Hope and Action Now - The Rev Dr Kelly Sprinkle - 8-3-2025

Reading Revelation 1:4-6, read by Fran Stiles

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
From the first chapter of Revelation. I'll be reading verses
four through six. This is the revelation of Jesus Christ,
given by God to show the faithful what must happen
very soon. God made it known by sending an angel

(00:22):
to John, the faithful Subject, who, in writing down everything
he saw, bears witness to the word of God and
the testimony of Jesus Christ. Happy are those people who
read this prophetic message, and happy are those who hear
it and heed what is written in it, For the

(00:45):
time is near. From John to the seven churches in
the province of Asia. Grace in peace to you from
the one who is, who was, and who is to home,
from the seven spirits before the Throne. From Jesus Christ,
the faithful Witness, the first born from the dead, sovereign

(01:10):
of the rulers of the earth. To Christ, who loves us,
and who has freed us from our sins by the
shedding of blood, and who has made us to be
a commonwealth of priests to serve our God, the Creator.
To Jesus Christ, be glory and power forever and ever.

Speaker 2 (01:33):
Men. Late this past Friday evening, Diana Butler Bath posted
the following to her substack the cottage I was out

(01:56):
to launch with a friend. With her eyes down, she
told me that she was having terrible nightmares, fell overwhelmed
with sadness, and struggling with intense grief. I can't stand
it anymore, she said, every story about immigrants being snatched
by ice, the cruelty of it all. Her voice trolled off.

(02:21):
Am I going crazy? I don't know about that, Diana replied,
not sleeping crying over the suffering of others. That seems
pretty normal in these abnormal circumstances. You've got a soul.
If you weren't sleepless and depressed, I think something was

(02:43):
really wrong with you. All you've described only proves that
you are a moral human being. But I can't live
this way, her friend protested. Diana nodded knowingly and said,
I know. I feel the same way. Then her friend asked,

(03:04):
what should I do. I can't do anything. I don't
know what to do. She seemed a bit lost, maybe
somewhat guilty, or perhaps even shamed of not knowing beloved.
Just the same feeling resonate with you, Diana. Butler. Bass

(03:29):
goes on to point out that one of the authors
of Project twenty twenty five, bragged about one of their
initial goals was to put Americans into trauma. Millions of
traumatized Americans unable to function or respond in any meaningful way,
would give them a clear pathway to execute their plans.

(03:57):
Do you feel traumatized in the same way? Moral injury
is just that trauma that violates one's moral and ethical core.
During the Service and Advocacy Retreat this past Thursday, I
scribbled the following on my notepad during the retreat. Hope

(04:22):
can be an action? Hope How does hope become an action?
Some say hope can be viewed as wishful intent, or
it can be grounded in the belief that whatever you're
going through, it will all simply work out. I must

(04:45):
admit I bristle when I hear these words wishful intent,
it will all work out. This is way too passive
for me. We often talk about hope for the future,
but how often do we talk about hope for today,
this very moment, this very minute. By hope for today,

(05:06):
I mean doing something right now that will make a
difference and help bring hope to reality in the future.
Now listen, I'm not saying hope is useless, but I'm
saying wishful attitudes of it will all worked out. Often

(05:26):
let us off the hook of taking responsibility. We must
take responsibility for bringing hope into action by showing up,
whether it be a protest, standing together, witnessing the horrors
of us, and being a visible presence of justice that

(05:47):
such actions will not be ignored.

Speaker 1 (05:51):
Up.

Speaker 2 (05:52):
Showing up is also about solidarity. Reminds us that we
are not the only ones who feel the way we do.
It is a visible reality that we are not alone
in this life. We can bring hope into action by
dedicating ourselves with building trusting relationships and honoring diverse voices.

(06:18):
We must take responsibility for bringing hope into action by
speaking up. Speak up, and do not let injustice and
atrocities go unnoticed. You can write letters, You can tell
your story of how your faith and your moral and
ethical core cannot allow atrocities to happen in your name,

(06:41):
in our name. We must take responsibility for bringing hope
into action by investing and shopping responsibly. Do not let
your profit and your dollars exploit fellow human beings in sweatshops,
paying minorities and immigrants, or abusing our fragile earth. We

(07:07):
must take responsibility for bringing hope into action by praying.
In the words of the African proverb, when you pray,
move your feet.

Speaker 1 (07:22):
Now.

Speaker 2 (07:22):
Civil rights leader John Lewis brought this proverb into prominence
by often in reporting repeating it to inspire faith and
action alongside faith. John himself imbidied this philosophy through his activism,
such as participating in CITs ins, sit ins, and marches

(07:43):
for civil rights, and later his service in Congress. The
praise serves as reminder that while prayer is a valuable
spiritual practice, it is not a substitute for personal effort
and responsibility. This is why each Sunday, when we pray
for the world and ourselves, I say these words give

(08:03):
us the will to be the answer to the prayers
we pray. I do believe that we can individually and
collectively bring hope into action. In the words of Grata Thunberg,
once we start to act, hope is everywhere.