Having just celebrated the Christmas season, when we recall how Christ came for all people to offer hope and a new future, it is alarming to witness the events that have unfolded in Paris over the last few weeks. Acts of violence and terror bring pain and suffering which seem to characterise the very opposite of the loving hope we celebrate.
Such acts of terror and violence stand in stark contrast to the way people from most religious communities understand what it means to be part of a community, and for many of those a community created and loved by God.
After the terror attacks in London it was heartening to see how those from across a wide range of faith traditions and beliefs were able to come together and to work together in new and very creative ways.
“The season of Epiphany reminds us that we are part of a complex and diverse world, and that we are called to play our part in making the love and light of Christ known. ”
Such a response requires us to continue to find new ways to engage with our sisters and brothers in a positive and a loving way. To be prepared to take risks and to travel to new ground, but to do so confident of God’s love and grace.
As the world tries to make sense of what has happened, let us, this Epiphanytide, renew our own commitment to demonstrate the love and light of Christ with generosity and grace.
Canon Christopher Burke