Queerying Ash Wednesday

River Needham, MA queeries the Tanakh reading.

Tanakh: Joel 2: 1-2, 12-17

“Blow a horn in Zion, sound an alarm on my holy mount! Let all dwellers on earth tremble, for the day of the Becoming One has come! It is close—a day of darkness and gloom, a day of densest cloud spread like soot over the hills. A vast, enormous horde — nothing like it has ever happened, and it shall never happen again through the years and ages. 

[...]

“Yet even now”—says the Becoming One— “Turn back to me with all your hearts, and with fasting, weeping, and lamenting.” Rend your hearts rather than your garments, and turn back to the Becoming One your God. For Ze is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in kindness, and renouncing punishment. Who knows but Ze may turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind for meal offering and drink offering to the Becoming One your God? Blow a horn in Zion, solemnize a fast, proclaim an assembly! Gather the people, bid the congregation purify themselves. Bring together the old, gather the babes and breastfeeding children; let the bridegroom come out of his chamber, the bride from her canopied couch. Between the portico and the altar, let the priests, the Becoming One's ministers, weep and say: “Oh, spare Your people, Becoming One! Let not Your possession become a mockery, to be taunted by nations! Let not the peoples say, ‘Where is their God?’”

Queeries for the text:

What is missing from this text?
What is the day of the Becoming One?

Who's getting married now?

How do we turn back our hearts?

What do we turn back our hearts from?

What methods are less helpful today?

What is the portico, and what does it do?

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Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.

 

 

Gospel: Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21

Jesus said:

“Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Parent in heaven. 

 

²“So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. ³But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

⁵“And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. ⁶But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

¹⁶“And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. ¹⁷But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, ¹⁸so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

¹⁹“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; ²⁰but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Queeries for the text:

What's missing?

What does it look like to practice piety

Who prays at street corners? What is their reward?

How is fasting helpful? Harmful?

What treasures are stored up?

Where do you want your heart to go?

 

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?