“There is no place we can go where God is not willing to go in order to be with us.”
—The Right Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, December 2025
A Brief Excerpt from the Christmas Eve Sermon at Washington National Cathedral
How does one achieve a healthy, compassionate Christian life in practical, day-to-day terms? Perhaps the same way a trained comedian delivers great comic improv. I loved this sermon and hope you will give at least the below excerpt a place in your new year.
The video below is cued up to a 2-minute excerpt, culminating in the above quote. I recommend listening to the whole 17-minute sermon. It is masterful in its practical counsel, open-armed compassion, and it transcends institutional obsession with exclusive authority. In short, I think this sermon gets closer to the Christianity so many of us claim to want than any of the denominations we traditionally settle for. Good food for thought heading into a new year.
Reverend Budde quotes a New Testament passage from Paul, available in the KJV here, and in the more readable NRSVUE here.
For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
—Paul, Romans 8:38-39, The New Testament
Wheat & Tares 
Beautifully expressed. Thank you for the post.
A masterful, compassionate and powerful sermon. Wo derful ti hear a woman speak with authority and wisdom. That needs to become more normal. No surprise that your big todler-president could not tolerate the truth spoken in it. Please make sure that moron will leave the white house asap before he destroys the world with his greed and idiotic delusions. Thanks from Europe.
Thanks for this Jake, it was a worthwhile 17 minute venture. Reverend Budde obviously “gets it.” She stated the most basic aspect of Christian belief in such a way that it was understood by all. Upon reading her background and participation in far reaching events, it is evident to me that she understands the need for us to stand by our beliefs, and possibly answer a request, that may be coming to us via divine origination, and act in whatever capacity is available to us at the time.
I have personally known His hand to accept a calling, and as a result, was able to help individuals who were struggling within the confines that we often place ourselves, confines that are sometimes religious cultural norms, or pressures from others within those cultures. I’ve known that there have been reasons He placed me in these situations because He wants others to know of His love for them, regardless their standing with their chosen religious culture. Reverend Budde appears to know how His love should be applied to all of God’s children here on earth regardless their political, religious, national or any other origin story.
My hat is off to her and her efforts, often bold, but as far as I can read of her history, always based on the love of Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father.
Again – Thanks for this Jake-
Waiting for the First Presidency to speak eloquent truth to power. Uh. Waiting for the First Presidency to speak truth to power. Er. Waiting for the First Presidency to speak truth. Oops. Waiting for the First Presidency to announce another billion or so added to the hoard. Fixed it.
Jack C.
I don’t know what you’re talking about! 2025 was a truly Awesome, Spectacular Year; and I “hope and pray” for more of the same. As for looking to Reverand Budde for counsel and direction (let alone a life example) nah, I’m not going to do that. Candidly, she’s just as full of herself as anyone else and practices a great deal of self aggrandizement and “chest pounding”. Beautiful words….sure. As for application….not so much. Here’s to a marvelous 2026!