Category Archives: sermon

A sermon for the Palms and the Passion

Posted on April 13, 2014 by Rosalind C Hughes

At the beginning, the tempter had urged him to make bread, to bow down, to throw himself from the temple and be saved by the angels. In the end, the people would taunt him and tempt him to leave his … Continue reading →

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Year A Lent 5: Lazarus and other resurrections

Posted on April 6, 2014 by Rosalind C Hughes

Of course, they all would ask him about it, after the event. What was it like, being dead? Lazarus would tell them, “I don’t know what I can say to you about that. I can tell you what it was … Continue reading →

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Dry Bones

Posted on April 5, 2014 by Rosalind C Hughes

I cried so long my very bones were dry; I couldn’t raise my head, lay loose-limbed, sunken. I heard a voice cry, “Prophesy!” My body jumped, of its own volition, to attention, knocking the stale breath out of me with … Continue reading →

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An Interview with Lazarus

Posted on April 4, 2014 by Rosalind C Hughes

Of course, they all would ask him about it, after the event. What was it like, being dead? Lazarus would look at them with strange eyes. He would tell them, “I don’t know what I can say to you about … Continue reading →

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Blind

Posted on March 27, 2014 by Rosalind C Hughes

He sent me away. I don’t know why, having shared with me his spit and mud, he wouldn’t lead me to the pool, cup the water in my hand; he didn’t see the wonder through. If he had, the first … Continue reading →

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Year A Lent 3: Come and see

Posted on March 23, 2014 by Rosalind C Hughes

Come and see. That’s what she says. Come and see this man who told me everything I had ever done – could he, he can’t be, the Messiah, can he? Come and see. The woman at the well has got … Continue reading →

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The well woman

Posted on March 22, 2014 by Rosalind C Hughes

“Give me that water,” she said; “no more drudgery of trudging to the well.” He fixed her with a look so keen she felt the bucket of her belly tip over; all told she was empty, and bottomless. The water … Continue reading →

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Year A Lent 2: born again

Posted on March 16, 2014 by Rosalind C Hughes

The thing about being born is that it is less of an event than a process. We might put a time on the birth of a baby, but the minutes and seconds may seem arbitrary after hours or even days … Continue reading →

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Born again

Posted on March 11, 2014 by Rosalind C Hughes

There are no shadows at high noon, or at night, but Nicodemus’ brother is crepuscular, sneaking out in the gray dusk and slinking home at dawn. You will know him by his eyes, blood-red, searching, wildly, for the womb, the last … Continue reading →

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Ash Wednesday : heart-rending, heart-mending

Posted on March 5, 2014 by Rosalind C Hughes

“Return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; rend your hearts and not your clothing,” says the prophet. Rend your hearts: “a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise,” says the … Continue reading →

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