Author Archives: Rosalind C Hughes

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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.

Resurrection and reality

If you think that the world is so bewildering that nothing makes sense, Jesus has come so patiently to point out his hands, his feet, his broken body, his own spear-pierced heart, to tell us that he is with us, that he has redeemed all of it. Continue reading

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Silent prayer

Eyelids lowered, immersed in unstillness and disquiet; the tumble dryer tumbles, the dishwasher sloshes, the circuits in my head hum in ecstatic, rhythmic union with the beverage fridge. Beyond the glass, fighting rip tides on the wind, a frantic bird … Continue reading

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Stick, stuck

The tree, twisted painfully as though caught turning trying to pluck her own fruit, throwing out her trunk, hunched and laboured, reminds me of my mother, pained by my petulant face: “If the wind changes,” she’d say, “you’ll be stuck … Continue reading

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Waking up to a resurrection revolution

Fifty years have passed, now, since King’s sermon at the Cathedral, and his subsequent assassination. If this death of his had been but sleep, as some of the poets say, and he were to awaken and return today, I wonder if he would be in any way disturbed by the kind of revolution whose results met Rip Van Winkle, or Thomas the apostle. Continue reading

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Inhabiting Thomas

Because you came back for Thomas I hope you may come back for me. Because you breathed peace upon Thomas I wonder if there is a peace for me. Because you let Thomas touch you I believe I will hold … Continue reading

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Monday

Nobody talks about the ninth day:, Six for creation, seven for rest, eight for resurrection, nine The women needed to market the men were short of money, time to mend their nets and bridges Centurion ordered more crucifixions, slightly distracted … Continue reading

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Adaiah, the Easter bat

The only people who do know what happened during those long hours between Friday night and Sunday morning are those who have been to the tomb with Jesus. Continue reading

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A Fool’s Easter

Hush, fool, for we buried you
deeper than god. Continue reading

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Denial

Is there any place on this earth where that damned cock won’t crow? Once, and all at once pandemonium, panic sets in, the dogs of war cry havoc, unleash every sin of omission, commission, revision, recidivism While the civilized world, … Continue reading

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Betrayal

Loose lips sink kisses drunk on Communion wine love’s drowned by desire ______________ Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man.” (Mark 14:44) ______________ Giotto di Bondone, Kiss of Judas [Public … Continue reading

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