Sermons by Washington National Cathedral

November 20, 2022: Sermon by Canon Historian Jon Meacham

“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.

November 13, 2022: Sermon by the Rev. Patrick Keyser

“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.

November 6, 2022: All Saints Sunday Sermon by the Very Rev. Randy Marshall Hollerith

“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.

October 30, 2022: Sermon by the Rev. Jan Naylor Cope

“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.

October 23, 2022: Sermon by the Rev. Canon Leonard L. Hamlin, Sr.

“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.

October 16, 2022: Sermon by the Very Rev. Randy Hollerith

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.

October 9, 2022: Sermon by the Right Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde

“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.

October 2, 2022: Sermon by the Right Rev. V. Gene Robinson

“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.

September 25, 2022: Cathedral Day Sermon by the Most Rev. Michael Bruce Curry

“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.

September 18, 2022: Sermon by the Rev. Canon Dana Colley Corsello

“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.