Author Archives: Rosalind C Hughes

Unknown's avatar

About Rosalind C Hughes

Rosalind C Hughes is an Episcopal priest, poet, and author living near the shores of Lake Erie. After growing up in England and Wales, and living briefly in Singapore, she is now settled in Ohio. Rosalind is the author of A Family Like Mine: Biblical Stories of Love, Loss, and Longing , and Whom Shall I Fear? Urgent Questions for Christians in an Age of Violence, both from Upper Room Books. She loves the lake, misses the ocean, and is finally coming to terms with snow.

Broken

A very, very little Lenten story Yesterday, I broke a clergy collar trying to fix it around my neck. I am trying hard not to make too much meaning of it.

Posted in story | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Afterwards

It was the following day that sealed it for him waking with the rooster an hour before dawn the darkness of the room unfamiliar tangled in bedsheets he shivered still straining his hope to conjure up that sun light and … Continue reading

Posted in lectionary reflection, poetry, prayer, sermon preparation, story | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Seeing, seen

It is no sin to be blind, but it is sinful willfully to avert our eyes from injustice, to pretend to see no evil, to blur out the blemishes that spoil our vision of our own lives, our own country, our own souls. “You who say you see, your sin remains,” he warns us, we who have seen the light, who have been awoken.  Continue reading

Posted in lectionary reflection, sermon | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Secret

Today’s little Lenten story is a secret so I can’t tell it to you, but you can whisper it so that only your body and your breath and God and the cat can hear it.

Posted in poetry, prayer | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Quick, quick, slow

A little Lenten story When my children were small, I didn’t forget their names – how could I? – yet as often as not my tongue would take two or three wrong turnings on its way to the beloved standing … Continue reading

Posted in holy days | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Living water: A love story

Read in a certain way, the banter between Jesus and the woman can sound almost like a flirtation; but the spark is the long, slow heat of the love of God that has drawn each of them to an understanding of how God so loves the world.

In the noonday, the sun has stood still as they linger in the light of eternity. Continue reading

Posted in lectionary reflection, sermon, story | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Thaw

A little Lenten story, based on Psalm 104:29-30: When you hide your face, they are dismayed; when you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust.When you send forth your spirit, they are created; and you renew … Continue reading

Posted in holy days, lectionary reflection | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Living water

I have always loved the sea. Continue reading

Posted in holy days, lectionary reflection, poetry, sermon preparation, story | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A meditation on the Cross

I imagine they made it of living wood; the tree itself shared your fate,cut down in service of hateful violence,its beauty overlooked, its sacrifice, turning our exhaust into air, sweet bitterness of fruit and pollen, its praise of heaven, limbs raised high, razed to the ground with you. They did not … Continue reading

Posted in holy days, poetry, prayer | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Running out of water in the holy lands

A little Lenten story First in the north, between fruit trees and shade, it seemed it should be more difficult than this to die, except for the envy of avocadoes and apricots, hoarding the hidden streams of mercy for themselves; It made more sensein the south, where … Continue reading

Posted in holy days, lectionary reflection, poetry, prayer | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment