Queerying 2nd after Epiphany

This week, we're dedicating Queerying The Text to the memory of the Rev. Gordon Straw. Rev. Straw, an enrolled member of the Brothertown Indian Nation and an ever-growing force in Lutheran theological education, influenced both of us: Emily as a mentor and colleague and River as a professor and trusted mentor. You might notice Rev. Straw's influence flowing through our Queeries this week.

-Emily and River

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

Tanakh: Isaiah 62:1-5
For the sake of Zion I will not be silent,

for the sake of Jerusalem I will not be still,

till her victory emerge resplendent and her triumph like a flaming torch.

Nations shall see your victory, and every ruler your majesty;

and you shall be called by a new name

which the Becoming One herself shall bestow.

You shall be a glorious crown in the hand of the Becoming One,

and a royal diadem in the palm of your God.

Nevermore shall you be called “Forsaken,”

Nor shall your land be called “Desolate”;

But you shall be called “I delight in her,”

and your land “Espoused.”

For the Becoming One takes delight in you, and your land shall be espoused.

As a youth espouses a maiden, your sons shall espouse you;

and as a bridegroom rejoices over their bride,

so will your God rejoice over you.

Queeries for the text:
Who is Jerusalem fighting?
Where else might we use flaming torches today?  How are flaming torches harmful?
Which nations are treated unfairly today?
How are new names important?
What is a diadem?
Who is desolate, or has been forsaken? How does God delight in them?

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

Gospel: John 2:1-11
On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee,

and the mother of Jesus was there.

²Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding.

³When the wine gave out,

the mother of Jesus said to him,

“They have no wine.”

⁴And Jesus said to her,

“Woman, what concern is that to you and to me?

My hour has not yet come.”

⁵Jesus' mother said to the servants,

“Do whatever he tells you.”

⁶Now standing there were six stone water jars

for the Jewish rites of purification,

each holding twenty or thirty gallons.

⁷Jesus said to the servants,

“Fill the jars with water.”

And they filled them up to the brim.

⁸Jesus said to them,

“Now draw some out,

and take it to the chief steward.”

So they took it.

⁹When the steward tasted the water that had become wine,

and did not know where it came from

(though the servants who had drawn the water knew),

the steward called the bridegroom ¹⁰and said to him,

“Everyone serves the good wine first,

and then the inferior wine

after the guests have become drunk.

But you have kept the good wine until now.”

¹¹Jesus did this,

the first of his signs,

in Cana of Galilee,

and revealed his glory;

and his disciples believed in him.

Queeries for the text:
On which third day?
Who was getting married in Cana?  How were Jesus, his mom, all the disciples and the wedding couple connected?  What other connections were there?
How did the mother of Jesus know he could fix the wine problem?
Who were the servants?  What was Jesus' mom's role at the wedding?
How much is 20-30 gallons?
What is the chief steward's role?
Is it good to have good wine late?  Why does it matter?
How many other signs are there?
Why does it matter that it was in Cana of Galilee?  How is location important?
Why is belief connected to the wine?
What is glory?

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.