How do we sustain hope in our increasingly challenging, and often heart-breaking world? Author, activist, author, and ecologist Joanna Macy believes we are in a moment of revolution called “The Great Turning” in which we are transitioning to a life-sustaining society.
Summary:
In this personal reflection, a Unitarian Universalist seminarian explores the concept of active hope after finding inspiration in a uniquely decorated Chicago cafe. The speaker contrasts the “business as usual” mindset and the “great unraveling” of societal collapse with a “great turning” that demands creative resilience. Drawing on the teachings of Joanna Macy, the sermon argues that hope is a practice of engagement rather than a passive emotion or simple optimism. It emphasizes that grief and love are two sides of the same coin, both necessary for showing up fully in a broken world. By practicing gratitude and honoring emotional pain, individuals can move toward meaningful action through a connectedness with all life. Ultimately, the sermon suggests that a broken heart serves as a vital opening for the profound compassion required to heal the world.