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A Family Like Mine: Biblical Stories of Love, Loss, and Longing
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Author Archives: Rosalind C Hughes
One in a hundred
The perfect thing about a parable is that it is not a fixed allegory, where this means that. It is not a code to be broken, but an invitation to find ourselves in the lifelong story of God’s relationship with the sheep of His pasture, the people of God’s hand. Continue reading
Posted in sermon
Tagged 1 Timothy 1:12-17, 9/11, Amy-Jill Levine, grace, lost coin, lost sheep, Luke 15:1-10, parables of Jesus
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Blessings lost and found
This week’s post is late, partly because I’m on vacation, but also because I have had some struggles settling into a place of blessing in this week’s gospel reading. It should be easy: we love the idea that God would gladly … Continue reading
The ghosting of a marriage
There are things they forget to tell you about being married. They advise you not to go to bed angry, to be kind, attentive, grateful, to say seven nice things every day. They may tell you to keep communications open … Continue reading
Blessings and challenges
When I read this Sunday’s Gospel lesson, and saw that Paul’s – let’s be honest – somewhat cringeworthy letter to Philemon was also up for consideration, I wondered if I might have waited on this new, lectionary-based blessings project until … Continue reading
Posted in blessings, lectionary reflection
Tagged Luke 14:25-33, Philemon, Year C Proper 18
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The banquet
No sermon this Sunday, simply the observation that today’s Gospel whispered to me of those times that you have slipped into the back of the church, trying to melt into the shadows cast by the dark-wood pews, sure only of … Continue reading
Untethered
There’s a man standing in the lake on his phone. From my seat between a mallard duck and the old tyre, I watch him, waist deep, cradling his elbow firm against the rock of the waves, watch the clouds scud … Continue reading
Posted in poetry
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God bless you and keep you
There is a moment towards the end of the Holy Eucharist service in the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer where The Bishop when present, or the Priest, may bless the people. For special services – the Thanksgiving for a Child, … Continue reading
Posted in blessings, lectionary reflection
Tagged book of common prayer, lectionary, liturgy, prayer
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Facing God
All that the leader of the synagogue really needed to do, was to say, “Amen.” Continue reading
Overwhelming
I am considering the word “overwhelmed.” I cannot unsee the news photography: cars sinking, dramatic rescues, coffins floating down streets overwhelmed by the Flood; an airbag deployed, overspilling its plastic cage, overwhelming the object of its zealous protection; she is … Continue reading
Posted in current events, prayer, story
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Off centre
The hedgerow maze boxes me in, walls me out through another false turn. In the centre hides perfection, unbreakable cypher, impassive God. Out in the margins of error, the elbow crook of one more dead end, lies Jesus, sprawled as though we … Continue reading
over the water 