My heart is heavy as I begin writing this message. This week should have been one where our only concerns were rushing to finish the years work, last minute plans for family dinners and holidays not to speak of mounting excitement and anticipation from all of the children in our lives. But the warm and peaceful calm of the week before Christmas was shattered by a hatred so cruel and so violent that it cost the lives of two beautiful young and courageous people - the cafe manager Tori Johnson and Katrina Dawson, a brilliant barrister and mother of three young children. Yesterday morning, only hours after the siege had ended, I was travelling on a train across the city. You could feel the numb shock in the carriage. It was as though each of us was drawn into our inner self as we tried to rationalise the horror that had invaded not just our citys heart, but our own. But in the midst of this deep sadness there was a determined love, a love too strong to be intimidated by hatred. And then through the day that followed in Martin Place, in St Marys Cathedral - all across our nation - we saw such strength from our community as we all affirmed, in a hundred different ways, loves triumph over hate. This is a time of love. Whether we celebrate Christmas, or Chanukah or simply gather together for a thoroughly secular family dinner, this is a time to hold closer than ever not just to those you love, but love itself. The cruelty and hatred in the world baffles us. Hard on the heels of the siege in Martin Place we learn that the Taliban have massacred over a hundred students in a school in Pakistan. And our thoughts go back to the shooting down of MH17 and the murder of its passengers and so many other acts of cruelty and hatred. Sometimes it feels as though we are on a flimsy boat tossed about on a sea of hate. Yes, there is plenty of hatred in this most imperfect world of ours, but our boat is not flimsy. Far from it. It is made of the strongest timber, it is made of deeply held democratic values founded in the love of and respect for humanity. Please remember those who are less advantaged than ourselves. This is a time to show our love in practical ways. It may just be helping out our friends and family, but also think about those like the Wayside Chapel, St Vincent de Paul, the Salvation Army, Jewish Care and so many other wonderful volunteer organisations whose mission is a very practical love. They need and deserve our help.
Posted on: Sun, 25 Jan 2015 08:53:01 +0000
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