Category Archives: sermon

Bearing

Posted on August 29, 2014 by Rosalind C Hughes

It is such a little thing, to hang above my heart, given me at baptism, my magpie hands clutched at its shiny surface, all glistering and light; once clasped I hardly know I’m wearing my golden cross while sunrise shadows … Continue reading →

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Year A Proper 16: inside-out day

Posted on August 24, 2014 by Rosalind C Hughes

Today, we took our service out on to the lawn. In keeping with inside-out day, my congregation preached the gospel to me. I asked them who they thought Jesus was, and they told me: Son of God, healer, preacher, prophet, … Continue reading →

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Who do you say that I am?

Posted on August 21, 2014 by Rosalind C Hughes

One with the patience to measure the countless millimetres between here and eternity; his father taught him to measure twice, cut once. He would joke around the workshop that he had come to bring not peace, but a saw; brandishing, … Continue reading →

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Repent

Posted on August 19, 2014 by Rosalind C Hughes

My Bible Challenge blog is usually more spiritualized than topical, but this morning, reading Jeremiah’s continuing litany of oracles against the nations, I could not help but wonder where we fit in: Jeremiah 48:33 Gladness and joy have been taken … Continue reading →

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Year A Proper 15: going to the dogs

Posted on August 17, 2014 by Rosalind C Hughes

This is a difficult story, there’s no doubt. First of all, Jesus challenges our traditions, our touchstones, and tells us off for defiling our language and our relationships with our unclean hearts. And then directly afterwards he has this interaction … Continue reading →

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Year A Proper 15: send her away

Posted on August 13, 2014 by Rosalind C Hughes

Matthew 15:21-28: the Syrophoenician/Canaanite/canine woman. Some problems for the preacher. What’s in a name? You can’t teach an old dog new tricks. You old dog. Sly old dog. Dirty old dog. Dogged. Hot dog. Dog eat dog. Why keep a … Continue reading →

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Year A Proper 14: baby steps / beyond the boat

Posted on August 10, 2014 by Rosalind C Hughes

Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught Peter. Have you ever seen a young child learning to walk for the first time? It spends a long time standing still, holding onto the furniture, until it is sure that its … Continue reading →

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Ye of little faith

Posted on August 4, 2014 by Rosalind C Hughes

It feels less like walking on water than drowning in mid-air; the perfume of your presence is too heady to bear. I make myself thin to slip from your embrace; breathe once more the comfortable air of an ordinary, little faith.

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Year A Proper 13: broken pieces

Posted on August 3, 2014 by Rosalind C Hughes

My father was three years old when war broke out in 1939. The following year, decreased food imports because of submarine activity led to the rationing of meat and other food items in Britain. As the war continued, more foods … Continue reading →

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Leftovers

Posted on July 30, 2014 by Rosalind C Hughes

One made bread pudding. Another, croutons for soup. One mashed them in milk for the tomorrow baby’s breakfast. The important  thing was, they got to keep the crumbs; no more maggots in the manna; they got to bring it home, … Continue reading →

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