Queerying 11th after Pentecost C

River Needham, MA ThM queeries the Tanakh reading.

Tanakh: Jeremiah 1:4-10
The word of the Becoming One came to me:
Before I created you in the womb, I selected you;
Before you were born, I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet concerning the nations.

I replied:
Ah, Becoming God!
I don’t know how to speak,
For I am still a boy.

And the Becoming One said to me:
Do not say, “I am still a boy,”
But go wherever I send you
And speak whatever I command you.
Have no fear of them,
For I am with you to deliver you
—declares the Becoming One.

The Becoming One put out a hand and touched my mouth, and said to me:
Now I put my words into your mouth.
See, I appoint you this day
Over nations and kingdoms:
To uproot and to pull down,
To destroy and to overthrow,
To build and to plant.

Queeries for the text:
How did the word of the Becoming One come?
Who is still a boy?
What are Christians afraid of?
What needs to be destroyed and rebuilt, overthrown and planted?

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Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.

Gospel: Luke 13:10-17
¹⁰Now Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. ¹¹And just then there appeared a woman with a spirit that had crippled her for eighteen years. She was bent over and was quite unable to stand up straight. ¹²When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, “Woman, you are set free from your ailment.” ¹³When he laid his hands on her, immediately she stood up straight and began praising God.

¹⁴But the leader of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had cured on the sabbath, kept saying to the crowd, “There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be cured, and not on the sabbath day.”

¹⁵But the Leader answered the synagogue leader and said, “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the sabbath untie their ox or their donkey from the manger, and lead it away to give it water? ¹⁶And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen long years, be set free from this bondage on the sabbath day?” ¹⁷When Jesus said this, all his opponents were put to shame; and the entire crowd was rejoicing at all the wonderful things that he was doing.

Queeries for the text:
How often is Jesus active on the Sabbath?
What does it mean to be crippled?
How are people bent?
How do ailments bind? How don't they?
What is Sabbath for?
What is shameful today? 

What are your queeries?

Queerying 10th after Pentecost C

Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.

Gospel: Luke 12:49-56
Jesus said:
⁴⁹“I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! ⁵⁰I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what stress I am under until it is completed! ⁵¹Do you think that I have come to remove conflict from the earth? No, I tell you, but rather to engage the conflict already present! ⁵²From now on five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three; ⁵³they will be divided: parent against child and child against parent, elder against youth and youth against elder, in-laws against newlyweds and newlyweds against in-laws.”

⁵⁴Jesus also said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, you immediately say, ‘It is going to rain’; and so it happens. ⁵⁵And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat’; and it happens. ⁵⁶You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?

Queeries for the text:
What comes with fire?
What can conflict lead to?
How are generations divided?
How accurate are weather predictions?
What is the present time?

What are your queeries?

Queerying 9th after Pentecost C

Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.

Gospel: Luke 12:32-40
Jesus said:
³²“Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Caregiver’s good pleasure to give you the reign. ³³Sell your possessions, and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. ³⁴For where your wealth is, there your heart also will find itself.

³⁵“Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit; ³⁶be like those who are waiting for their enslaver to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks. ³⁷Blessed are those people who are enslaved whom the enslaver finds alert when he comes; truly I tell you, he will fasten his belt and have them sit down to eat, and he will come and serve them. ³⁸If the enslaver comes during the middle of the night, or near dawn, and finds them so, blessed are those people who are enslaved.

³⁹“But know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, they would not have let their house be broken into. ⁴⁰You also must be ready, for the Human One is coming at an unexpected hour.”

Queeries for the text:
Who has a little flock?
When else does Jesus promise us influence over our hearts?
How do you dress for action?
What happens if we are not hypervigilant?
Who else has their lamps lit?
Do enslavers ever serve people who are enslaved?
Who stays out all night for weddings?
When do thieves come?

What are your queeries?

Queerying 8th after Pentecost C

Pace Warfield-May queeries the reading from Ecclesiastes.

Ecclesiastes 1:2, 12-14; 2:18-23
1:2 Meaningless, meaningless, says the Teacher, absolutely meaningless! All is meaningless.

[...]

¹²I, the Teacher, when caretaker over Israel in Jerusalem, ¹³ applied my mind to seek and to search out by wisdom all things under heaven; it is an unhappy business that God has given to human beings to be busy with. ¹⁴ I saw all the deeds that are done under the sun; and see, all is meaningless like a paper bag blowing in the wind.

[...]

^2:18I hated all my work in which I had labored under the sun, seeing that I must leave it to those who come after me ¹⁹--and who knows whether they will be wise or foolish? Yet they will take over all for which I labored and worked hard on and used my wisdom under the sun. This also is meaningless.

²⁰So I turned and gave in to deep despair concerning all the work and labors under the sun, ²¹ because sometimes one who has labored and studied with wisdom and knowledge and skill must leave all their labor to be exploited and enjoyed by another who did not work for it at all. This also is meaningless and a great evil.

²²What do we mere mortals get from all the labor and strain with which we labor under the sun? ²³ For all their days are full of pain and heartache, and their work is frustrating and tiresome; even at night their minds are not free to rest. This also is meaningless.

Queeries for the text:
What's missing?
What is the exploitation of labor?
What makes this exploitation meaningless and a great evil?
What causes you to feel despair?
What things feel meaningless, frustrating, or tiresome?
What can be holy and helpful about feelings of despair and meaninglessness?

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Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.

Gospel: Luke 12:13-21
¹³Someone in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.”

¹⁴But Jesus said to them, “Friend, who set me to be a judge or arbitrator over you?”

¹⁵And Jesus said to them, “Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.”

¹⁶Then Jesus told them a parable: “The land of a rich man produced abundantly. ¹⁷And he thought to himself, ‘What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?’ ¹⁸Then he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. ¹⁹And I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’
²⁰But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your possessions demanded of you your life. And the things you have hoarded, whose will they be?’
²¹So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God.”

Queeries for the text:
Who has a family inheritance to receive?
Who judges and arbitrates?
Who has abundant possessions?
How does land produce?
Who is raising bigger barns?
What is the purpose of abundance?
Who stores food for many years?
How do possessions claim our lives?
Whose will your possessions be? 

What are your queeries?

Queerying 7th after Pentecost C

Pace Warfield-May queeries the Tanakh reading.

Genesis 18:20-32
²⁰Then the Name said, "How great is the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah and how serious their brokenness! I must go dwell with them and see whether they have done altogether according to the cries of the marginalized that have come to me; and if not, I will know." ²²So the company turned from there, and went toward Sodom, while Abraham remained standing before the Name.

²³Then Abraham cuddled close to God and said, "Will you indeed sweep away the just with the unjust? ²⁴Suppose there are fifty who are good within the city; will you then sweep away the place and not forgive it for the fifty just who are in it? ²⁵Far be it from you to do such a thing, to slay the just with the unjust, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the cosmos do what is just?"

²⁶And the Name said gently, "If I find at Sodom fifty who are just in the city, I will forgive the whole place for their sake."

Abraham answered, "Let me take it upon myself to speak to the Infinite, I who am but finite, dust and ashes.

²⁸Suppose five of the fifty of the just are lacking? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?" And Xe said, "I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there."

²⁹Again Abraham spoke to the Infinite, "Suppose forty are found there." Xe answered, "For the sake of forty I will not do it."

³⁰Then Abraham replied, "Oh do not let the Infinite be angry if I speak. Suppose thirty are found there." Xe answered, "I will not do it, if I find thirty there."

³¹Abraham asked, "Let me take it upon myself to speak to the Infinite. Suppose twenty are found there." Xe answered, "For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it."

³²Then he said, "Oh do not let the Infinite be angry if I speak just once more. Suppose ten are found there." Xe answered gently, "For the sake of ten I will not destroy it."

Queeries for the text:
Have you ever argued with God?
When has God changed Xyr mind before?
What is the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah?
What does it mean to be just?

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Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.

Gospel: Luke 11:1-13
Jesus was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his chosen family said to him, “Leader, teach us to pray, as John taught his chosen family.”

²Jesus said to them, “When you pray, say something like: Mama, make your Name sacred. Enact your reign. ³Give us each day our necessary sustenance. ⁴And forgive us our wrongs, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us. And do not bring us to the system of injustice.”

⁵And Jesus said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to them at midnight and say to them, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; ⁶for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have nothing to set before her.’ ⁷And they answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the lights are out, and Stephen Colbert is already on; I cannot get up and give you anything.’ ⁸I tell you, even though they will not get up and give em anything because em is their friend, at least because of eir persistence they will get up and give em whatever ey needs.

⁹“So I say to you: ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. ¹⁰For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. ¹¹Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for a fish, will give a snake instead of a fish? ¹²Or if the child asks for an egg, will give a scorpion? ¹³If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Mama give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Xem!”

Queeries for the text:
How do you pray?
Who receives their necessary sustenance?
Who is indebted?
Who is in a system of injustice?
How do you provide hospitality?
Who else is persistent?
Who asks? Who searches? Who knocks?
What expectations exist regarding prayer? How are they (un)realistic?
How could a parent give a child a snake that is a fish? 

What are your queeries?

Queerying 6th after Pentecost C

Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.

Gospel: Luke 10:38-42
³⁸Now as Jesus and his chosen family went on their way, Jesus entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. ³⁹She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Leader’s feet and listened to what he was saying.

⁴⁰But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to Jesus and asked, “Leader, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.”

⁴¹But the Leader answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; ⁴²there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.”

Queeries for the text:
What kind of "sisters" were they?
Who listens at Jesus' feet today?
How are you distracted?
Who provides hospitality today?
Whose labor is un(der)appreciated?
Who needs help? Who is expected to labor without recognition?
What worries and distracts you?
What is the better part?

What are your queeries?

Queerying 5th after Pentecost C

Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.

Gospel: Luke 10:25-37
²⁵Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” she said, “what must I do to inherit everlasting life?”

²⁶Jesus said to her, “What is written in the law? What do you read there?”

²⁷She answered, “You shall love the Everlasting your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.”

²⁸And he said to her, “You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.”

²⁹But wanting to justify herself, she asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

³⁰Jesus replied, “A person was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped them, beat them, and went away, leaving them half dead. ³¹Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw them, he passed by on the other side. ³²So likewise a Levite, when she came to the place and saw them, passed by on the other side. ³³But a Samaritan while traveling came near them; and when the Samaritan saw them, ze was moved with pity. ³⁴Ze went to them and bandaged their wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then ze put them on zyr own animal, brought them to an inn, and took care of them. ³⁵The next day ze took out two days' wages, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of them; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.’

³⁶Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the person who fell into the hands of the robbers?”

³⁷She said, “The one who showed them mercy.”

Jesus said to her, “Go and do likewise.”

Queeries for the text:
What do lawyers do today?
What is the law?
How do you love God and neighbor?
How do we justify ourselves?
Who is your neighbor?
Why is the road to Jerusalem so dangerous?
Who is left half dead?
How do you pass by on the other side?
Who are Samaritans?
How much is two days' wages?
Who shows mercy?
How do you go and do likewise?

What are your queeries?