In the wake of the Bondi shooting earlier this week, Australians are grappling with shock, grief, and searching questions after violence shattered a place synonymous with joy and freedom. In this reflection, Rev. Dr. Tania Harris offers a faith-filled response, inviting us to pause, listen for the Holy Spirit, and consider how God’s light meets us in the darkness.
This week, Australians are in shock. A tragedy on the shores of one of our most iconic beaches has left the nation reeling. It feels surreal. We are shaking our heads, looking at one another in disbelief and alarm. This sort of thing doesn’t happen here.
It is difficult to describe the depth of shock and pain these terrorist actions have caused. What began as a peaceful gathering, more than a thousand people celebrating Hanukkah, the festival of light, was shattered. Families and friends were feasting, playing games and enjoying live entertainment when two attackers opened fire on the crowd.
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For Australians, the horror is intensified by the setting. Bondi represents some of the very best of our nation: joy, beauty, freedom.
For Australians, the horror is intensified by the setting. Bondi represents some of the very best of our nation: joy, beauty, freedom. To see such violence stain this cherished landscape has left us disoriented and deeply scarred.
And so, we find ourselves asking: How? Why? And what now?
Much is being said about the government’s response to antisemitism in our nation. Reports in the media are centring on strategies to combat extremist ideologies and new gun control measures. Widespread expressions of sadness and anger fill our social media feeds. Our conversations are heading in many different directions, but before we add to the commentary, wisdom calls us to pause and ask, what is the Holy Spirit saying in the midst of it all?
The pain we’re experiencing right now is part of the reason Jesus came. Jesus showed us how to respond when darkness threatens to overwhelm us.
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The one who suffered on a cross is well acquainted with the perils of sin.
The one who suffered on a cross is well acquainted with the perils of sin. We first follow the example of our Lord who wept with those who wept. We pray for God’s comfort to envelop those who mourn (Rom. 12:15). We enter into the grief of the victims: the parents, the elderly; friends and family members - of all those who should have been free to enjoy life in this beautiful nation but are no longer with us. God’s heart is broken, and we share in their pain
Then, as the temptation to fear and anger rise within us, we remember that hatred will never defeat hatred. Even in the midst of terror, brave individuals stepped forward to reveal our shared humanity. Heroes like Ahmed al-Ahmed who ran toward the chaos, apprehending one of the attackers and risking his life for the sake of strangers. These moments remind us that it is love—and only love—that overcomes the forces of evil.
As the leaders of our nation gather to reckon more fully with what brought us here, God calls us to pray for them (1 Tim. 2:2). May grace and wisdom to flow in the midst of difficult conversations.
As the church, may we turn to the One whose light never goes out, the resurrected One who overcame the darkness and showed us the way. Let us pray that God will bring good out of this abhorrent evil, and that God’s indestructible light will truly shine in the darkness.
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