Category Archives: sermon

Year C Lent 2: Temptations2: Too busy to be tempted

Posted on February 24, 2013 by Rosalind C Hughes

Last week, we left Jesus, or the devil left Jesus at the top of the temple, tempted to cast himself down into Jerusalem and wait upon the angels to save him from a cruel death. He was tempted to abandon … Continue reading →

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Be perfect: a Lenten discipline

Posted on February 23, 2013 by Rosalind C Hughes

This morning’s post was written as a contribution to a collection of daily Lenten reflections by thirty members of clergy of the Diocese of Ohio. The Rev Gayle Catinella, Rector of St Thomas, Berea, solicited, organized and produced the reflections, … Continue reading →

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Jerusalem, Jerusalem

Posted on February 21, 2013 by Rosalind C Hughes

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!” The chicks scatter, competing instead of complementing one another, straining to grow despite one … Continue reading →

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Year C Lent 1: Temptations and the time of day

Posted on February 17, 2013 by Rosalind C Hughes

The trouble with the devil is that he seems sometimes to make a lot of sense. “You’re hungry – conjure up some bread,” he suggests. Quite reasonable. And it is not, after all, as though Jesus is not able to … Continue reading →

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Year C Lent 1: temptation and perfection

Posted on February 16, 2013 by Rosalind C Hughes

Notes for the sermon that won’t be preached tomorrow: Was there never any danger that Jesus would succumb to the temptings and promptings and proddings of the devil? We tend to trap ourselves in our language of perfection and innocence, … Continue reading →

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Ash Wednesday

Posted on February 13, 2013 by Rosalind C Hughes

There is, on occasion, a disconnect between our words and our actions. We smile through gritted teeth as we make polite conversation with someone we do not like. We have profound and prolonged conversations about liberty and justice as we … Continue reading →

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Year C, Last Sunday after the Epiphany: Transformative prayer

Posted on February 10, 2013 by Rosalind C Hughes

The season of Sundays following the Epiphany is bookended by that voice from heaven that declares that Jesus is the beloved Son of God. On the Sunday following the Epiphany, at the Baptism of Our Lord, the heavens are opened … Continue reading →

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Spiritual warfare: a sonnet with apologies to Hamlet

Posted on February 6, 2013 by Rosalind C Hughes

The “slings and arrows of outrageous fortune” have nothing on the armour-piercing fury of a bullet tipped with wormwood gall; no arbitrary missile this, but launched from beyond the earth; underworld to surface borne on wings of fire, brimstone burning, … Continue reading →

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Year C Epiphany 4: God loves you, no exceptions

Posted on February 3, 2013 by Rosalind C Hughes

The title is from a billboard and bumper stickers put out by the Episcopal Diocese of Ohio. It’s one of my favourites, the other being, “If you’re looking for a sign from God, here it is.” Once upon a time, … Continue reading →

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Year C Epiphany 4: Early reflections on Luke 4:21-30

Posted on January 31, 2013 by Rosalind C Hughes

Once upon a time, a boy was born, and he grew up in a regular-sized town, and the people who knew people knew him – the teachers and the coaches and the librarians, the grocers and the beat cops, his … Continue reading →

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