Dear Parents and Caregivers,

None of us would have expected our peaceful city to witness the worst act of terror that New Zealand has ever experienced. Christchurch will never be the same, nor should it be, as we mourn the loss of 50 precious lives.

Like you, I’ve been pondering the right response, and thinking carefully about my own attitudes and beliefs. As Christians, what can we do, and what should we do?

Micah 6:8 is great to think about in any situation:

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. What might this look like practically?

We can pray:

Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

We can act:

The words and deeds of Jesus clearly teach us to help those in need, so as Christians we ought to actively help the world around us. This may mean selflessly and sacrificially serving in situations like this. Members of our school community did this and are continuing to support the victims’ families.

Matthew 25:40 Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me

We can grieve:

Ecclesiastes 3:1;4 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens. a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.

As hard as we might try to distract ourselves from the grief, sorrow and pain, sometimes these are the most honest and healthy feelings to have in such moments. Life is precious, and it has been taken in an act of hatred and violence. Jesus wept for our sinful world, and so should we.

We can forgive:

When innocent people die there is a natural urge to hate, blame and seek revenge. But contrary to everything within our sinful nature, Jesus calls us to forgive.

The beautiful prayer that Helena Tulia prayed on the Monday morning after the attack included these words: ‘May the darkness and hate that he has in his heart be driven out and replaced with love’. It goes against everything within us, and many will not understand why we would do such a thing, but we must forgive.

We can trust God and have hope in him:

Romans 15: 13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

It’s easy to be filled with fear in times like these. Followers of Christ should be sources of emotional and spiritual strength, courage, comfort and peace in times of trouble. Sometimes it’s better to turn off our devices and open up our Bibles. To be honest, I’ve struggled with that – I’ve found myself almost ‘addicted’ to a screen as the terrible tragedy unfolded and the media ‘frenzy’ rolled on.

We can check our own motives and thoughts:

Do I have in my heart feelings of intolerance towards other ethnicities and religions because their beliefs and values are different to mine? Am I holding on to a worldview that suits me and enables me to live in comfort and not be challenged in any way? It’s always good to check our motives and whether what we believe lines up with the words and action of Jesus. The parable of the Good Samaritan is Jesus’ way of teaching us that our neighbour, who might belong to a different religious group, ought to be treated with love and compassion.

We can be peacemakers:

When the Pharisees came to arrest Jesus, Peter pulled out his sword and attacked —but he was rebuked by Jesus. It’s easy for us to be like Peter, wanting to defend and defeat evil through physical violence. But Jesus calls us to be peacemakers.

We can be a loving and redemptive force in a broken world. Lord Jesus, help us all to react to this tragedy in a way that honours you and helps those around us.

AMEN