The Crossing: Sermons and Services from the National Cathedral: Recent Episodes
Washington National Cathedral
"There are voices who would castigate us for preaching politics, but saying that we should feed the hungry, clothe the naked, welcome the stranger and show mercy to the most vulnerable - that's not politics - that's Jesus."
Recorded during Tuesday's Holy Eucharist with Vow Renewal & Chrism Blessing service at Washington National Cathedral.
"The only thing that I know that is stronger and more enduring than all of those barriers is love. That's what God promises to you and to me, if only we believe it and if only we will receive it."
“Jesus expressed his anger, but he didn’t stay there. It wasn’t his anger that changed the world, it was his love.”
"And for just a moment, that's the problem with many of us often in times, is that we try to tell God how to work. And don't really know how God is already at work."
“As Arthur Brooks once said, ‘Courage isn't standing up to the people with whom you disagree. Courage is standing up to the people with whom you agree, on behalf of those people with whom you disagree.’”
"God promised to send one to bring good news to the oppressed, “to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty and release to the prisoners—to proclaim, to provide, to give”— themes of justice, hope, anticipation, and deliverance."
"There is a need for us to raise our voices. There is a need for us to speak in the wilderness of this day."
"Belief in a divine invasion into the present world is the essence of what being a Christian means."
Pastor Owens shares her “spiritual autobiography” and her vision for the Cathedral living into its mission to be a House of Prayer for All People, no matter where they live. Recorded live on November 5, 2023 in the Cathedral's Perry Auditorium, with both virtual and in-person attendees.
"Life is messy. Sometimes we’re sheep and sometimes we’re goats. But the Jesus we follow, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords is a different kind of king. He’s not a king who judges by royal fiat, but by relationship."
"Yet the emphasis on faithful service is clear. Talents come in all shapes and sizes. God blesses everyone with some talent, just and unjust. And one thing that is also clear is that we are expected to form to our capacity, our full ability, and there is consequence when we don’t."
"What then, can we learn about God’s kingdom from this parable? The most obvious is that the kingdom is not yet here. We are still waiting. And while we are waiting, we should be wise and keep awake."
"What fence needs moving in your life? How does God's love for you, God's unfailing love for you, make you want to open up for others?"
The Right Rev. V. Gene Robinson reflects on the two central commandments that God gave us to follow - to love God with all our hearts and minds and to love our neighbors as ourselves. "It opens us up to see one another as the children of God we are. And to strive every day to treat them like the children of God they are. Jesus was raising the bar and doing us all a favor."
"It's so hard when the pain and the suffering are so profound to find the language, to find our way. Jesus shows us the way."
In this powerful sermon, Dean Hollerith reflects on God's invitation to all of us to be a part of God's kingdom, not only by showing up, but also by "clothing ourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony."
"I don't know about you, but when I look at the stone that some have rejected, when I look at the stone that we are using to build God's kingdom, I see something amazing when I see Jesus."
"Repentance begets forgiveness, which begets wholeness, which begets peace. This is living water for our parched tongues." In her sermon this Sunday, the Rev. Canon Dana Colley Corsello stressed the life-giving power of repentance.
"Oh, but black worshipers and visitors, they knew. You knew, you knew what we chose not to know, and what we knew for years and tried not to know, or minimize, 'til we couldn't any longer. And I played a part in all that, and I apologize."
In her sermon this Sunday, the Right Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, Bishop of the Diocese of Washington reckoned with the lost cause myth and the role the Cathedral played in perpetuating it and considered the ways we are working to atone for past wrongs and build Beloved Community.
Forgetting is arguably a sin as consequential as hardness of heart. For it is only in remembrance that we can know what wrongs we must right – what perils we must avoid – and what injustices we must ameliorate."
In his Sunday sermon, Canon Historian Jon Meacham reminded us that forgiveness and remembrance go hand in hand.
"Most of the time, I think we're painfully aware of when we've hurt another person, when we have breached a relationship. But there are times when we don't know."
In her sermon this Sunday, the Rev. Canon Jan Naylor Cope addressed Christ's command to repair the broken relationships in our lives.
"We can't see the hurt we cause or the doors we close. We can't see how not bearing our own cross makes another person's cross heavier."
In her sermon this Sunday, the Rev. Canon Rosemarie Logan Duncan considered the ways in which our limited perspective keeps us from seeing the fullness of God's grace.
"Martin Luther King said that Jesus Christ was, 'an extremist for love, truth and goodness.' He didn't come to make us happy. He didn't come to punish us for our sins, or to wrap himself in the American flag. He came to save us from ourselves and to teach us how to walk in the way of love.
This Sunday, the Very Rev. Randy Hollerith reflected on the sixtieth anniversary of the March on Washington.
"And this is still our hope as it was their hope."
In his sermon this Sunday, the Rev. Canon Leonard Hamlin reminded us that we need faith as we pursue justice and progress.
"It’s important to note that the role of faith here is not in stopping the storm. Faith rarely stops a storm. But what faith promises is to enable Peter to walk just on the water without falling, without drowning, to literally walk on troubled waters."
In his Sunday sermon, the Right Rev. V. Gene Robinson considered the potential impact of faith.
"The glorification the disciples witness with their own eyes confirms Jesus' identity as the Son of God, the Messiah. But even more, it shows them there will be life beyond the cross and they will live it."
In the Rev. Canon Dana Colley Corsello's Transfiguration Sunday sermon, she considered God's glory, as we experience it in Scripture and in our own lives.
"I was being held in the hollow of God's hand."
This Sunday, in her sermon, the Rev. Canon Jan Naylor Cope offered personal testimony and heartfelt congratulations to graduating members of our Cathedral Scholars program.
"God is tending us, and all we have to do is share because God does the rest of the work."
In her sermon this Sunday, the Rev. Dr. Anne-Marie Jeffery, Canon for Congregational Vitality, Episcopal Diocese of Washington, asked us to consider how we can be part of God's nurturing work in the world.
"Our journey with Christ will include all these stages, struggle, distraction, stagnation, and yes, flourishing. The good news for us is that our growth depends not on our own efforts, or our sheer will alone, but on the one who sows the seed and cares for it, watering it abundantly and making it very plenteous."
In his sermon, the Rev. Patrick Keyser reminded us of the constant growth and change we must expect as we follow Christ.
"This freedom is not a free for all but is a yoked freedom. We are liberated by the yoke of Christ into new relationships with God and each other."
In her Sunday sermon, the Rev. Canon Rosemarie Logan Duncan reminded us of the investment and sacrifice that freedom requires.
“Our very diversity is a gift from God, a diversity that is to be celebrated, not controlled and contained somehow.”
In her sermon, the Rev. Canon Jan Naylor Cope considered the struggle to expand equality and justice to include all of God’s children.
"The world needs disciples now more than ever." In his sermon this weekend, the Very Rev. Randy Hollerith reminded us that Jesus did not just ask us to believe. Jesus also gave us work to do.
This special Juneteenth Service, Senator Raphael Warnock offered a sermon on redemption and freedom.
"Well, here we are with the rainbow colors of Pride Sunday all around us giving thanks for the promise of God, the covenant he's made to his earth. And the invitation to respond to that promise as a human race and care for the planet, and as individual Christians to care for one another and never vilify someone for what they are." The Very Rev. Dr. Robert Willis, Dean Emeritus of Canterbury Cathedral, offered a powerful sermon on God's promises as well as the power of faith and authenticity this Sunday
"As children of God, we are created in love, bearing the image of this God who is perfect love in relationship."
The Rev Patrick Keyser contemplated the Trinity in his Sunday sermon.
"If you are gonna live a divine life, you’re gonna need help from another source. If you’re gonna love your enemy, if you’re gonna love your neighbor, you are gonna need help from another source. If you are going to do what God has given us to do, we’re all gonna need help."
In his Pentecost sermon, the Rev. Canon Leonard Hamlin contemplated the help we will need from the Holy Spirit as we work to build "A Brave New World" for ourselves and others.
“If you love me… If you love me… I keep hearing Jesus say. If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” One and the same. We forgive because we are forgiven. One and the same. We obey Christ because we are in Christ. One and the same. We can love because we are loved. One in the same.”
The Rev. Canon Dana Corsello questions if our mortal capabilities align with God’s commands. She dives into how viewing love as a command does not make it less meaningful, and that if we love Jesus, then we also can love in the same ways that he does.
“Jesus demands truth telling and truthful living. That is why it is important that Jesus not only says, “I am the way and the truth”, but also that He is the life. Jesus is the life. That is, Jesus reveals the kind of living that endures because of the way and the truth.”
The Rev. Canon Rosemarie Logan Duncan preaches on three significant parts of believing in and following Christ: the truth, the life, and the way. Through the Christian faith, we strive to become more like him.
“Sometimes people just need a little help and maybe a little hope along the way, as well. In this Easter season, my prayer for you and for me is that God will resurrect the child in us that’s crazy enough to believe that one person can make a difference. Let it be so for you and for me.”
The Rev. Canon Jan Naylor Cope preaches about hands-on ministry and the four grounding principles of the early church, sharing how the holy spirit can help one person make a difference. She reminds us that the holy spirit is alive and well, and encourages us to help others and become difference-makers.
“But, as our Gospel for this morning shows us, seeing and recognizing are not the same thing. Day in and day out I saw Charlotte, she was literally at my doorstep, but it was only in hindsight that I recognized the Christ emanating from her.”
The Very Rev. Randolph Marshall Hollerith shares a personal experience; the loss of a regular and local visitor to his church in Richmond. Through reflecting on this story, he and others affected by her loss realized that they saw God appearing through her in so many ways. We are then encouraged to try and recognize God in all things we see, for he is there.
“What does it mean to have faith? To believe? These are foundational questions for the Christian. But the answers to these seemingly elementary questions might not be as straightforward as we initially imagine.”
The Rev. Canon Patrick Keyser invites us to reflect on what believing really means through the story of Jesus’s resurrection. Through the telling of this story, we begin to recognize ourselves and our faith through the deeper explanation of rituals and experiences.
“The Franciscan priest Richard Rohr makes the case that Christ is universal.3 It’s not that everyone is Christian, but the truth of Christ, the life force we find in Christ, isn’t only available for those who follow Jesus. If that life force finds expression in other traditions, praise the God who loves diversity and show no partiality. For all our differences, we are one human race. This fragile earth is the island home for us all.”
The Right Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde tells us the significance of the resurrection, and how it is the bringing of one to a new life, not a return to life as before. Resurrection implies change, a turning point. Jesus’s new life gives us a new life as well, one filled with faith, love, and learning.
“Remember, when you forgive your enemy, when you feed the hungry, when you defend the weak – you proclaim the resurrection. When you work to repair broken relationships, when you sacrifice for the sake of others, when you take time to support a friend – you proclaim the resurrection. When you stand up for the truth, when you refuse to compromise your integrity, when you love the unlovable – you proclaim the resurrection.”
The Very Rev. Randy Marshall Hollerith proclaims that Christ has risen, and teaches the importance of having something to hold on to and believe in. When we believe in Christ’s resurrection, we move forward with a new sense of hope.
“I take comfort in the possibility that Jesus gave himself up to death on the cross, not because he knew the victory God would bring about on Easter Sunday, but because he was faithful to whatever his Father might ask of him. I take comfort in that possibility because it is so human. Don’t all of us, at one time or another, face suffering without knowing why we suffer or what that suffering means for our future?”
The Very Rev. Randy Marshall Hollerith retells the story of Jesus’s crucifixion and offers two perspectives: one where Jesus went to the cross knowing how his story would end, and one where he trusted his father’s command without knowing how things would end. Both interpretations still result in the ultimate sacrifice, redemption and salvation from sin, and a reminder of what it means to be human.
“There was something special about Jesus and now on this night, they are not just listening to Jesus. They are seeing the authenticity of Jesus, not through the wonders performed by Jesus, but through the humble serving of Jesus.”
The Rev. Canon Leonard L. Hamlin Sr retells the story of the last supper, where Jesus served the disciples by washing their feet and sharing together in holy communion. We are reminded that faith is not only demonstrated through words and beliefs, but also through actions. We are asked about where Jesus lives, and the answer is within each of us.
“In the living of our vows, whatever they are, then there is this necessary rhythm of rededication. Not because we didn’t mean what we said the first time we said it, but that in the living of our vows we gain a clearer understanding of what the vows entail, and we need to be reminded of what we said and why, and pray once again for the grace and power we need to fulfill them.”
Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde reflects on the significance of vows, and how those who are ordained have lived their vows. She tells of how one’s vows guide them down the path to becoming beloved, to living a fulfilling life.
“Everyone deserves to be defined by love. Nothing more, nothing less. We may dwell among the dry bones now, but we serve a God who calls us to life. Our journey is not to the grave, but through it. “Mortal, can these bones live?” I answered, “O Lord GOD, you know.”
The Rev. Canon Dana Corsello preaches about the transformation that occurs when one gives their life to Christ, and about what the terms, “death,” and “life,” can mean. Living a life through Christ can be fulfilling, rewarding, and full of love when we change our perspective to align with God's.
“Former Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, said this: ‘God will take your experiences, mistakes, and false starts and transform you, so Christ transfiguring love can show through.’ We are not all called to be David, but make no mistake, we are called.”
The Rev. Canon Jan Naylor Cope encourages us to learn from past experiences, to listen to our callings, and to allow ourselves to be transformed by love. We are encouraged to see and take various opportunities knowing that they even if they fail, they will lead us where we need to go.
“‘Come see a man.’ There’s something good about that in my soul. ‘Come see a man.’ Most of us can talk about look at what I’ve got, look at what I’ve achieved, look at what is going on in the world. But I came by to tell you on today and in the midst of lent; we ought to have a witness that says, ‘Come see a man.’”
The Rev. Canon Leonard Hamlin Sr. Preaches in gratitude for being known and seen by God, and by those who bear witness. Drawing inspiration from the phrase, “Come see a man,” we are urged to see things for ourselves and to know that God is at work, and to know that he knows us, as well.
"Jesus wants [Nicodemus] to know that salvation isn't about following the rules, it's about letting God be in charge of your life, giving your life to God, letting go of that illusion that you're in control. What Nicodemus doesn’t understand is that salvation is a gift from God given to us through faith, and all one needs to do when receiving a gift is say thank you. What he doesn’t understand is that being born from above means dying to self and finding a new life in God.”
The Very Rev. Randy Marshall Hollerith uses the stories of Abraham and Nicodemus to illustrate the ways in which we grapple with faith. After wrestling with the ideas of need, longing, and mystery, he teaches us a few “tricks” to coming to terms with and strengthening one’s faith.
“No, it’s not our will power, but God’s power. It’s not our resolve, but God’s spirit....The key to dealing with temptation is not found within is. The key to overcoming temptation is found within God.”
The Rev. Canon Rosemarie Logan Duncan retells the story of Jesus’ time in the wilderness, and how he resisted temptation. She parallels the wilderness of temptation with modern problems and injustices, but reminds us of the good news: God went into the wilderness then, and he goes with us now. The wilderness is not devoid of Jesus, and entering it becomes bearable knowing that God is on the other side of our temptations and trials.
“If the cross teaches us anything, it teaches us the God’s precious children still bleed, still ache, still die...But our faith tells us we are children of a God who accompanies us in our suffering, not a God who guarantees a lifetime of immunity. Why is this good news? It is good news because we are also children of a God who resurrects. There is no suffering we will ever endure that God will not redeem. The season of lent reminds us that we are East of Eden but short of Zion.”
The Rev. Canon Dana Colley Corsello preaches on the season of lent and the unique relationships between sin and forgiveness, between life and death. The season of lent is not about penance, but about rebirth and starting again.
“On the mountaintops, God’s glory is revealed again by the transfiguration of Jesus. Before his disciples, Jesus was changed. He shone like the sun, he was beautiful, some may say his melanin was poppin’. Transfiguration means a complete change of form or an appearance into a more beautiful spiritual state. When I read the passage, I thought, 'this is what we do at HBCU’s.' We, by our faith, and strength, and hope, participate with God in the transfiguration of each of our students, and in the process we are changed.”
Dr. Christine Johnson McPhail preaches on the relevance, roles, and future of HBCU’s. She draws upon biblical ideas and lessons to illustrate how HBCU’s give hope, and how they do the work that needs to be done as examples of God’s work.
“This means that the only way for us to change our hearts is to die to self. The only way to save our lives is to lose them in Christ. The only way to choose life as Moses commands us today in Deuteronomy is to give our lives away. The Christian faith is not making God apart of our life, but about making our lives apart of God.”
The Very Rev. Randy Marshall Hollerith introduces to the idea of being a “Christian under construction,” or a “work in progress.” He asks us to admit that we are a sinner, because admittance is the first part of moving forward and building a relationship with Christ. It allows us to turn our lives over to God, to receive his grace, to be saved.
“Jesus speaks to those who are gathered and tells them that they, and us who are here today, are not defined by our circumstances. We are not limited by our demographics. We’re not limited by the lines that we draw, the streets that we claim, the land that we try to possess. Let me say even more that we are not confined and defined because of race and ethnicities. We are more than that. We are children of the most high God and to put it plainly, he says “you are salt, and you are light.’”
The Rev. Canon Leonard L. Hamlin Sr. preaches about who we are and what roles we have. He reminds us that we are more than our society has taught us to be, and that God clearly identifies us as his children, and address our call as love and justice.
“In short, shadow work is the work necessary for completing a purchase, that has been left to the consumer. So, what are we to do? Simply put, we are supposed to do God’s shadow work. That’s the work nobody gets paid for and few notice, but the work that makes a world of meaning of value, a world of peace and purpose, a world of love and hope and faith. In short, the work that builds the kingdom of God.”
The Very Rev. Randy Hollerith provides us with numerous examples of individuals who were seen as foolish as they worked to build the kingdom of heaven. We reconcile with the idea that all of God’s choices, teachings, and values are viewed as foolish because they are at odds with those of the present world, while also finding comfort in our ability to serve God and evoke change through doing the Lord’s "shadow work."
“I don’t think Jesus meant that building up the Kingdom of God was an either-or proposition. In my mind, it's both-and. What strikes me now is that I think about Jesus calling Simon, Andrew, James, and John, and into lives of discipleship is how familiar and close to home their calls actually were. Jesus didn’t cajole them into becoming something they were not. He invited them to discipleship in spite of their most authentic and imperfect selves.”
The Rev. Canon Dana Corsello invites us listen as she works through her struggle with the term, “discipleship.” Through a broader dive into the stories of each disciple, we find that God meets people where they are, and calls them into the kingdom as themselves.
“And what Dr. King is calling us to do is to venture out into the deep waters, where the big ones are, where the big issues of life continue to challenge us and to call us into being. So, the question then is, ‘What will it take? What’s it going to take?”
The Rev. Dr. Paul Smith reflects on the life and lessons of Martin Luther King Jr. He urges us to venture into the deep waters of life, and to face challenges with God by our sides, fully committed to living in Christ, regardless of the cost.
“Baptism is done at the beginning of the faith journey, not at the middle or the end. You don’t have to have everything together to be baptized. You just have to grasp god’s grace. God’s grace is enough.” // “If I convey nothing else to you today, it is not only that you are enough, you are beloved. A beloved child of God, precious in God’s sight, no exceptions. God loves you, and so do we.”
The Rev. Canon Jan Naylor Cope reminds us of the significance of baptism, and that we are beloved children of God. Through understanding baptism as God’s gift to us, we come to better know and appreciate his love and our own spiritual journey.
"So maybe our New Year's resolutions this New Year’s day should be less about losing weight and getting more exercise and joining a new book club and more about what kinds of risks do I need to take right now in my life for my own good, for that of my family or my neighbors and friends. Perhaps the nation itself, perhaps for human kind. How can I be more Christlike and vulnerably opening myself to some new and daunting and risky challenge?”
The Right Rev. V. Gene Robinson encourages us to be vulnerable and to have courage as we go into the New Year, and celebrate Holy Name Day. Looking to God as our guide, to make this not only a good year, but a “new kind of year.”
“Rekindle the light of Christ that abides in each one of us and carry it out into this broken world because the light came into the world, and the darkness did not overcome it. Didn’t then, won’t now, and never will, and that’s because Christ came, Christ lives -- in you, and in me.”
The Rev. Canon Jan Naylor Cope ponders Christmas, describing it as the season when light comes into the darkness, when Jesus came into the world. Reflecting on her own experiences, and experiences of those she cares for, she urges us to be brave enough to bring that light into our world today.
“The wonder of Christmas is that in the birth of Jesus we are shown that the God we worship is not distant and ethereal. Our God is not a God who is cold and indifferent, but a God who humbles himself to become one of us. Flesh of our flesh, bone of our bone, to share our joys and our pains, to know our laughter and our struggles. No, the wonder and the beauty of Christmas lies precisely in its rawness.”
The Very Rev. Randolph Marshall Hollerith calls us to reflect on the realities of the first Christmas, reminding us of the obstacles Mary and Joseph faced to bring Jesus into this world. Jesus came to remind us that this world is very real, and we are not alone. When we ask where God is, we find the answer in the story of Jesus.
“And so it is – the gospel music is nothing less than a call to our imagination, indeed a call to expand our imaginations so that we can truly envision a world, our world, where there is freedom and justice for all. God will uphold and establish God's kingdom of justice and righteousness from this time and forevermore, Isaiah tells us.”
The Rev. Canon Kelly Brown Douglas teaches that Gospel music is all about a call and a response, the ability to hear and to act, to expand our hearts, souls, and imaginations. Once we do this, we can truly be a people of the faith and live in a way that helps share the light of Christ.
“Let us sing! Let us remind one another why God created us, redeemed us, and sanctified us. It's so that our voices and word and song testified to the only reason word became flesh and lived among us. Love. Love that heals. Love that forgives. Love that celebrates. Love that binds us together in perfect harmony. Let us love and sing because we can. Let us love and sing because we cannot stop.”
The Rev. Canon Dana Corsello tells the history of Lessons and Carols and offers insight into the relationship between song and story. The congregation is invited to sing, to be in community and to feel deeply, because “singing is believing.”
“The life of Joseph drifts into mystery, but I invite you to consider Joseph as more than an afterthought, but as one who had a pivotal role in God’s plan. Joseph’s story has much to tell us about the way the God comes among us. Along with Joseph, we too are called to hear God’s message to us in the midst of complicated situations, and to be faithful, even when we don’t know where it all leads.”
The Rev. Canon Rosemarie Logan Duncan shares the birth narrative of Jesus as it is told in the Book of Matthew, where we glean insight into how God appears among us. Through this telling, we are reminded that God is with us, and that he has been here before.
"This is the moment when someone needs to hear what you've seen and what you have heard, what we have seen and what we have heard. This is our moment. This is our season to tell the good news. This is our moment to declare to the truth that states Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life."On Sunday, the Rev. Canon Leonard L. Hamlin, Sr. preached on the season of Advent as the moment when we are called to share the good news of Jesus. Advent is our season as Christians because it reminds us of the life that we have been called to live.
“The legacy of Jesus's unreasonable ministry has outlasted every other princely power and nation. During these remaining weeks of advent, as we prepare to receive the Christ child, ask yourself, how unreasonable am I willing to be for the kingdom? Are you willing to be unreasonable enough to forgive someone in your life who does not deserve to be forgiven?”
The Very Rev. Randy Hollerith, Dean of the Cathedral, reflects on Jesus’s ministry, urging us to repent of our self-absorption and apathy, our cynicism, our doubt, so that we can see the possibility that our world can be a better place, if we're willing to follow the way of Jesus.
“The call of the season is to recognize that we're not paying attention to what really matters. To confess that we are alive, yet dangerously asleep. Jesus warns us that we cannot afford to walk through life with eyes wide shut, to be asleep at the wheel. We do so at great peril.”
The Rev. Canon Dana Corsello, Vicar of the Cathedral’s Congregation, reflects on the holy season of Advent and its significance as we prepare to celebrate the birth of the Christ child.
“These words of Jesus mark the culmination of his public ministry with the proclamation of a kingdom in which good shall be wrought from evil, in which the sinful shall be redeemed, and in which the condemned shall be made whole.”
Canon Historian Jon Meacham reflects on the profound significance of Jesus’s redemption of the criminal crucified next to him.
“In the Christian context, any discussion of death and our mortality must come to our assurance that nothing, not even death, will ever separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. That is indeed cause for great hope. Yet at the same time, it is not an invitation for us to spend our time waiting for the promise of the glorious age to come. The question is what to do with the gift of life God has given us.”
The Rev. Patrick Keyser reflects on the question of how, in light of our mortality and limitations, we are to live a life of purpose and meaning.
“If you want to know what Christianity is really about, if you want to know what Jesus is really about, then you need to look no further than the Beatitudes. Jesus turns the values of the world upside down and proclaims that God's values are very different.”
The Very Rev. Randy Marshall Hollerith, Dean of the Cathedral, reflects on the Beatitudes and how they stand in opposition with ideologies such as Christian nationalism.
“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. Notice Jesus doesn't say anything about liking. We're called to love and to pray for those with whom we differ.”
The Rev. Jan Naylor Cope, Provost of the Cathedral, reflects on the intersection of religion and politics, urging us to be guided by the way of Jesus, the way of the Scripture.
“It was the Samaritan's actions that allowed Jesus to show us that it is not enough to define who is my neighbor, but it is essential to be neighborly. The call to action requires a compassion and a love that is not bound by social constructs, but motivated by heavenly compassion to transform and move beyond these binding constructs that we have put in place, that we have created that limit our community, that limit our relationships, that keep us separated.”
The Rev. Canon Leonard L. Hamlin, Sr. preaches on the parable of the good Samaritan, reflecting on how we can be neighborly in our own lives today.
Oh, mortal, what is good and what does the Lord require of you? But to do justice and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God. Brothers and sisters, remember that Micah 6:8 provides not only a picture of what God requires of us, but it provides us also with a roadmap toward building the kingdom of heaven here on earth.”
The Very Rev. Randy Hollerith reflects on the well-known words of the prophet Micah (6:8) and how we are called to apply the behaviors that God demands of us in our society today.
“Imagine what would happen if every Christian committed ourselves to show up in those places where there is injustice, where people are being treated unfairly, to add our voices and our resources to make this world a better place. And to do so in a spirit and posture of kindness, respect, and humility, especially when dealing with issues around which there is no consensus.”
The Right Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, the diocesan bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, reflects on the power of doing justice, practicing kindness, and walking humbly with God.
“Christians must do justice work. Pick one of those rivers of injustice, one that matters to you, maybe one that you know something about already, and walk back upstream.”
The Right Rev. V. Gene Robinson encourages us to embrace our identity as Christians by loving and doing justice.
“I believe there's hope because I believe in God and I believe in the way of Jesus. This great Cathedral is a lighthouse, a signpost, a GPS marker that can help to orient us all the children of God, to God's dream.”The Most Rev. Michael Bruce Curry, the presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, preaches about faith and the role of the National Cathedral as a house of prayer for all people.
“In God's economy, there is always enough to go round.”The Rev. Canon Dana Colley Corsello, Vicar of the Cathedral’s Congregation, preaches on the parable of the prodigal son.
“On this day, what do you choose? As Jesus showed us, choose life. What does dangerous unselfishness look like in your life?”The Rev. Canon Jan Naylor Cope reflects on what it means to choose life, as Jesus taught us, and to be life-giving as opposed to life-depleting, in a dangerously unselfish way.
“How many of us are more concerned about how we impress others rather than being good to others? We’re invited to the table not so that we can be impressive to each other, but we've been invited because we are the ones who are needy.”The Rev. Canon Leonard L.Hamlin, Sr. reminds us that God is looking down and watching us, something for us to meet with gratitude and to serve as encouragement to be good to others and to love our neighbors.
“As we gather, as God's people, to hear the sacred story and share in the Eucharistic meal, where Christ offers himself to us, we pray to experience that liberating power of God, not just as something from the past, but as a reality here and now for all of us."The Rev. Patrick L. Keyser preaches about Jesus healing the ailing woman on the Sabbath day. He reminds us that God shows up for us, too, and sets us free.
“As Christians, we are supposed to shine the light of Christ in our sometimes very dark world. We're supposed to be the purveyor of values that are essential to our nation and to our society."The Very Rev. Randy Hollerith, Dean of the Cathedral, reflects on our role as Christians, reminding us to stand up for the values of equality and freedom, justice and forgiveness, and love and humility.
" Prayer brings us into the presence of God. It helps us to deal with the pain of the past, the problems of the present, while embracing the Lord’s promises for the future."The Rev. Canon Leonard L. Hamlin, Sr. reminds us about the power of prayer.
"It is great to feel mercy and compassion, but we are called to act when someone’s in need."
On Sunday, the Rev. Canon Jan Naylor Cope preached on the story of the Good Samaritan. Just like the anonymous stranger, we are called to live into an active faith.
“The politics surrounding immigration in this country are deeply contested and complex, but the response required of us as Christians in the face of such a scenario is decidedly clear and simple. We are called to show hospitality, to offer food to the hungry, drink to the thirsty, welcome to the stranger, clothing to the naked.”
The Rev. Patrick Keyser invites us to consider our call to mission and ministry as followers of Jesus.
“There are many throughout history, even when claiming to be followers of Jesus, that have tried to separate Jesus from liberty. They've used his name to put folk down instead of lifting folk up.”
Preaching on Juneteenth, the Rev. Canon Leonard L. Hamlin, Sr. reminded us that although freedom has taken the scenic route in this nation, liberty cannot be separated from Jesus.
“If this kind of change frightens you, don't worry. Our fear is younger than wisdom in the timeline of creation.”
As we celebrated Trinity and Pride Sunday, the Rev. Winnie Varghese preached, telling us not to be afraid of the work we must do in our society. We have wisdom and God on our side.
“It is time to lead the way to a nation, a society where the violence of injustice and inequity, bigotry and hate, of guns and more guns, are no more.”
On Pentecost Sunday, the Rev. Canon Kelly Brown Douglas encouraged us to, “be the Church that was blown in by the spirit of Pentecost” as we do the messy work needed bring God’s kingdom to earth.
"Jesus wants us to know that we are all connected. We are all one in Christ. These deaths are our deaths. This grief is our grief. Like it or not, we are all in this together."
After a devastating week, Dean Randy Hollerith reminded us of our essential connection to our neighbors.
“Do you want to be well?”
It was a question asked to a sick man in the gospel, and it’s asked to us today in a larger context. Do we want to be healed? Do we want to see things in a new light? Dr. Catherine Meeks tells us that each time we make the decision to be healed, we in turn help the collective to become stronger.
“I believe to the core of my being that if you look for the light, you will see the light.”
On Sunday, the Rev. Canon Jan Naylor Cope provided several examples of Cathedral community members who recently inspired her. The love they showed is “more powerful than hate or fear or anything that seeks to divide us.”
“The 23rd Psalm bears witness to the way the heart of Christ thirsts for every soul as if it were the only soul ever created.”
God’s love is not passive. God actively pursues us and, as the Rev. Canon Dana Corsello says, “God always takes the initiative with us.”
“God finds us and is revealed to us in the ordinary of our lives – in our work, in our struggles, indeed in our eating.”
Yes, we see and feel God’s presence when we gather for worship on Sunday. However, as the Rev. Patrick Keyser reminds us, God is made known to us in all aspects of our lives.
NationalCathedral #SundaySermon
“We must recognize that there are issues that can only be addressed when there's a great leap of faith.”
After hearing the news of Jesus’s resurrection, the disciples hid behind closed and locked doors. The Rev. Canon Leonard L. Hamlin, Sr. asked us on Sunday to be transformed by the resurrection – to make an effort to understand, love and show our neighbors grace.
"Go to the places where love is needed most with whatever love you have to give–that’s resurrection in you. Wherever there is joy, do your best to celebrate and protect it, even if it’s not yours–that’s resurrection working in you."
As Bishop Budde reminded us on Easter Sunday, we can be part of God's resurrection work.
The Rev. Canon Leonard L. Hamlin, Sr. preached at our Good Friday service on April 15, 2022.
Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde preached at the Holy Eucharist with Renewal of Vows and Blessing of the Chrism on April 12, 2022.
"As you drink from the cup of salvation tonight, and on Holy Saturday and Easter, know that the cup of salvation is filled with God’s unconditional love for you. Jesus’ death was the cost of the love that fills your cup and mine forever more. Drink it to the dregs and be saved."
The Rev. Canon Dana Colley Corsello preached on Maundy Thursday, perfectly setting the tone for the Paschal Triduum.
“The beloved community is not just an idea. It’s what we’re called to and with the love of the resurrected Christ, together, we can help make it happen in our day, in our time.”
As we wind down our Lenten journey, the Rev. Canon Jan Naylor Cope preached about self-sacrificial love.
“Open your heart to the God who wishes to give you much more than God demands from you.”
How do you view God? What is God’s personality? Does your understanding of God judge you or love you?
As we move into the last few weeks of Lent, Dean Randy Hollerith asks us to consider imagining a loving and forgiving God, and to carry that love to others in our lives.
“God wants us to do exactly what Jesus did with us, and our responsibility as followers of Jesus is to tend to others with the same compassion and intent.”
Repentance is not an expression of regret. It’s not a simple “I’m sorry” or a promise to do better. The Rev. Canon Rose Duncan tells us that true repentance is a reorientation and change of heart.
"If we are willing to follow Jesus and engage with the struggles of our own lives, we too will find moments of transformation for ourselves and for our world."
As the Rev. Patrick Keyser reminded us on Sunday, Lent is a time to take stock of our lives, contend with sin and reorient ourselves toward's God's loving embrace.
“Even when we feel trapped by that wilderness, our Lord is ever there, watching and waiting and working to redeem that which we think is irredeemable.”
Do you journal? Dean Randy Hollerith shared his experience journaling and reflecting on the difficult times in his life. He found that even in his darkest times, he could look back and see God’s presence.
NationalCathedral #SundaySermon
"As we sit in the safety of the sanctuary and you listen from the sanctuaries of your own home, may we hope and dream for the people around the world who are shrouded in war, poverty and oppression."
On Transfiguration Sunday, Canon Vicar Dana Corsello called on us to live into our baptismal vows.
"Today we gather to celebrate HBCU Sunday, and articulate their importance, advocate their relevance, confirm their resilience, validate their value, cite their contributions individually and collectively and substantiate their significance."
We were thrilled to have the Rev. Dr. Gwendolyn Elizabeth Boyd preach on HBCU Sunday!
"If we look for the light, we will see the light."
The Rev. Canon Jan Naylor Cope preached about drawing strength from the inspirations around you and from the light that came into the world to shatter the darkness.
"What are we becoming? We are asking this question not only of ourselves, but also of our families, our communities, our nation, and - dare I say - the world."
As the Rev. Canon Leonard L. Hamlin, Sr. reminds us, something powerful happens when we invite Jesus to occupy the center of our lives. Like Simon (later, the apostle Peter) and the fishermen at Gennesaret, we are called to follow Jesus from shallow waters into the deep and have faith that we, too, can become all that we were created to be.
"The question is, can we accept God’s love for us, and thereby in turn, love ourselves?"
Being broken and being loved are not mutually exclusive. As Dean Hollerith reminds us, the Bible is filled with stories of love for the broken, the flawed, and the sick. #NationalCathedral #SundaySermon
"Jesus comes to us today here and now. He is not lost in our past or hidden in an unknown future."
Jesus's message is the same today as it was when he preached in the synagogue all those years ago – bring good news to the oppressed, bind up the broken hearted, who proclaimed freedom and release. Watch Canon Rose Duncan's full sermon now!
NationalCathedral #SundaySermon
"Dr. King was not just a dreamer. He was a doer. You and I have the same spiritual power that King had. The power that got Jesus up out of the grave is available to you and I when our lives are rooted in Christ."
Dr. Barbara Williams-Skinner preached on MLK Sunday, asking us to make loving God a priority.
“As I stand here this morning in the light of the Epiphany, reflecting on the importance and the meaning of our baptisms, I can't help but wonder – what responsibility do we have as Christians to protect the health and welfare of our democracy?”
Remembering Jesus’s baptism and the first anniversary of the January 6th attacks, Dean Randy Hollerith reflected on our role as Christians in protecting democracy.
“I am reminded that spiritual growth is very difficult if we live our lives in solitude. We all need each other.”
The New Year is often a time for growth and setting ourselves up to succeed. As the Rev. Canon Leonard L. Hamlin, Sr. reminded us on Sunday, this is easier to do when we ground ourselves in scripture and community.
The Rev. Canon Jan Naylor Cope preached on Sunday, December 26, 2021, the First Sunday after Christmas Day.
“As you have heard me say from this pulpit before, but it bears repeating…no one, absolutely no one, is more or less worthy of a decent place to live, a secure job to work, enough food to eat, or the means to health and well-being…Because here is the thing – we are all lovingly created out of the dust of the earth as children of God.”
On the Fourth Sunday of Advent, Canon Theologian Kelly Brown Douglas asked us what it means for God to love us into loving.
What do you make of John the Baptist? He’s often described as eccentric or wild, but the Rev. Patrick Keyser says that “John's most remarkable quality is his steadfast, unwavering sense of his identity and purpose.”
John knows who he is and is confident in the message he relays – the savior is coming.
“Have you not learned that love has nothing to do with pardon or forgiveness, that it only loves and loves and loves?”
John the Baptist’s words arrive to us shortly before Christmas, telling us to repent right as we’re celebrating the most momentous expression of love that the world has ever seen. Dean Randy Hollerith tells us that repenting opens us up to the love around us.
“I may not perceive God's righteousness as always fair, but because of the blessings afforded at my birth, I have always been able to make a way when there is no way…It is time we make a way for others who haven't been able to make their own way.”
Advent is here, and with this season comes a reorientation to a just and hopeful future for all. The Rev. Canon Dana Colley Corsello preached on the First Sunday in Advent.
"There's something about the kingship of Christ, which reminds us that we are not masters of this world."
Quoting “Hamilton” and Teddy Roosevelt, the Rev. Professor David Wilkinson, professor at Durham University, preached on the Christ the King Sunday.
“Jesus shows us what it means to sacrifice in the name of love. He showed us the way to love our neighbor and by extension, the way to love our world. We too can learn to sacrifice in the name of love in order to heal our planet, in order to heal our relationship with our earthly home.”
Dean Randy Hollerith was recently reminded of the fragility of our planet. What are you willing to do to become one of Earth’s ambassadors?
“Such is the great promise, the ultimate hope, of our faith—that death will be no more. A promise made to saints and sinners alike. Which is very good news for all of us sinners.”
On All Saints’ Sunday, our new Canon Historian Jon Meacham preached on saintliness and redeeming the soul of America.
“There is no unacceptable person. There is only neighbor. There is no foreigner. There is only neighbor. There is no stranger. There is only neighbor. There is no unworthy political opponent. There is only neighbor. There is no enemy. There is only neighbor.”
We’ve heard the commandments to love God with all your heart and soul and mind and strength and to love your neighbor as yourself. According to Dean Randy Hollerith, these commandments cannot stand alone. Christianity revolves around living out the love of God and love of neighbor.
“What kind of followers are we when we can claim Jesus as our savior, but don't show up when those who are suffering are in need?”
It’s easy to run or look away when we see others who are sick or face economic difficulties. As Canon Leonard Hamlin preached, our faith should help us to see what we don’t want to see.
"How do we get back to remembering that that’s who Jesus called us to be?"
The answer to this question Canon Jan Naylor Cope asked us yesterday may not be simple, but it is clear. In order to be the person Jesus calls us to be, we need to serve others.
“The fact of the matter is what was normal before the pandemic is not really something that we should be clamoring to return to.”
For followers of Christ, a normal life is not something we should strive for. Canon Theologian Kelly Brown Douglas preached on Sunday, encouraging us to dismantle systems of injustice and work to bring the kingdom of God down to earth.
“The purpose of all human interaction, all human communion, is spiritual.”
We often stray from God’s dream of relationships being based on mutual respect and equality. Humans can be selfish and sinful, but Canon Vicar Dana Corsello makes it clear that we are also capable of infinite love.
“As this Cathedral celebrates its 114th birthday, what is it being called to do? What are we being called to do?”
Birthdays are often a time for reflection, and the Cathedral’s birthday is no exception. Dean Randy Hollerith contemplates our mission, all we have to celebrate, and where we are headed as we remembered the anniversary of the laying of the foundation stone.
“Jesus points us to a way of love that requires the living of life as a servant.”
How often on our faith journey do we distracted, discouraged, or fearful? Canon Rose Duncan reminds us that these journeys are never simple paths and there are always going to be challenges, but we must move beyond that fear in the service of building God’s kingdom.
“Yes, we are a people divided to a degree we have not seen in a long, long time, but it need not be so. We have witnessed a better way. We have seen what we can do when we stand together.”
As we reflect on what we have learned in the twenty years since the 9/11 attacks, Dean Randy Hollerith reminded us on Sunday that we are strongest when we put love into action.
“There's no finite limit, truly, to Jesus’ compassion and grace. Neither should there be on ours.”
In Sunday’s gospel reading, we get a glimpse of Jesus’s not-so-pretty humanness when he insults a woman who asked for healing. This story may be difficult to hear, but Canon Jan Cope tells us that this interaction helped to broaden the scope of Jesus’s ministry.
“Even a fleeting moment of grace can carry us a long way, giving us enough, just enough, to keep going.” Yesterday, Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde asked us a series of questions, inviting us to look back on the events of our lives to discover the surprising presence of God at pivotal moments and in everyday life.
Why do we go to church?
This was the question posed by the Rev. Patrick Keyser on Sunday. Though answers may vary, Patrick is sure of one thing – worship changes us. The change might be so minute that we may not instantly notice it, but there is a change brought about by coming face-to-face with the very presence of God.
“Life is worth living just because He lives.”
What does it mean to have a life that is alive? Canon Leonard Hamlin examined this question during his sermon yesterday.
Who else is guilty of late-night snacking? ✋
Dean Randy Hollerith preached yesterday about satisfying a deeper hunger and filling the emptiness inside of us with God’s love.
Feeling hangry? Canon Dana Corsello says it may be time to probe the hunger beneath your hunger.
"The short answer is that Jesus, and Jesus alone, is all the sustenance we will ever need. If we trust that Jesus is our bread, he can fill our empty wells, he can heal whatever is broken, and he can find whatever is missing."
"Whatever we have, given in love, will be blessed by God and more than meet the moment and satisfy the needs of all. That's the way it works. That's what Jesus taught us about how to use the power that each one of us have: that nothing is too little when we give it away out of love and faithfulness."
Cathedral Provost Jan Naylor Cope looks at Jesus' lessons on power, and faithfulness, in the age-old story of the five loaves and two fish.
“We must remember, it does not begin with others, it begins with me.”
Canon Leonard L. Hamlin, Sr. preached a powerful sermon on Sunday, encouraging us to build a strong community by reflecting the values we seek in a community.
“Incidents of senseless violence often leave us feeling completely helpless and unsure what we can do. We can, in turn, all too easily, lean into that attitude of helplessness and thus absolve ourselves of any responsibility. The story of John's beheading might not offer us a word that touches and warms the heart, but it does offer us a call to action.” In a world filled with violence, we are called to be peacemakers. The Rev. Patrick Keyser preached yesterday, on the 26th anniversary of the Srebrenica massacre.
475 days.
That’s how long it’s been since the Cathedral has been able to welcome worshippers in-person. On Sunday, Dean Randy Hollerith reflected on what we’ve learned in those 475 days and the work we need to do in order to move forward.
"You and I are free for one another. Free to build the beloved community, to lean into the ideals of a more perfect union, where our value and worth as the human family, as beloved children of God, is not defined by social status, by the pronouns by which we identify ourselves, by who we love, or by the color of our skin."
On the last weekend of Pride month and looking forward to celebrating Independence Day next week, Canon for Worship Rose Duncan told us what freedom as God's children means.
“I am free to be free and I am free to free people.”
We were thrilled to welcome guest preacher Bishop Yvette A. Flunder to the Canterbury pulpit. Preaching the day after Juneteenth was made a national holiday, Bishop Flunder encouraged us to reflect on the meaning of freedom.
"Can you hear me now?"
As we reemerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Rev. Canon Leonard L. Hamlin, Sr. reminded us yesterday that we cannot return to a new normal. We need to hear God’s call and put in the work to help create a world full of love.
“We have to deal with the sin that is so much a part of our human fabric.”
The Rev. Canon Jan Naylor Cope reminded us yesterday that in order to be repairers of the breach and help heal the soul of the nation, we first need to understand what is broken and how it came to be.
“Faith is more than belief. It is more than the quest for the right ideas about God. Faith means inviting Jesus Christ into your life. It means falling on your knees and asking Christ to draw closer to you than you are to yourself.”
Dean Randy Hollerith preached on Sunday and discussed Nicodemus, who, like many of us, had trouble turning his spiritual curiosity into a religious faith.
“Love is ecumenical. Love is interfaith. Love is bipartisan. Love is multiethnic. Love embraces and includes us all.”
Presiding Bishop Michael B. Curry celebrated Pentecost Sunday with us yesterday, reminding us that Pentecost is an extension of the incarnation, and a revolution of the Spirit and love.
“There’s power in prayer.”
A simple message, but one that we often need to be reminded of. The Rev. Canon Leonard L. Hamlin, Sr. preached yesterday, emphasizing the importance of putting prayer into action.
“This is not love as an emotion. It isn’t the command to feel a certain way. It is love as action, as concern, as care for each relationship and the well-being of each person.”
Jesus’ ministry was not about moral purity. As Dean Hollerith reminded us in his sermon yesterday, to love as Jesus loved, we need to do more than hold kind feelings for others.
“We are born from love into love, not from sin and shame.”
Canon Vicar Dana Colley Corsello reminded us yesterday that love is at the core of who we are. Even if it’s scary or imperfect, as children of God, we are called to love.
“As people of faith seeking to follow Jesus, it is a call to lay down our lives for one another. To allow what needs to be given up to be given up, so that new life can emerge in ourselves and in this country, so that children are no longer killed, so that children no longer have to be forced to grow up with no parent, so that Black and Brown bodies are no longer killed by the police.”
The Rev. Patrick Keyser preached yesterday on what it means to be a good shepherd. How are you laying down your life for others?
“Resurrection is real. It can happen for all of us, not once, but over and over. Not only after we die, but in this life as well.”
Dean Randy Hollerith preached on the resurrection yesterday. Resurrection isn’t a sign of spiritual purity. It’s coupled with our pain and our wounds. Even our brokenness has a place in the resurrected life.
Provost Jan Naylor Cope preached at the celebration of the Holy Eucharist on April 11, 2021, the Second Sunday of Easter.
"Given all that you are holding in your heart right now and all that is happening in our world, it might help to know, or remember, that resurrection is a process, not an event, and it begins while it is still dark."
Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde preached on Easter Sunday, reminding us all of the communal nature of the resurrection.
"The cross of Christ does not allow the Christian to dismiss the exile in each other."
We were thrilled to welcome the Right Rev. C. Andrew Doyle, Bishop of the Diocese of Texas, to preach on Sunday! Bishop Doyle's ministry is focused on service, evangelism and reconciliation.
“If we want to live into the life God promises for us, then we need to look at our lives directly, seeing the good and bad - the pain and the hope mingled together.” The Rev. Canon Rosemarie Logan Duncan preached this week on work we still need to do these last few weeks of Lent. Accepting God’s love for us is part of the Lenten journey.
“Christian teaching need not maligned Jewish tradition in order to make Jesus look good. I'm a Jew. I don't worship Jesus as lord and savior, but I have spent my life studying him and being inspired by him and learning from him."
We were thrilled to welcome Dr. Amy-Jill Levine as our preacher yesterday. Her sermon encouraged us to question our views of the lectionary and what role the New Testament plays in our understanding of Judaism.
“Jesus’ suffering and death were not the price to be paid for the forgiveness of sins. They were the cost of love.”
On February 28, Dean Randy Hollerith preached, giving thanks for the work of historically black colleges and universities, and remembering the individuals who fought for justice, not through violence, but through love.
“It is my inability to say no to me that gets in the way of me saying yes to God. It's my agenda. It's my way. It's my policy. It’s my thoughts over the one whose ways are not our ways and whose thoughts are not like our thoughts.”
Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie preached on February 21, encouraging us to say an enthusiastic “Yes!” to God.
"What happened to Peter is a mistake that happens to us. This was a divine moment where Jesus was speaking, but instead of listening, he wanted to busy himself. Sometimes we're in such a hurry to do that we forget that it's important to just be."
The Rev. Canon Leonard L. Hamlin, Sr. preached on February 14, 2021, encouraging us to take time to be in the present,
“My brothers and sisters, look for the true light, follow the light, and be the light. We can do this, with God's help together.”
Recalling a sermon preached by Dean Randy Hollerith in 2016, Provost Jan Naylor Cope reminded us on Sunday that although we may feel broken, hurt, anxious or worried, we should never forget whose we are.
"Friends, I think it is time for all of us to take a long, hard look at ourselves, at our behaviors, at our values, at our way of life, and repent. We need to have a new mind, to listen to Jesus’ call to all of us, to take up the work of his kingdom, to live as people of faith." With the promises a new year brings, it would be easy to sit back and relax. However, during his sermon yesterday, Dean Randy Hollerith reminded us that we have work to do.
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The Rev. Dr. Michael Eric Dyson preached at Washington National Cathedral on January 17, 2021.
“In spite of the devastation we experienced over the last year, friends, I have hope. I have hope because I remember who and whose we are. We are the beloved children of God, and all of us who live under the banner of God's love are challenged today to pick up are the cross of Jesus and follow him in his ministry of love, compassion, equity and justice.”
Before leaving the Diocese of Washington, The Rev. Canon Paula Clark, Bishop-elect of the Diocese of Chicago, spoke on Sunday at the Cathedral, encouraging us to remember who and whose we are.
“Christ becomes hope incarnate in our moments of despair. He becomes the source of confidence when times are out of joint and we've lost our reason. He becomes mercy when we stray and cheat ourselves from that which is good. He becomes grace and showers us with it when we do not deserve it. He becomes love so that we might clothe ourselves with it.” Canon Vicar Dana Colley Corsello preached on Sunday, diving into the complexities of Jesus’s relationship with Mary.
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"Nothing, not even the horrors of this pandemic can stop God's presence and love from breaking into our world and coming to us. That is the joy and promise of Christmas."
Cathedral Priest Associate Patrick Keyser spoke yesterday about the light shining throught the darkness during these twelve days of Christmas in his sermon on the First Sunday after Christmas.
“When we come together in a common purpose, miracles can happen, for nothing is impossible with God.”
2020 has been filled with loss, grief, and suffering. Provost Jan Naylor Cope reminded us on Sunday that although while we may feel broken, light still shines through us.
During advent, we may see the cute, cuddly baby Jesus that adorns our crèches and be tempted to forget who that baby grew up to be – a man who demanded justice and cared for the outcast.
Dean Randy Hollerith reminds us that “the real function of advent is the preparation for the radical entry of God into human history and the creation of something new.”
It’s no secret that the past nine months have been stressful. It’s been a year of juggling responsibilities to ourselves, to our loved ones, and to our work. So often, we worry that we aren’t doing enough. Yesterday, Bishop Mariann invited us to take a step back, let that worry go, and instead focus on love.
“Intentional efforts of love, however small, what they do inside is expand our capacity to love. And so the love that we offer, no matter where, no matter how small, has a way of multiplying.”
Yesterday, on the First Sunday of Advent, we welcomed guest preacher, the Rev. Adam Hamilton from Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas.
As we're preparing for the arrival of Christ, Rev. Hamilton reminded us that "this whole month is about yearning and longing and remembering, so that we can rightly celebrate, and we can really fully remember, the significance of Christmas."
“Whatever you did to the least of these, you did to me.”
Canon Theologian Kelly Brown Douglas preached at the Cathedral on Christ the King Sunday, inviting us to affirm the personhood of others, “for it was the case that Jesus saw himself in the face of the weak and the vulnerable, of those on the underside of injustice. It was personal for him. And as it was for him, it is to be for us the way to go.”
“We have not been entrusted with the gospel of Jesus Christ to treat it as a personal treasure, to place on a shelf for our own comfort. No, now is not the time to deny the power of the gospel.”
The Rev. Canon Rosemarie Logan Duncan preached on Sunday, encouraging us to discern how our lives are connected with God and one another. How will you use God’s gifts to help the vulnerable, fight for justice and build God’s kingdom?
"While we are supposed to disagree in this democracy, while we are supposed to argue our competing ideas, we are not supposed to hate one another. That is not the way. Hate is not the way."
After a long week Dean Randy Hollerith preached on caring for one another, the work we have ahead and the political implications of the gospel.
Presiding Bishop Michael B. Curry preached at the celebration of the Holy Eucharist on All Saints' Sunday.
“I sought my soul, but my soul, I could not see. I sought my God, but my God alluded me. I sought my neighbor and found all three.”
Quoting William Blake, Dean Randy Hollerith reminded us on Sunday that in the midst of this pandemic and the upcoming election, our fundamental task as Christians is to love God and love our neighbor.
“Have I really thought about who is first in my priority, who is at the center of my life and who is at the center of all of my joy?”
Sundays provide a chance to prepare ourselves for the week ahead. As Canon Missioner Leonard L. Hamlin, Sr. said in his sermon yesterday, Sundays are also a time to ask ourselves what we can give to God.
“If it’s your turn, step up to the plate. Take the bull by the horns. Put a bell on that cat. In that moment you may feel alone, but you are not. The communion of saints is behind you. The people who love you surround you and the Spirit of the Lord is upon you because God has anointed you for this.”
Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde preached on Sunday, reminding us that God has given us the confidence and strength to do more during these stressful times.
“We cannot preach that we are all made in the image of God and then muzzle ourselves when our civic leaders maneuver to secure white patriarchy, subjugate the black and brown vote, and obfuscate our nation’s history.”
Yesterday, Canon Vicar Dana Colley Corsello preached, stressing that we as Christians still have work and repentance to do.
“We cannot surround our love with barbed wire so that only those with the password can be its recipients. We are God’s people. It is God who chooses, not us.”
The Most Rev. Justin Welby, the 105th Archbishop of Canterbury and head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, joined us to help celebrate the Cathedral’s 113th birthday.
“The Kingdom of Heaven is like…”
2020 may not look much like the Kingdom of Heaven, but we’ve survived challenging times before. Provost Jan Naylor Cope hopes that, “when generations after us look back, they will see how we met the moment – loving God and loving our neighbor.”
Sermon date: September 20, 2020
“God forgives you and me for every wrong we have ever done in life. God does so freely and extravagantly. But in return, God expects…that we do our very best to forgive others, not once, not twice, but endlessly.”
Dean Randy Hollerith preached on Sunday, reminding us that forgiveness takes time and effort. As hard as it may be, forgiveness allows us to recognize the humanity in ourselves and others.
Sermon date: September 13, 2020
“To say that America’s soul is diseased is not to criticize the mighty nation. It is to call the might nation…and say that we must account and that we must, in this generation, meet the challenges of these times.”
Marc Morial, President and CEO of National Urban League and former mayor of New Orleans, preached on Sunday about the pandemics of racism, economic inequality, COVID-19, and the fracturing of the American spirit.
"This is it. This is the touchstone, the foundation, the point of it all: Jesus loves you, unconditionally and completely. Jesus loves all whom you love; all whom you struggle to love; all whom you would name as your enemy or consider you one. Jesus loves and calls us to love."
Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde preached on Sunday and asked, in these difficult times, how do we show love?
“Who do you say I am?”
There’s no escaping the question – who we say Jesus is matters, especially as we continue to confront institutionalized racism and the spread of COVID-19. In her sermon on Sunday, the Rev. Canon Rosemarie Logan Duncan explained that, “at some point, the question of who Jesus is becomes personal.”
Sermon date: August 23, 2020
The Rev. Canon Leonard L. Hamlin, Sr., Cathedral Canon Missioner, reminded us that "faith is more of a verb than it is a noun" in yesterday's sermon. Hear his message about faith and action.
Sermon date: August 16, 2020
“We need one another to help us recognize encounters with God.”
The Very Rev. Cynthia Briggs Kittredge, ThD, Dean and President of Seminary of the Southwest, preached on community, faith and fear this Sunday.
What is the kingdom of heaven like?
“The kingdom is not the merchant or the pearl. It's finding something so amazing and unexpected that you do everything in your power to obtain it.”
The Rev. Canon Dana Colley Corsello preached on Sunday, reminding us that God’s kingdom is a gift and a source of divine grace.
Sermon date: July 26, 2020
“It no longer works. It’s no longer enough for people of good will to stand silent, to not stand up, to not act, to not be heard. John Lewis taught us that when we see something that is not right, not fair, not just, we have a moral obligation to do something about this.”
The Rev. Canon Jan Naylor Cope preached on Sunday, reminding us of the work we still have to do and encouraging us to look for hope.
Sermon date: July 19, 2020
These last few months have been a dialogue with death, says Bishop William Willimon. But, in a sermon for the Cathedral from Duke University Divinity School, Dr. Willimon reminds us that death never has the last word.
"Whether we live or die, we belong to God."
How much we need to hear, and share, that message in the shadow of COVID-19.
Sermon date: July 12, 2020
"Storms are normal parts of life. Storms end. Storms are moments of transition, when bad things go away and new things are born. They're moments of creativity."
New York Times columnist and author David Brooks preached at the celebration of the Holy Eucharist on Independence Day weekend.
Sermon date: July 5, 2020
“When a nation is facing unnecessary and unnatural death, there must be a response of the people. There must be a refusal to accept easy answers and a refusal to just go along.”
The Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II preached this morning at Washington National Cathedral, emphasizing the need for real reconstruction in our society.
Sermon date: June 14, 2020
“I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to miss my opportunity to go and do my part. I want the church I lead to do our part, to bring some good out of the nightmare we’ve been in, to wrench grace from unspeakable tragedy, to make real and meaningful restitution for the sins of that past that are still visited on far too many, to rid however we can our institutions of embedded racism.”
Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde preached on Trinity Sunday, making one thing clear – we need to show up and continue the hard work of justice.
Sermon date: June 7, 2020
“This past week, we have not only had to endure a pandemic occasioned by a virus, a viral pandemic, but we've had to endure and face a spiritual pandemic. The roots of self-centeredness where one person can look upon another person and despise and reject them, and not even behold them as a fellow child of God. We have seen once again the unthinkable become thinkable.”
On Pentecost Sunday, Presiding Bishop Michael B. Curry preached, reminding us that there is a balm in Gilead that can make the wounded whole and heal the sin-sick soul.
Sermon date: May 31, 2020
"I choose to wait and wonder not in despair, for the evidence of the gospel is that in our barren times, in times of violence and of virus, of gloom and of fear, joy will come in the morning. That is our story. That is our faith."
Jon Meacham, presidental historian and author, preached at the celebration of the Holy Eucharist on the Seventh Sunday of Easter.
Sermon date: May 24, 2020
As Chaplain of the U.S. Senate, the Rev. Dr. Barry C. Black receives questions from lawmakers, staffers and their families. On Military Recognition Sunday, The Rev. Dr. Barry Black preached, and had one question for us,
“Are you prepared to defend your hope?”
Sermon date: May 17, 2020
"If we seek God because we want heaven, we don’t deserve heaven. If we want God because we want to avoid hell, we’re headed for hell. But if we desire God because we want nothing other than to be in utter relationship with the source, origin and purpose of the universe...then God will give us that relationship forever."
The Rev. Dr. Sam Wells, vicar of St Martin-in-the-Fields, London, joined us as a guest preacher on the Fifth Sunday of Easter. Sermon date: May 10, 2020
Researcher and storyteller Brene Brown preached at the celebration of the Holy Eucharist at Washington National Cathedral.
Sermon date: January 21, 2018
"May all that you do now be for love, and may God keep you fiercely kind."
Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde preached at the celebration of the Holy Eucharist on the Fourth Sunday of Easter.
Sermon date: May 3, 2020
“Can you see Christ in the other? Can you see Christ in yourself?”
Dean Randy Hollerith preached on the Third Sunday in Easter, reminding us that Christ will travel wherever his followers are going.
Sermon date: April 26, 2020
Presiding Bishop Michael B. Curry preached at the celebration of the Holy Eucharist on Easter Sunday.
Sermon date: April 12, 2020
“We might wish very ardently that none of this wounding of our dear planet was happening – that we weren’t seeing dying coral and melting icecaps, or rising seas and growing numbers of refugees. Yet, it is happening. And just as on Good Friday, the disciples could not pretend that Christ’s wounds on the cross were not real, so to we can’t pretend that the wounds to God’s creation are not real.”
The Reverend Margaret Bullitt-Jonas, Missioner for Creation Care for the Episcopal Diocese of Western Massachusetts, preached at the celebration of the Holy Eucharist on Sunday, in honor of the 50th anniversary of Earth Day.
Sermon date: April 19, 2020