Queerying 23rd after Pentecost C - Isaiah

Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Tanakh reading.

Tanakh: Isaiah 65:17-25
¹⁷ For I am about to create new heavens
   and a new earth;
the former things shall not be remembered
   or come to mind.
¹⁸ But be glad and rejoice for ever
   in what I am creating;
for I am about to create Jerusalem as a joy,
   and its people as a delight.
¹⁹ I will rejoice in Jerusalem,
   and delight in my people;
no more shall the sound of weeping be heard in it,
   or the cry of distress.
²⁰ No more shall there be in it
   an infant that lives but a few days,
   or an old person who does not live out a lifetime;
for one who dies at a hundred years will be considered a youth,
   and one who falls short of a hundred will be considered accursed.
²¹ They shall build houses and inhabit them;
   they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
²² They shall not build and another inhabit;
   they shall not plant and another eat;
for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be,
   and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands.
²³ They shall not labour in vain,
   or bear children for calamity;
for they shall be offspring blessed by the Becoming One—
   and their descendants as well.
²⁴ Before they call I will answer,
   while they are yet speaking I will hear.
²⁵ The wolf and the lamb shall feed together,
   the lion shall eat straw like the ox;
   but the serpent—its food shall be dust!
They shall not hurt or destroy
   on all my holy mountain, says the Becoming One. 

Queeries for the text:
What former things will not come to mind?
What happens when people don't remember?
Which infants live but a few days?
Who doesn't live out a lifetime?
Who creates with their lives?
How must the powerful change to achieve the restoration of wolf and lamb?
How does the church hurt?

What are your queeries?


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The manuscript for the sermon I preached, rooted in these queeries, can be found on my other blog here.

Transfiguration year C

Periodic queerier, River Needham, queeries the Tanakh reading.

Tanakh: Exodus 34:29-35
So Moses came down from Mount Sinai.
Then, as Moses came down from the mountain bearing the two tablets of the pact,

Moses was not aware that the skin of his face was radiant, since he had

spoken with Her.

Aaron and all the Israelites saw that the skin of Moses’ face was radiant; and they

shrank from coming near him.

But Moses called to them, and Aaron and all the chieftains in the assembly returned

to him, and Moses spoke to them.

Afterward all the Israelites came near, and he instructed them concerning

all that the Becoming One had imparted to him on Mount Sinai.

And when Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face.
Whenever Moses went in before the Becoming One to speak with Her, he would leave the veil off until he came out;

and when he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded,

the Israelites would see how radiant the skin of Moses’ face was.

Moses would then put the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with Her.

Queeries for the text:
Where is Mount Sinai? Do other traditions of this story exist?
Which pact was on the two tablets?
How does radiance look on different types of skin?
Where else do the leaders of the congregation show up in Torah?
Why did the Israelites fear Moses? What made his radiance atypical?
Where else do veils show up in Torah? How are veils gendered? What about veils or wigs today?
How many times did Moses see Her? Was this a regular occurrence? What about people who hear directly from God today?

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Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.

Gospel: Luke 9:28-36 [37-43]
²⁸Now about eight days after these sayings

Jesus took with him Peter and John and James,

and went up on the mountain to pray.

²⁹And while Jesus was praying,

the appearance of his face changed,

and his clothes became dazzling white.

³⁰Suddenly they saw two men,

Moses and Elijah,

talking to Jesus.

³¹They appeared in glory
and were speaking of his departure,

which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.

³²Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep;

but since they had stayed awake,

they saw his glory
and the two men who stood with him.

³³Just as the men were leaving him,

Peter said to Jesus,

“Master, it is good for us to be here;

let us make three dwellings,

one for you,
one for Moses,
and one for Elijah”

—not knowing what he said.

³⁴While he was saying this,

a cloud came and overshadowed them;

and they were terrified as they entered the cloud.

³⁵Then from the cloud came a voice that said,

“This is my Child,

my Chosen;

listen to him!”

³⁶When the voice had spoken,

Jesus was found alone.

And they kept silent

and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen.

³⁷On the next day,

when they had come down from the mountain,

a great crowd met Jesus.

³⁸Just then a man from the crowd shouted,

“Teacher, I beg you to look at my son;

he is my only child.

³⁹Suddenly a spirit seizes him,

and all at once he shrieks.

It convulses him until he foams at the mouth;

it mauls him
and will scarcely leave him.

⁴⁰I begged your disciples to cast it out,

but they could not.”

⁴¹Jesus answered,

“You faithless and perverse generation,

how much longer must I be with you and bear with you?

Bring your son here.”

⁴²While he was coming,

the demon dashed him to the ground in convulsions.

But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit,

healed the boy,

and gave him back to his father.

⁴³And all were astounded at the greatness of God.

While everyone was amazed at all that he was doing,

Jesus said to his disciples,

Queeries for the text:
Eight days after which sayings?
What does glory look like?  How does transfiguration appear?
Where have we heard that claim before?
How could Peter not know what he was saying?
Where are other places that God shows up in clouds?
What does God's voice sound like?
Why can't the disciples cast out the demon?
Who is the faithless and perverse generation?
What did Jesus say?

What are your queeries?