Queerying Lent 1C

Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.

Gospel: Luke 4:1-13
Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, ²where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. Jesus ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, he was famished.

³The devil said to Jesus, “If you are the Divine Child, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.”

⁴Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone.’”

⁵Then the devil led Jesus up and showed him in an instant all the nations of the world. ⁶And the devil said to him, “To you I will give their glory and all this authority; for it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please. ⁷If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.”

⁸Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Worship the Becoming One your God, and serve only Them.’”

⁹Then the devil took Jesus to Jerusalem, and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, “If you are the Divine Child, throw yourself down from here, ¹⁰for it is written, ‘They will command Their angels concerning you, to protect you,’ ¹¹and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’”

¹²Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘Do not put the Becoming One your God to the test.’”

¹³When the devil had finished every test, he departed from Jesus until an opportune time.

Queeries for the text:
What happened at the Jordan?
How long is 40 days? 
Where is it written?
Who wants to rule?
Where is it written?
Where are these written?
Where is it written?
When is an opportune time?
Why test? 

What are your queeries?


 

Queerying 19th after Pentecost A

Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.

Gospel: Matthew 22:1-14

Once more Jesus spoke to the religious leaders and elders in parables, saying: ²“The reign of heaven may be compared to a president who gave a wedding banquet for his child. ³He sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come. 

⁴Again the president sent other slaves, saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited: Look, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready; come to the wedding banquet.’ ⁵But they made light of it and went away, one to their farm, another to their business, ⁶while the rest seized the slaves, mistreated them, and killed them. ⁷The president was enraged. He sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. 

⁸Then the president said to his slaves, ‘The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. ⁹Go therefore into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.’ ¹⁰Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad; so the wedding hall was filled with guests. 

¹¹“But when the president came in to see the guests, he noticed a person there who was not wearing a wedding robe, ¹²and he said to them, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?’ And the person was speechless. ¹³Then the president said to the attendants, ‘Bind them hand and foot, and throw them into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ ¹⁴For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Queeries for the text:
To whom do we compare the reign of God?
Who would the president invite?
Who wouldn't show up? 
Who disregards the president?
Where are troops being sent? How are they destroying?
What happens when a ruler invites you somewhere?
Where is life?
What would happen if the people from the streets didn't want to go to the president's banquet?
Where is choice?

What are your queeries?