Owe no one anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. (Romans 13:8)
These past weeks have not been easy. We have celebrated Christmas and the New Year, and we are living with the impact of the tragedy of the Bondi Beach attack. This terrible massacre has changed how the Jewish community feels as part of Australia.
Hate speech is blamed for inciting the violence and others, including governments, are blamed for not preventing this horrible event. Attributing blame, speaking over the top of each other and using labels to describe others does not help.
Quiet is needed. In quiet we can listen, not to the big loud voice, rather to the small voice of the other. In quiet, we grieve and grow in understanding and compassion. Out of such renewed understanding and care, we stand together and declare ‘this is not who we are’ and ‘this is not what we want for each other’. I write in the quiet of the National Day of Mourning.
Social cohesion is not created by rules and guidelines and is not the product of debate and argument. It is built by listening and growing in our awareness of and respect for the other. Cohesion is a gift that flows from recognising that we all share a common humanity and we do need each other. It is love that creates the cohesion we all desire.
St Paul sums this up powerfully in his letter to the Romans:
8 Owe no one anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery; you shall not murder; you shall not steal; you shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word, ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbour; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law. (Romans 13:8-10)
Rev John Gilmore, NCCA President