A heavy heart (21 December)

What an extraordinary week we have experienced – it’s so difficult to find words to express ourselves in the face of the tragedy of the Bondi killings. I leave you with a message from the Archbishop of Melbourne, which speaks for us all:

Dear sisters and brothers,
I am writing to you with a heavy heart following the appalling act of violence at Bondi Beach…That such an attack should take place during Hanukkah, a time marked by light, peace and hope, is deeply distressing. This was a senseless act of hatred that has no place in our society. Our prayers are with the victims, those who have been injured, and the families who are grieving. We especially hold the Jewish community in prayer, and those who were targeted in this attack. As Christians, we are called to name hatred clearly, to resist evil, and to be people who stand for the protection of every person made in the image of God. And we want to come alongside all who are fearful and mourning in the aftermath of this attack. Our hope is that ‘the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it’ (John 1: 5).

In Christ,
Archbishop Ric