2.14.21 National Cathedral Sunday Online Worship

hmm um [Music] oh [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] so [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] good morning and welcome to washington national cathedral on this last sunday in epiphany my name is randy hollerath i'm the dean of the cathedral and i'm so glad you've decided to join us for worship today two things i want to bring to your attention this morning first a bishop buddy and i have heard from a number of you regarding the cathedrals a guest preacher last week we hear you and we're grateful for reaching out and we have tried to respond personally to as many emails as we can but please know you can read more from me and from the bishop and learn about future conversations on the cathedral's website at cathedral.org and second tonight we have a very special treat at 6 00 pm the cathedral will be broadcasting a valentine's day concert our very own daryl hunt associate director of music here at the cathedral you know daryl well from these services is teaming up with his incredibly talented wife and partner silver logan sharp and their band groov the groovement all-stars to put together a great concert for valentine's day all about peace and love so we hope you'll tune in at 6 pm tonight for a wonderful wonderful time of music now let us take a moment to take a deep breath to center ourselves to invite the spirit to gather with us and to prepare ourselves for worship [Music] you praise the lord [Music] his praise again [Music] disobeyed the father we were then held captive by our sin the law of god demanded a sacrifice restoring to himself [Music] so the lamb is freely offered atonement for sins [Music] foreverman [Music] my heart sings his praise [Music] the again [Music] [Music] his grace again [Music] [Music] crosstalk is [Music] is [Music] is is [Music] is [Music] right [Applause] [Music] blessed be the one holy and living god glory to god forever praying together almighty god to you all hearts are open all desires known and from you know secrets are hid cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your holy spirit that we may perfectly love you and worthily magnify your holy name through christ our lord amen [Music] oh [Music] was [Music] praise the lord [Music] jesus [Music] the lord be with you and also with you let us pray o god who before the passion of your only begotten son revealed his glory upon the holy mountain grant to us that we beholding by faith the light of his countenance may be strengthened to bear our cross and be changed into his likeness from glory to glory through jesus christ our lord who lives and reigns with you in the holy spirit one god forever and ever amen a reading from the second book of kings now when the lord was about to take elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind elijah and elisha were on their way from gilgal elijah said to elisha stay here for the lord has sent me as far as bethel but elisha said as the lord lives and as you yourself live i will not leave you so they went down to bethel the company of prophets who were in bethel came out to elisha and said to him do you know that today the lord will take your master away from me away from you and he said yes i know keep silent elijah said to him elisha stay here for the lord has sent me to jericho but he said as the lord lives and as you yourself live i will not leave you so they came to jericho the company of prophets who were at jericho drew near elisha and said to him do you know that today the lord will take your master away from you and he answered yes i know be silent then elijah said to him stay here for the lord has sent me to the jordan but he said as the lord lives and as you live i will not leave you so the two of them went on fifty men of the company of prophets also went and stood at some distance for it from them as they were both standing by the jordan then elijah took his mantle and rolled it up and struck the water the water was parted to the one side and to the other until the two of them crossed on dry ground when they had crossed elijah said to elisha tell me what i may do for you before i am taken from you elisha said please let me inherit a double share of your spirit he responded you have asked a hard thing yet if you see me as i am being taken from you it will be granted you if not it will not as they continued walking and talking a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them and elijah ascended in a whirlwind into heaven elisha kept watching and crying out father father the chariots of israel and its horsemen but when he could no longer see him he grasped his own clothes and tore them in two pieces the word of the lord [Music] so the lord the god of gods has spoken he has called the earth from the rising of the sun to itself out of zion perfect is its beauty god reveals himself in glory our god will call and will not keep silence before him there is a consuming flame and around about him a raging [Music] storm [Music] he calls the heavens and the earth from above to witness the judgment of his people gather before me my loyal followers those who have made a covenant with me and sealed it with sacrifice let the heavens declare the righteousness of his causes for god himself is judged [Music] a reading from the second letter of saint paul to the corinthians if our gospel is veiled it is veiled to those who are perishing in their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of christ who is the image of god for we do not proclaim ourselves we proclaim jesus christ as lord and ourselves as your slaves for jesus sake for it is the god who said let light shine out of darkness who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of god in the face of jesus christ the word of the lord [Music] sweet me what did i see [Music] me [Music] if [Applause] sweet [Music] me jesus oh resuscitated jesus took with him peter and james and john and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves and he was transfigured before them and his clothes became dazzling white such as no one on earth could bleach them and there appeared to them elijah with moses who were talking with jesus then peter said to jesus rabbi it is good for us to be here let us make three dwellings one for you one for moses and one for elijah he did not know what to say for they were terrified then a cloud overshadowed them and from the cloud there came a voice this is my son the beloved listen to him suddenly when they looked around they saw no one with them anymore but only jesus as they were coming down the mountain he ordered them to tell no one about what they had seen until after the son of man had risen from the dead the gospel of the lord praise to you lord christ [Music] i invite you this morning to join me in a word of prayer almighty as we gather on this day we gather grateful for the life that you have set before us and your presence with us and once again we ask that you might cover us hold us keep us and fill us for all of the places that you are preparing to send us this we ask in your wonderful name amen i come this morning humbled yet grateful for this moment to be able to connect with my colleagues here and those who are joining us from your living rooms your offices and perhaps in many of the other places that have now been transformed from ordinary to extraordinary from common to sacred yet as i come this morning in my preparations i have wrestled with the subject as all preachers do what would i say but preaching is not just subject it is also tone what would i say that would hit the right note that many of us as we know recognize that the church would make a certain sound because even in hitting the note from the resonance of that sound there's vibration that comes and i'm praying on this morning that we might be mindful of all that comes from a moment like this but i was also reminded that preaching is never without context perhaps it may be attempted without regard for context but one of the challenges and charges for any preacher is to hear to see and to seek god within the context that are often recalled by us experienced by us faced by us and in many moments weighing upon us and even through the contexts that are not clear in the future that are calling to us on this valentine's day on in this month of black history and on the heels of a week filled with conversations exchanges and questions i found myself asking the primary question that i encourage all of us to ask i know it is a question that like me many of you have felt called to ask in many situations it's a very simple question god where are you in the midst of this this is a critical question for those journeying along the road of faith it is the question we are more inclined to ask when moments are dark and difficulties of life are present perhaps it's an easy question for me to ask as i consider the unique history being shared this month because it is a question that has been intertwined in my experience in the african-american experience in the faith journey of those who have come before me it is one that has been asked over and over god where are you it is also raised by those who experience life on the margins or who have been knocked down by life circumstances whether momentary or lasting at some point we have all asked god where are you after being awakened by the question we often find ourselves standing in the intersection where divinity and humanity meet and we also ask a question that in this moment perhaps it is best expressed by a spiritual that has been echoing through generations as i hear the voice even today of one who would cry out lord how come me here i have often found myself in situations where i've asked god where are you and then i've asked the question lord why am i in this moment it is in this intersection this well traversed intersection of life where divinity is meeting humanity that the preacher's task is to bring forth from the past the flame that will light the path going forward and not just hold the ashes of the difficult circumstances well i was reminded by my good friend reverend dr paul smith this week that here memory is one of god's great gifts to the human spirit and today i reach back hoping to grab the flame and not just pick up ashes and i invite you to reach back with me in perhaps some of your memories that we might like the path forward and not just hold on to the ashes of difficult circumstances i had to go seeking and asking this week i had to ask like many of you who are connected in this moment god where are you and lord how come me here i have been asking in the face of hundreds of years of racial discrimination discrimination prejudice and injustice i have been asking lord where are you while the burdens are still present why i deal with this problem of the present past i've had to go seeking and asking amid listening to the political posturing of recent days and the partisan divisions that will shape the future and the lives of adults and children in this land and perhaps around the world i've wondered about the future and what the future will hold i've had to go seeking and asking while witnessing the relational burdens of friends and colleagues reaching for one another all the while working to show love for one another i've had to go seeking and asking while trying to hold family together and fighting off the overwhelming feelings and concerns associated with the effects of all of the viral economic and racial pandemics all seemingly showing up at the same time there are moments when it feels like everything is crashing together i've lived long enough to experience emotional and spiritual crashes but i also know the literal pain of a physical crash there are degrees of crashes but i've experienced and focus in on the degree of a crash where you are left feeling trapped i know that experience both physical and literal in the spiritual i know what it is to be trapped in circumstances to feel it and to experience it it is an overwhelming feeling to be trapped by circumstances and encounters it was now 40 years ago that i was trapped after a physical crash and in order to get out the first responders had to use a tool called the jaws of life these big cutters can cut away doors and give access to those who are hurting and suffering and in need of care well my charge and my assignment as the preacher my history and my faith my family and my foundation reminded me that we all have a tool that we can use today it is a tool that is able to help us cut through what is keeping us trapped it is a tool that can be used to cut us out of what has trapped us hurt us and even separated us it is a tool that when used appropriately can lift us and as howard thurman would conclude is designed to be life affirming and not life denying i invite you no matter where you are to grab your tool and join me for just a moment you wonder what that tool is it's simply the bible that tool is the gospel that has been read before you it is a tool that can help us in our steps moving forward it is the written word that sheds light on the living word it is the passage that has been placed before us today and we all have a tool that we can use if we're not using it on ourselves we can use it to help someone else in a difficult moment and so here today i grab my tool and i hope you're joining me whether you're on your couch and in your kitchens no matter where you are that you've got your tool in front of you prepared to use it not just for yourself but for those who may be hurting and who are around you in this moment of confusion and chaos it is here in mark's gospel we're invited to go up into the mountain with jesus peter james and john i invite you to do some climbing with me for just a moment and i know there are times we all don't feel like climbing we don't feel like moving because i want to just stay right where i am because i want it to be delivered to me or brought down to me and made convenient for me but in order to get what god is revealing there are times where he invites us to climb above the difficult climb above the tough climb above all that is going on so we can see beyond the problematic and the painful so i invite you to get a better view because it is true that your view expands the higher that you climb and so no matter where you are there's an invitation before each of us there's an invitation out of the gospel there's an invitation that is living in the spirit to climb just a little bit higher than where we've been whether you're with family whether you're in friends no matter who you are in relationship with that there is a time that we're called to climb that we might be in his presence and really live in the presence of one another after climbing in this text peter james and john reached a certain point where high up on this mountain it is recorded that jesus was transfigured his appearance was transformed and changed his clothes were altered here his presence was powerful as peter james and john stood in that in the moment in that space elijah and moses showed up and a divine conversation broke out it was in that moment of being overwhelmed that once again in all of his enthusiasm and perhaps his character peter shouted out jesus rabbi it is good for us to be here let us make three dwellings one for you one for moses and one for elijah mark records that peter did not know what to say for he was terrified it was at that moment that a cloud here shadowed them and a voice rang out and declared this is my son the beloved listen to him 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 and sometimes we're in such a hurry to do that we forget that it's important to just be jesus was being transformed in order that they would listen and that they and we who are hearing today would be transformed it is not just about his transformation it is about our transformation they were still wrestling with who jesus was while at the same time they may have been wrestling with who they knew themselves to be i would often tell my former congregation to not concern yourselves with what people say about you concern yourself with what god is saying to you because folk are going to talk about you no matter what you do and there are times that when we are walking in his likeness people will give them something to talk about in certain moments we say don't just sit there do something but i say this morning it is also true that there are times in order to find our way in order to see our way in order to acknowledge the way the truth and the life we need to say don't just do something sit there peter wanted to do work with his hands when he had not first done the work of his heart the acknowledgement and the celebration of human doings should never be a good substitute for the acknowledgement and celebration of human beings and sometimes our human doings are just substitutes for what it really means to be human beings there's a difference between doing and being and just because we are doing doesn't mean that we're truly being we have made significant progress in celebrating celebrating our doings but limited progress at times and celebrating our being when i think of all who are listening acknowledging the week that has gone by and recognizing the witness of faith that has been lifted during this black history month when i think of those who have gone before me the presence of love that is being talked about on valentine's day there has always been a searching for god and a reaching for one another there are moments where we must reach back and grab the flame and not pick up the ashes i reached back this morning and grabbed the flame and i hear this morning those who kept reaching as they would seek out and create sacred space when they were denied space i reach back and i still hear the voices of those as they would lift it's me it's me it's me o lord standing in the need of prayer not my mother not my father but it's me oh lord standing in the need of prayer i reach back and i still hear the voices and in this place echoing around i can feel their presence as they would uncover under the cover of night and in divine corners and perhaps even in prayer closets steal away to jesus even though many would cry out sometimes i feel like a motherless child and declare nobody knows the trouble i've seen somehow through the mysterious and miraculous and powerful perspective of faith that was available to them they would declare i don't feel no ways tired well today my back is straightening up a little bit in this moment my head is lifted a little bit higher because i'm standing in his presence you're in his presence in your home you're in his presence with the family and neighbors that are around you and today you ought to be able to move just a little bit more and move a little bit further by saying i don't feel no ways tired because faith should not limit what we see or who we have been created to be faith should help expand what we see and give us the confidence in our being faith should steady our steps as we seek to move out into places that some would call difficult as we seek to walk on water as we seek to walk in this journey called life noted i remind you and i lift today noted african-american preacher and justice leader vernon johns preached a sermon years ago at the hampton university's ministers conference and he titled it human destiny and as part of that sermon he said as he gave witness now you know your definition of home enlarges as you travel if a man were to ask me in baltimore where do you live he said i would say 1134 mccullough street if he asked me that same question in new york where do you live i would say in baltimore if he asked me if i were to be in canada where do you live i would look back at him and i would say in the united states of america if he asked me while i traveled into europe where do you live i would say in america he went on to say you see your definition of home enlarges as you move out and so he says if my little grandchild heard that i had passed on and asked what happened to granddad i would like for my granddaughter to say that which drew him out of the boundless deep turned home again and you know as i get older and i stand with him today i'd like to say as someone has said i'd like to think god is my home so i invite you to step out of where you are and god would be your home i think of my father on this day i think of my parents on today i'm thankful for an aunt who is turning 97 this year who i know it is her faith that has kept her her faith that has held her through difficult situations and as growing up i remember my father being alone in the kitchen while i was doing homework in out in the dining room he would often sing about the old rugged cross but i remember today how he would get there and in his gold great baritone voice remembering his father grandfather those who had come before him the legacy passed from generation to generation and i didn't plan on this but he would say tis the old ship of zion tis the old ship of zion tis the old ship of zion get on board get on lord let us affirm our faith in the words than i seen creed we believe in one god the father the almighty maker of heaven and earth of all that is seen and unseen we believe in one lord jesus christ the only son of god eternally begotten of the father god from god light from light true god from true god begotten not made of one being with the father through him all things were made for us and for our salvation he came down from heaven by the power of the holy spirit he became incarnate from the virgin mary and was made men for our sake he was crucified under pontius pilate he suffered death and was buried on the third day he rose again in accordance with the scriptures he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the father he will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end we believe in the holy spirit the lord the giver of life who proceeds from the father and the son with the father and the son he is worshiped and glorified he is spoken through the prophets we believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church we acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins we look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come amen oh god our refuge and strength hear us as we pray for the church the world and all in any need for the mission of the church that it serves as a beacon of hope and never grows weary of proclaiming the gospel of christ we give thanks for the right reverend barbara clementine harris the first woman to be ordained and consecrated a bishop in the worldwide anglican communion may our witness continue to be a bold and prophetic voice against injustice and oppression to advance the building of your kingdom we pray lord transfigure and heal for the leaders of this and every nation pour out your spirit upon joseph president of the united states and members of congress that they may listen to your voice and work together with understanding patience and compassion to faithfully serve and mend the divisions of this nation we pray lord transfigure and heal for an end to the inhumanity and hatred in our nation that destroy lives and betray our sacred humanity open our hearts to remember that you show no partiality but instead you know us as your beloved children may we heed your great commandment to love one another as you have loved us we pray lord transfigure and heal for those who worked for equality justice and dignity for african americans which inspired other movements advancing the rights of the oppressed and the marginalized in our society for all who suffer in body mind or spirit especially those with mental illnesses chronic conditions and covet 19 that as christ was transfigured on the mountaintop sickness will be turned into health loneliness into compassion bereavement into consolation and suffering into assurance we pray lord transfigure and heal for the reduction of cases in the spread of covet 19 and for the effective and equitable distribution of vaccines in all communities in this nation and throughout the world we pray lord transfigure and heal for the faithful departed remember all who have lost their lives to covet 19 and racial injustice who now rest from their labors that they may have perfect peace in your eternal kingdom we pray lord transfigure and heal god of our weary years god of our silent tears thou who has brought us thus far on the way thou who has by thy might let us into the light keep us forever in the path we pray amen let us confess our sins against god and our neighbor god of all mercy we confess that we have sinned against you opposing your will in our lives we have denied your goodness in each other in ourselves and in the world you have created we repent of the evil that enslaves us the evil we have done in the evil done on our behalf forgive restore and strengthen us through our savior jesus christ that we may abide in your love and serve only your will am amen almighty god have mercy on you forgive you all your sins through the grace of jesus christ strengthen you in all goodness and by the power of the holy spirit keep you in eternal life amen our brothers and sisters the peace of christ be always with you once again good morning and thank you for being with us on this sunday we're so glad that you have chosen to worship with us today this wednesday is ash wednesday the beginning of lent and i hope you will join us at 12 noon for our ash wednesday service i think ash wednesday is such an important day time for us to begin a holy lent so i hope you'll join us for that and before the service we will be offering a private right of reconciliation for those who might be interested you can find more detail about that and about the service on our website cathedral.org lent so i hope you will join us for that that service our concert this evening our service today all the things we we provide and present to you its worship as entertainment as joy all those things take quite a bit to create and put together and so we are so grateful for the support that you give us from around the country to help us in our ministry so many people think that we're sponsored by the federal government in some way or by some large church body but we're not all of the funds that we raise for the ministry and mission of this cathedral come from private donations from good folks just like you so thank you to all of you who have given to the work of the cathedral and i hope if you were able that you will continue to give please give first to your own church or religious community and then if you have something that you can share with us to help us in our ministry we would be most grateful now remember the words of our lord jesus christ how he said it is more blessed to give than to receive [Music] um oh light of the light lord given redeemer of the earth more brighter than a day or faced [Music] two prophets who had faith [Music] your father's voices [Music] the king of glory [Music] all the faith the lord be with you and also with you lift up your hearts we lift them to the lord let us give thanks to the lord our god it is right to give god thanks and praise god a blessing we thank you always for making us in your image to serve the peace of all creation you shared your name with our mothers and fathers sarah and abraham who left their home and became a blessing to all nations moses and miriam who went through sea and wilderness to the place of revelation deborah and samson who gave hope and justice to a people ruled by fear ruth and jonah who went to foreign soil and found a god who loves the stranger from our ancestors in faith came jesus the son of promise to fulfill the law embody your love and draw all people to himself he accepted death to break its fearful hold he was raised to life to share it in abundance he comes again to break the bread and pour the wine of hope therefore with all people whose story you have shaped with women and men of faith in every part of the world we glory in your generous love and sing in praise of you [Music] oh comes in [Music] [Laughter] we ask that your holy spirit fall upon us and upon these gifts that these fragile earthly things may be to us the body and blood of our lord jesus christ who on the night that he was betrayed gathered with his faltering friends for a meal that tasted of freedom calling them to his table jesus took bread gave thanks broke it and said this is my body which is given for you do this to remember me in the same way after supper jesus took the cup saying this cup is the new covenant in my blood do this whenever you drink it to remember me as on that night so here and now jesus offers himself in touch and taste beyond what words can hold great is the mystery of faith christ has died christ is risen christ will come again therefore we come in memory and hope responding to your call and the promise that echoes from the dawn of all time may mind and heart be held by yourself giving love as we stand before the cross approach the empty tomb and praise the one whose name is lifted high above all earthly power receive our broken offering through his all-powerful grace and bind us in communion with all who share your gifts through christ and in whom all ages and all the worlds are drawn into this ceaseless love of father son and holy spirit amen amen and now as our savior christ has taught us we are bold to say our father who art in heaven hallowed be thy name thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever amen [Music] taste [Music] see [Music] [Music] oh the gifts of god for the people of god take them in remembrance that christ died for you and feed on him in your hearts by faith with thanksgiving let us join our voices in prayer beloved jesus i believe that you are present in the blessed sacrament of the altar i love you above all things and i desire to receive you in my soul since i cannot at this moment receive you in the sacrament of your body and blood come spiritually into my heart i embrace you and unite myself entirely to you let me never be separated from you in this life or in the life to come amen [Music] of gladness [Music] is [Music] me [Music] is [Music] thee [Music] now [Music] forever [Music] oh [Music] [Music] is [Music] and therefore [Music] is [Music] foreign [Music] praying together loving god we give you thanks for restoring us in your image and nourishing us with spiritual food in the sacrament of christ's body and blood now send us forth a people forgiven healed renewed that we may proclaim your love to the world and continue in the risen life of christ our savior amen life is short and we don't have much time to gladden the hearts of those who journey with us so be swept to love and make haste to be kind and the blessing of god almighty the father son and holy spirit be upon you this day and remain with you always amen amen oh foreign [Music] is is [Music] is is [Music] obsessed [Music] is [Music] go in the light and peace of christ [Music] [Music] hallelujah [Music] hallelujah [Music] i [Music] hallelujah [Music] hallelujah [Music] hallelujah i lift my hands i praise you [Music] hallelujah [Music] so worthy to be um hallelujah we praise your name hallelujah you're worthy hallelujah lord we lift you up hallelujah you're worthy hallelujah we praise your name hallelujah hallelujah we lift you up lord we lift you up lord we lift you up you

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Length: 94min 54sec (5694 seconds)

Published: Sun Feb 14 2021