Queerying 7th after Epiphany C

Guest queerier, Pace Warfield-May, queeries the Tanakh Reading.

Tanakh Reading: Genesis 45:3-11, 15
³Joseph said to their brothers, "I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?" But Joseph’s brothers were so stunned in realizing that they were in Joseph’s presence. ⁴Then Joseph said to their brothers, "Come near to me." And they came near.

Joseph said, "I am your sibling, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. ⁵And now do not grieve nor be angry at yourselves because you sold me here; for out of this situation God has sent me before you to preserve life. ⁶For the famine has been in the land these two years; and there are five more years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. ⁷God sent me ahead of you for you to be a remnant on earth, and to save your lives by escaping the famine. ⁸So it was not you who sent me here, but God; She has made me Pharaoh's caregiver and supervisor of all Pharaoh’s house and ruler over all the land of Egypt. ⁹Hurry and go up to my father and say to him, 'Thus says your child Joseph, God has made me the ruler of all Egypt; come down to me, do not delay. ¹⁰You shall settle in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children's children, as well as your flocks, your herds, and all that you have. ¹¹I will provide for you there--since there are five more years of famine to come--so that you and your household, and all whom you love and all that you have, will not come to poverty.'"

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¹⁵And Joseph kissed all their brothers and wept on them; and after that their brothers talked with them.

Queeries for the text:
What is missing from this passage?
Where or what is Goshen?
How is Joseph framing God’s actions in this story?
What is a famine? Who is impacted the most by famines?
How was Joseph gender nonconforming?
What does it look like to weep on someone?

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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 undergarment. 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; for She is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. ³⁶Be merciful, just as your Caregiver 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:
How do we love our enemies?
Why would I turn a cheek?
What happens without any clothes?
Where does credit come from?
How do we judge? 
A good measure of what?

What are your queeries?

Queerying Christmas 1

River Needham, MA queeries the Tanakh reading.

Tanakh: Isaiah 61:10-62:3

I rejoice with the highest joy in the Becoming One. My whole existence exalts Her, for She has given me the triumphant clothes to wear and wrapped me in a cloak of victory. She has dressed me like a bride and groom in their wedding attire. Just like the earth brings forth growth and the garden feeds the seeds so they grow tall, so will Becoming Itself be victorious and known throughout the nations. I am not silent for the sake of Zion and Jerusalem. I cannot, I will not be still until she is victorious and resplendent, her triumph like an Olympic torch. As you travel the earth, nations will see the victory of the Becoming One, and every sovereign your majesty. You will be called by a new name that the Becoming One will give you. You will be a royal diadem and a glorious crown in the hands of the Becoming One. 

Queeries for the text:
What is the highest joy? Where can it be found?

What might be a cloak of victory?

What's the relationship between Becoming Itself and The Becoming One?
What is victorious about an Olympic torch?
How far did the world extend in this text?
Who gets a new name?

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Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.

 

 

Gospel: Luke 2:22-40

²²When the time came for the family's cleansing according to the law of Moses, they brought Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Becoming One ²³(as it is written in the law of the Becoming One, “Every firstborn male shall be designated as set apart to the Becoming One”), ²⁴and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Becoming One, “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”

²⁵Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on Simeon. ²⁶It had been revealed to Simeon by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Becoming One’s Messiah. ²⁷Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, ²⁸Simeon took Jesus in his arms and praised God, saying, ²⁹“Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; ³⁰for my eyes have seen your salvation, ³¹which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, ³²a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.” 

³³And Joseph and the child's mother were amazed at what was being said about Jesus. ³⁴Then Simeon blessed them and said to Jesus' mother Mary, “This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed ³⁵so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.” 

³⁶There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, ³⁷then as a widow for eighty-four years. She never left the temple but worshiped there with fasting and prayer night and day. ³⁸At that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. ³⁹When they had finished everything required by the law of the Becoming One, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. ⁴⁰The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon Jesus.

Queeries for the text:

What did we skip? Why?

What cleansing? How is it customary?

Where else have I heard of two turtle doves?

How amazed could Mary and Joseph be after their experience with the shepherds?

When do swords pierce our souls?

Where is space for proclamations and prophecies from diverse people?

When is fasting good? Necessary? Harmful?

What does it mean to redeem a country?

What is the favor of God like?

 

What are your queeries?