise of Abba. 
               “This,” Jesus said, “is what you have heard from me;
                    ⁵for John baptized with water, 
                         but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit 
                              not many days from now.” 

⁶So when they had come together, they asked Jesus, 
     “Teacher, is this the time when you will restore the reign to Israel?”
⁷Jesus replied, 
     “It is not for you to know the times or periods 
          that Abba has set by Their own authority.
     ⁸But you will receive power 
          when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; 
     and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, 
          in all Judea and Samaria, 
               and to the ends of the earth.” 
⁹When Jesus had said this, 
     as they were watching, 
          Jesus was lifted up, 
          and a cloud took Them out of their sight. 
     ¹⁰While Jesus was going 
          and they were gazing up toward heaven, 
               suddenly two people in white robes stood by them.
     ¹¹They said, 
          “You Galileans, 
               why do you stand looking up toward heaven? 
          This Jesus, 
               who has been taken up from you into heaven, 
                    will come in the same way as you saw Them go into heaven.”

Queeries for the text:
What's the first book?
Who is Theophilus?
Why do we always need so much proof?
Why are they talking about timing when Jesus is talking about the Holy Spirit?
Why are we so concerned about knowing all the details and exact timing?
What's it like when the Holy Spirit comes upon you?
Why does Jesus specify Jerusalem, all Judea and Samaria?
Did the two people apparate?  
Why do we look to heaven for Jesus when Christ is present all around us?
Does "the same way" mean pressing rewind, head first, or something else?   

What are your queeries?