Queerying 16th after Pentecost A

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

Tanakh: Exodus 16:2-15 

In the wilderness, the whole Israelite community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the hand of the Becoming One in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots, when we ate our fill of bread! For you have brought us out into this wilderness to starve this whole congregation to death.”

The Becoming One said to Moses, “I will rain down bread for you from the sky, and the people shall go out and gather each day that day’s portion—that I may thus test them, to see whether they will follow my instructions or not. But on the sixth day, when they apportion what they have brought in, it shall prove to be double the amount they gather each day.” 

So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, “By evening you shall know it was the Becoming One who brought you out from the land of Egypt; and in the morning you shall behold the Presence of the Becoming One, because they have heard your grumblings against the Becoming One. For who are we that you should grumble against us? Since it is the Becoming One,” Moses continued, “who will give you flesh to eat in the evening and bread in the morning to the full, because the Becoming One has heard the grumblings you utter against them, what is our part? Your grumbling is not against us, but against the Becoming One!” 

Then Moses said to Aaron, “Say to the whole Israelite community: Advance toward the Becoming One, for They have heard your grumbling.” 

And as Aaron spoke to the whole Israelite community, they turned toward the wilderness, and there, in a cloud, appeared the Presence of the Becoming One. The Becoming One spoke to Moses: “I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Speak to them and say: By evening you shall eat flesh, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread; and you shall know that I the Becoming One am your God.” In the evening quail appeared and covered the camp; in the morning there was a fall of dew about the camp. When the fall of dew lifted, there, over the surface of the wilderness, lay a fine and flaky substance, as fine as frost on the ground. When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?”—for they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “That is the bread which the Becoming One has given you to eat.

Queeries for the text:

Which character do you most relate to in this story?
What are fleshpots?
Where do we reject the God of Liberation?

Where else do we look for liberation?

What does God provide for us? 

Who changes in this story? How do they change?
 
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Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.

Gospel: Matthew 20:1-16

“For the reign of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for their vineyard. ²After agreeing with the laborers for the usual daily wage, they sent them into the vineyard. 

³When they went out about nine o’clock, they saw others standing idle in the marketplace ⁴and said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went. 

⁵When the landowner went out again about noon and about three o’clock, they did the same. ⁶And about five o’clock they went out and found others standing around and said to them, ‘Why are you standing here idle all day?’ 

⁷They said to the landowner, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ 

The landowner said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard.’ 

⁸When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to their manager, ‘Call the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.’ ⁹When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. 

¹⁰Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. ¹¹And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, ¹²saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ 

¹³But the landowner replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? ¹⁴Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. ¹⁵Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ ¹⁶So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

Queeries for the text:
How would the world be different if no one were forced to work in order to survive?
Why didn't anyone hire the 5pm laborers?
What impact did finally getting hired have on them?
What happens if God is the person at 5pm with no work?
Who is the real enemy?
What does friend mean?
What if no one was last or first?

What are your queeries?

Queerying 4th after Epiphany A

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

Tanakh: Micah 6:1-8

Hear what the Becoming One is saying: Come, present my case before the mountains, and let the hills hear you pleading. Listen, you mountains, the case of the Becoming One—you firm foundations of the earth! For the Becoming One has a case against her people, She has a suit against Israel. “My people! What wrong have I done you? What hardship have I caused you? Testify against me. In fact, I brought you up from the land of Egypt, I redeemed you from the house of bondage, and I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.

“My people, remember what Balak king of Moab plotted against you, and how Balaam son of Beor responded to him; from Shittim to Gilgal— and you will recognize the gracious acts of the Becoming One.” With what shall I approach the Becoming One, do homage to God on high? Shall I approach Her with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Would the Becoming One be pleased with thousands of rams, with myriads of streams of oil? Shall I give my first-born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for my sins? “She has told you, O human, what is good, and what the Becoming One requires of you: only to do justice and to love goodness, and to walk modestly with your God.”
Imbolc, Brigid, Nature, Trials, Slavery, Karbanot, Fight for 15, modesty

Queeries for the text:
What else is happening today, liturgically? In other faiths?
What do mountains listen to?
Does the Becoming One also have a case against the united states? What is that case?
As this text echoes the Parashot, or Torah readings this month, what does it mean to read this text through Christian eyes, who do not have the same history of religious oppression? What might it mean to read this text through white eyes, who do not have a history of slavery?
What kinds of offerings is the text proposing? Why is God not satisfied with any of them?
What is good and just?
How is modesty helpful and harmful?

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Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.

Gospel: Matthew 5:1-12
 
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, Jesus' disciples came to him. ²Then Jesus began to speak, and taught them, saying:
³“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the reign of heaven.
⁴“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
⁵“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
⁶“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
⁷“Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
⁸“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
⁹“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
¹⁰“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the reign of heaven.
¹¹“Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. ¹²Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Queeries for the text:
What did we skip?  Why does it matter?
Who are the poor in spirit?
Who are the meek?
Who hunger and thirst for righteousness?
Who are the peacemakers?  Who aren't?
Who are reviled and persecuted?

What are your queeries?

Queerying Holy Trinity Images

This blog was updated on 15 June 2019, after its original publishing (13 June 2019) with more images.

This week I asked folks on Facebook what images they liked for the Trinity and for the Holy Spirit.  The responses were wonderful, so I'm sharing them all together here for you.  Most of them are pictures, some are words, and some are both.  The pictures have image descriptions if you hover over them (if this is not the case, please let me know so that I can fix that!).

Jess Davis posted this image, which really embraces the relationality and solidarity of the Trinity.

Rev. Stefanie K. L. Fauth describes the Holy Spirit with: "I see the Holy Spirit as a ball of energy. Closest visual is crab nebula. Not that I think the Spirit is distant, it's just the closet visual of how I feel the energy.   "  I love outer space and really resonate with this image.  For me Space is resurrection, so whether it is a suggestion of this Crab Nebula (or Mariah's image below) or the gender of the day as a black hole, if you suggest outer space, there's a very good chance I will love it.

In looking at a variety of images, this one caught Rev. Kim Beckman's eye.  On a personal note, I particularly love the way the triangle combines with the round halo to evoke the trans pride flag.

Rev. Kim Beckman also posted this stating: "Bishop Macholz used this Pentecost picture for his cover photo this week. It moves me. There was a post by someone about Pentecost hymns in the ELW last week that noted you can either go gentle or go forceful with the Spirit and the ELW hymns mostly went gentle. I've been thinking about that a lot and how to break out of the binary, so to speak, and this image captures that for me."  Anything that breaks a binary is good and holy in my book :)

Ashley Herrikane posted this image, a common way of explaining the diversity of the person of the Trinity combined with the unity of the one essence of the Triune God.

Rev. Kim Beckman shared this image.  Along with the obvious name on the front of the uniform, the joy and relationship, even while distinct and made up of a diversity of people on the team, points toward the diversity of God's essence.

This was sent to me in a private message, reflecting on both the Vatican's recent transphobia, and images of the divine from a Christian perspective.  The English translation for the top is "Some stories have two dads" and the bottom right is "I am not your joke." This queering of family is deeply fitting for Christianity at its heart.

This image was added by Matt Bear-Fowler and Elle Dowd.  It is my favorite icon of the Trinity and I would love to own it someday.  It is queer in so many ways and deeply representative of the diversity of God.

Mariah Himes posted this and the one below stating, "I think of the holy spirit as big and beautiful and complex and deep as the universe, as well as gentle and soft and real as animal friends. I like to think she’s multifaceted 🙂"  The holding together of these two images is delightfully queer, resisting a binary or forced decision.

Mariah Himes posted this and the one above it stating, "I think of the holy spirit as big and beautiful and complex and deep as the universe, as well as gentle and soft and real as animal friends. I like to think she’s multifaceted 🙂"  The way these two images are held together breaks the binaries and boxes so often created.

Tucker O'Leary posted this one stating "This is one of my favorites. It’s an icon I have in my office with a whole explanation on the back."  The explanation on the back reads: "Crow Trinity: This Crow Trinity highlights the Great Spirit as the Sacred Eagle whose wings enfold the mystical unity of the elder and the Son.  The Christ wears a warrior shirt of native tanned hide, glass beads, porcupine quills and ermine skins.  The ermine skins indicate that the man wearing this shirt is an old-time warrior who has captured his enemy's gun.  Contemplating the Christ within the symbolism of the warrior shirt we see him victorious in disarming death of its ultimacy. / Traditional iconography gives witness to the human face of the Sacred.  This icon, imaged in the features of America's indigenous peoples, reveals anew that sacred power.  It celebrates the soul of the Native American as the original spiritual presence on this continent, and as a prophetic sign, it celebrates the reconciliation of the spiritual vision of Native and Christian peoples of this land."  This image makes explicit the beautiful connection of the Trinity with all of Creation.

Rev. Tyler D. Rasmussen posted this one, stating "I was thinking of someone who described the Trinity as 'Papa, Kiddo, and Spook' and tried to find an image of that, but instead I found this and it made me laugh.  (which apparently is Nimrod, and Babylonian god, but has occasionally be confused for the Trinity)."  The pink triangle evokes the pink triangles that were used to label gay men and transgender people especially during the Holocaust and which have become a symbol of the LGBTQ community.

Rev. Aaron Decker posted, "From Bernard of Clairvaux, preaching on Song of Songs 1.2a: The first person of the Trinity is the one who kisses, and the second person is the one who is kissed, and the kiss itself is the Holy Spirit. So, like, any good picture of a kiss would do nicely."  So, I chose this picture of a kiss-in in Russia from an article in The Advocate magazine which points towards the intimate connection of the whole Trinity as one Triune God.

Rev. Marie Sager posted Andrei Rublev's Icon of the Trinity with this link, explaining its history.  This image is taken from Abraham and Sarah's hospitality to strangers, later discovered to be angels, in Genesis and reminds us of the way that hospitality is essential to the experience of a Triune God.

Resonating with the above icon, additionally, Rev. John Michael Longworth describes the Trinity, stating "Inspired by Rubelev's Trinity, I imagine a cuddle threesome that always has a spot for a fourth."

Rev. Kim Beckman also posted this stating "I found this one on a site Aleteia thru google and it makes me smile! Trinity, Fridolin Lieber, Early 20th century." The baby angel heads, especially the ones used as footstools, make me laugh, reminding me of the delight with which God experiences Creation.

Mairi McGilvrie posted the above video of a rare Rainbow Blanket Octopus swimming, colors undulating in the water.  Mairi states, "This is my holy spirit image of the day! It just seemed to fit the question you asked! Beautiful peaceful rainbow octopus. That is the holy spirit playing dress up for me today"  To this I add that octopi are also clever, tricky as can be, and nearly impossible to capture or contain, also much like the Holy Spirit.

To end these wonderful images, Wendy Heilman posted this stating "Maybe this is not exactly what u r looking for??? Lol"

Sheri Kutsch-Stanton posted this, naming it as "Native Spirit..."  This image makes explicit the connection of the Spirit to Creation within the frame of Native Spirituality and Tradition.

Rev. Tyler Rasmussen, in looking for the hymn "Come, Join the Dance of Trinity," found the following images:

Batter My Heart, Three-Person'd God by John Donne

Batter my heart, three-person’d God, for you

As yet but knock, breathe, shine, and seek to mend;

That I may rise and stand, o’erthrow me, and bend

Your force to break, blow, burn, and make me new.

I, like an usurp’d town to another due,

Labor to admit you, but oh, to no end;

Reason, your viceroy in me, me should defend,

But is captiv’d, and proves weak or untrue.

Yet dearly I love you, and would be lov’d fain,

But am betroth’d unto your enemy;

Divorce me, untie or break that knot again,

Take me to you, imprison me, for I,

Except you enthrall me, never shall be free,

Nor ever chaste, except you ravish me.

 

This image and poem evoke the complexity and diversity of the Trinity within a framework of beauty and intimate relationship.

This image shows both the warm joy of the dance of navigating relationships and the connection of the Trinity as each person appears to blend into each other.

Trinity by Mark Jennings emphasizes the interconnection and overlap of the Triune God.

Dance of the Trinity evokes the movement and motion inherent in the Triune God.

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If you're wondering why none of these are Harry Potter references, it's because I've got an entire podcast devoted to that, so check out our podcast and find out what Pastor Kay and I come up with for Holy Trinity images!

What are your images for the Trinity?  For the Holy Spirit?  For the divine?

Queerying Easter 2C

The Gospel reading, also queeried last year, can be found at this link.

Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Acts reading.

Acts 5:27-32
²⁷When the captain and temple police had brought the apostles,

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 one’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 this Jesus to be Leader and Savior at God's right hand,

to give repentance to Israel
and forgiveness of sins.

³²And we are witnesses to these things,

and so is the Holy Spirit

who has been given to those who obey God.”

Queeries for the text:
How and from where had they brought the apostles?
What strict orders do religious leaders give today?
Whose blood is on us?
Where is Peter at in the stages of moral development?
How can we navigate human and divine authority?
Why does it matter that Jesus was hanged on a tree?
Who are our ancestors?
What does it mean to obey God in the context of this story?

What are your queeries?

7th after Epiphany year C

Periodic queerier, River Needham, queeries the Tanakh reading.

Tanakh: Genesis 45:3-11, [12-14], 15
Joseph said to eir brothers, “I am Joseph. Is my father still well?”

But eir brothers could not answer em, so dumbfounded were they on account of em.

Then Joseph said to eir brothers, “Come forward to me.”
Then, when they came forward, ey said:

“I am your brother Joseph, ey whom you sold into Egypt.

Now, do not be distressed or reproach yourselves because you sold me to them;

it was to save life that God sent me ahead of you.

It is now two years that there has been famine in the land,

and there are still five years to come in which there shall be no yield from tilling.

God has sent me ahead of you to ensure your survival on earth,

and to save your lives in an extraordinary deliverance.

So, it was not you who sent me here, but God;

and She has made me a parent to Pharaoh, sovereign of all his household,

and ruler over the whole land of Egypt.

“Now, hurry back to my father and say to him:

Thus says your son Joseph, ‘God has made me lord of all Egypt;

come down to me without delay.

You will dwell in the region of Goshen, where you will be near me—

you and your children and your grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and all that is yours.

There I will provide for you—for there are yet five years of famine to come—

that you and your household and all that is yours may not suffer want.’

[You can see for yourselves, and my brother Benjamin for himself, 

that it is indeed I who am speaking to you. 

Then, you must tell my father everything about my high station in Egypt and all that you have seen;

and bring my father here with all speed.

With that ey embraced eir brother Benjamin around the neck and wept, 

and Benjamin wept on eir neck.]

Ey kissed all eir brothers and wept upon them; only then were eir brothers able to talk to em.

Queeries for the text:
What does Joseph's first question point to?
Who else in Torah is dumbfounded?
Why does this famine get extensive Biblical coverage? Where are there famines today? What causes the famine?
Is God condoning or partaking in human trafficking?
Why is it important for Joseph's father to come to em?
Where is Goshen?
What happens to all of the people who live in Goshen?
What do Benjamin's tears portray?
What might Joseph's brothers say to em?

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Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.

Gospel: Luke 6:27-38
Jesus said:
²⁷“But I say to you that listen,

Love your enemies,

do good to those who hate you,

²⁸bless those who curse you,

pray for those who abuse you.

²⁹If anyone strikes you on the cheek,

offer the other also;

and from anyone who takes away your coat

do not withhold even your shirt.

³⁰Give to everyone who begs from you;

and if anyone takes away your goods,

do not ask for them again.

³¹Do to others as you would have them do to you.

³²“If you love those who love you,

what credit is that to you?

For even sinners love those who love them.

³³If you do good to those who do good to you,

what credit is that to you?

For even sinners do the same.

³⁴If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive,

what credit is that to you?
Even sinners lend to sinners,

to receive as much again.

³⁵But love your enemies,

do good,

and lend,

expecting nothing in return.

Your reward will be great,

and you will be children of the Most High;

who is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked.

³⁶Be merciful,

just as the One who made you and loves you is merciful.

³⁷“Do not judge,

and you will not be judged;

do not condemn,

and you will not be condemned.

Forgive,

and you will be forgiven;

³⁸give,

and it will be given to you.

A good measure,

pressed down,
shaken together,
running over,

will be put into your lap;

for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.”

Queeries for the text:
What does it mean to love your enemy?
How do you pray for those who abuse you?
Why would you offer the other cheek?
Why would you strip naked for someone?
How is our relationship with money life-giving?  How is it life-taking?
When is it not good to do to others as you would have them do to you?
How has this text been harmful?
A good measure of what?

What are your queeries?

Queerying Christmas 1 Year C

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

Tanakh: 1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26
Samuel was engaged in the service of the Becoming One as an attendant, girded with a linen ephod. Hir mother would also make a little robe for hir and bring it up to hir every year, when she made the pilgrimage with her husband to offer the annual sacrifice. Eli would bless Elkanah and eir wife, and say, “May the Becoming One grant you offspring by this woman in place of the loan she made to the Becoming One.” Then they would return home.
Young Samuel, meanwhile, grew in esteem and favor both with God and with humans.

Queeries for the text:
What is missing from this text?
What does it mean to be an attendant?
What is an ephod?
What pilgrimages do we make today?
What does it mean to bless someone?
Where is home? What is home?
What does it mean to grow in esteem and favor?

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

Gospel: Luke 2:41-52
⁴¹Now every year Jesus' parents went to Jerusalem

for the festival of the Passover.

⁴²And when Jesus was twelve years old,

they went up as usual for the festival.

⁴³When the festival was ended and they started to return,

the child Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem,

but his parents did not know it.

⁴⁴Assuming that he was in the group of travelers,

they went a day’s journey.

Then they started to look for Jesus among their relatives and friends.

⁴⁵When they did not find Jesus,

they returned to Jerusalem to search for him.

⁴⁶After three days they found Jesus in the temple,

sitting among the teachers,

listening to them

and asking them questions.

⁴⁷And all who heard Jesus were amazed

at his understanding and his answers.

⁴⁸When Jesus' parents saw him they were astonished;

and his mother said to him,

“Child, why have you treated us like this?

Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety.”

⁴⁹Jesus said to them,

“Why were you searching for me?

Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”

⁵⁰But they did not understand what Jesus said to them.

⁵¹Then Jesus went down with them and came to Nazareth,

and was obedient to them.

His mother treasured all these things in her heart.

⁵²And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years,

and in divine and human favor.

Queeries for the text:
How hard is it to get to Jerusalem every year for the Passover?
What were Mary and Joseph doing during the festival?
What system of family care-giving did Jesus grow up with?
Where did Jesus sleep after Mary and Joseph began to head home?
Why does everything happen after three days?
If Jesus was listening and asking questions, how could people be amazed at his answers?
Who is responsible for anxiety?
How often do we not understand Jesus?  Children?
When else did Mary treasure things in her heart?
What does it mean to increase in wisdom? years? divine favor? human favor?

What are your queeries?