Queerying Lent 1B

Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.

 

 

Gospel: Mark 1:9-15

⁹In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. ¹⁰And just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. ¹¹And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Child, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” ¹²And the Spirit immediately drove Jesus out into the wilderness. ¹³Jesus was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him.

¹⁴Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, ¹⁵and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the reign of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.”

Queeries for the text:

Where else are things torn?

How does the Spirit guide in the wilderness? How is the wilderness a gift?

How long does 40 days last?

Which wild beasts?

What did the night sky look like?

Who are the angels today? 

Why was John arrested?

For what do we repent?

 

What are your queeries?

 

 

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 Transfiguration B

River Needham, MA queeries the Tanakh reading.

Tanakh: 2 Kings 2:1-12
When the Becoming One was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind,

Elijah and Elisha had set out from Gilgal. Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, for the 

Becoming One has sent me on to Bethel.” 

 

“As the Becoming One lives and as you live,” said Elisha, “I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. 

 

Disciples of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that the Becoming One will take your teacher away from you today?” 

 

He replied, “I know it, too; be silent.” 

 

Then Elijah said to him, “Elisha, stay here, for the Becoming One has sent me on to Jericho.” 

 

“As the Becoming One lives and as you live,” said Elisha, “I will not leave you.” So they went on to Jericho. 

 

The disciples of the prophets who were at Jericho came over to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that the Becoming One will take your teacher away from you today?” 

 

He replied, “I know it, too; be silent.” 

 

Elijah said to him, “Stay here, for the Becoming One has sent me on to the Jordan.” 

 

“As the Becoming One lives and as you live, I will not leave you,” he said, and the two of them went on. 

 

Fifty men of the disciples of the prophets followed and stood by at a distance from them as the two of them stopped at the Jordan. There, Elijah took his mantle and, rolling it up, he struck the water; it divided to the right and left, so that the two of them crossed over on dry land. As they were crossing, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?” 

 

Elisha answered, “Let a double portion of your spirit pass on to me.” 

 

“You have asked a difficult thing,” he said. “If you see me as I am being taken from you, this will be granted to you; if not, it will not.” As they kept on walking and talking, a fiery chariot with fiery horses suddenly appeared and separated one from the other; and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. Elisha saw it, and he cried out, “Oh, father, father! Israel’s chariots and horsemen!” When he could no longer see him, he grasped his garments and rent them in two.

Queeries for the text:
Where else are circuitous journies beneficial?

What does death look like when under oppressive rule?

Who are the people we mourn today? Who do you mourn?
How do people mourn? What practices help us mourn?

Who else did not leave when their teacher, parent, companion moved on?
 

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Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.

 

Gospel: Mark 9:2-9

²Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, ³and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them. ⁴And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus. ⁵Then Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” ⁶He did not know what to say, for they were terrified. ⁷Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!” ⁸Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them any more, but only Jesus.

⁹As they were coming down the mountain, he ordered them to tell no one about what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

 

Queeries for the text:

Six days later than what?

What does it mean to be transfigured? 

What is as hard to achieve now as bleached white was then?

What is this voice echoing?

Why would Jesus want to keep it secret?

What is in need of transfiguring today?

 

What are your queeries?

 

 

 

 

Queerying 5th after Epiphany B

 

Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.

 

Gospel: Mark 1:29-39

²⁹As soon as Jesus and the disciples left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. ³⁰Now Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told Jesus about her at once. ³¹Jesus came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them.

 

³²That evening, at sundown, they brought to Jesus all who were sick or possessed with demons. ³³And the whole city was gathered around the door. ³⁴And Jesus cured many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him. 

 

³⁵In the morning, while it was still very dark, Jesus got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. ³⁶And Simon and his companions hunted for him. ³⁷When they found Jesus, they said to him, “Everyone is searching for you.” 

 

³⁸Jesus answered, “Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do.” 

 

³⁹And Jesus went throughout Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons.

 

Queeries for the text:

How are Simon and Andrew related?

Who and what else is lifted up?

Why does work start so quickly again?

How big was the whole city?

What are the gifts of deserted places?

Who hunts? Who else is hunted?

How did Jesus come out? What does Jesus proclaim?

Who is cast out?

What secrets is Jesus keeping?

 

What are your queeries?

 

 

Queerying 4th after Epiphany B

River Needham, MA queeries the Tanakh reading.

Tanakh: Deuteronomy 18:15-20
Moses continued:
The Becoming One your God will raise up for you a prophet from among your own people, like myself; hir you shall heed. This is just what you asked of the Becoming One your God at Horeb, on the day of the assembly, saying, “Let me not hear the voice of the Becoming One my God any longer or see this wondrous fire any more, lest I die.” 

Then the Becoming One said to me, “They have done well in speaking this. I will raise up a prophet for them from among their own people, like yourself: I will put My words in hirs mouth and xe will speak to them all that I command hir; and if anybody fails to heed the words xe speaks in My name, I Myself will call hir to account. But any prophet who presumes to speak in My name an oracle that I did not command hir to utter, or who speaks in the name of other gods—that prophet shall die.”

Queeries for the text:
Who are the prophets of our day?

Where are the prophetesses?

Where is Horeb?

Why did the people not want to hear from The Becoming One anymore?
Does death seem an appropriate penalty? Why or why not?

 

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Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.

 

 

Gospel: Mark 1:21-28

²¹Jesus, Simon, Andrew, James, and John went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, Jesus entered the synagogue and taught. ²²The crowd was astounded at his teaching, for Jesus taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. 

 

²³Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, ²⁴and he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.” 

 

²⁵But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” 

 

²⁶And the unclean spirit, convulsing the man and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. ²⁷They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, “What is this? A new teaching—with authority! This one commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” ²⁸At once Jesus' fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.

 

Queeries for the text:

What is authority? Who has it?

Why do names matter? How?

How does fame impact people?

What is unclean?

What happens on the sabbath today?

Who destroys? What is saved?

 

What are your queeries?

 

 

Queerying 3rd after Epiphany B

River Needham, MA queeries the Tanakh reading.

Tanakh: Jonah 3:1-5, 10

The word of the Becoming One came to Jonah a second time: “Go at once to Nineveh, that great city of mine, and preach to it.” Jonah went at once to Nineveh in accordance with the Becoming One’s command. Nineveh was an enormously large city a three days’ walk across. Jonah started out and made his way into the city the distance of one day’s walk, and proclaimed: “Forty days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” The people of Nineveh believed God. They proclaimed a fast, and great and small alike put on sackcloth.

[...]

God saw what they did, how they were turning back from their evil ways. Then, God renounced the punishment She had planned to bring upon them, and did not carry it out.

Queeries for the text:
What does God's word sound like?
What does preaching look like?
Does God speak Hebrew? What does a Hebrew command look like?

Why are cities enormously large?

What is missing from this passage?

How can we turn from our evil ways?

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Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.

 

Gospel: Mark 1:14-20

¹⁴Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, ¹⁵and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the reign of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.” 

 

¹⁶As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea—for they were fishers. ¹⁷And Jesus said to them, “Follow me and I will make you fish for people.” ¹⁸And immediately they left their nets and followed Jesus. 

 

¹⁹As Jesus went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. ²⁰Immediately Jesus called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him.  

Queeries for the text:

Why was John arrested?  What happened to him?

What does it look like to repent?

When a fisher catches fish, what happens to the fish?

Who are the Sons of Thunder?

How do you mend nets?

How did Zebedee feel?

 

What are your queeries?

 

 

 

Queerying 2nd after Epiphany B

River Needham, MA queeries the Tanakh reading.

Tanakh: 1 Samuel 3:1-10
Young Samuel was in the service of the Becoming One under Eli. In those days the word of the Becoming One was rare; prophecy was not widespread. One day, Eli was asleep in his usual place; his eyes had begun to fail and he could barely see. The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was sleeping in the temple of the Becoming One where the Ark of God was. 

The Becoming One called out to Samuel, and Samuel answered, “I’m coming.” He ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” 

But Eli replied, “I didn’t call you; go back to sleep.” So Samuel went back to lay down. 

Again the Becoming One called, “Samuel!” 

Samuel rose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” 

But Eli replied, “I didn’t call, my son; go back to sleep.”

—Now Samuel had not yet experienced the Becoming One; the word of the Becoming One had not yet been revealed to him.— 

The Becoming One called Samuel again, a third time, and he rose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” 

Then Eli understood that the Becoming One was calling the boy. And Eli said to Samuel, “Go lie down. If you are called again, say, ‘Speak, Becoming One, for Your servant is listening.’” And Samuel went to his place and lay down. 

The Becoming One came, and stood there, and She called as before: “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel answered, “Speak, for Your servant is listening.”

Queeries for the text:

Why was the word of the Becoming One rare? Why is the word of the Becoming One rare today? Where do we receive the word of the Becoming One today?
When were they sleeping? Why?
Who can sleep in God's temple? Which communities are they permitted in?

What is the significance to being called three times?
Does the Becoming One have a body? How?
 

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Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.

 

Gospel: John 1:43-51

⁴³The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. Jesus found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” ⁴⁴Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.

 

⁴⁵Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found the one about whom Moses in the Torah and also the prophets wrote: Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.” 

 

⁴⁶Nathanael said to Philip, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” 

 

Philip said to Nathanael, “Come and see.” 

 

⁴⁷When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, Jesus said of Nathanael, “Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!” 

 

⁴⁸Nathanael asked Jesus, “Where did you get to know me?” 

 

Jesus answered, “I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.” 

 

⁴⁹Nathanael replied, “Rabbi, you are the Divine One! You are the Ruler of Israel!” 

 

⁵⁰Jesus answered, “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.” ⁵¹And Jesus said to Nathanael, “Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the messengers of God ascending and descending upon the Human One.”

 

Queeries for the text:

The next day after what?

Where do we assume goodness comes from? Can anything good come out of any nation?

Where else do fig trees show up?

How do titles convey meaning? How can they contradict meaning?

What's so great about a fig tree?

Where else do messengers of God ascend and descend?

 

What are your queeries?