I add my condolences to those shared already for all who have suffered and who continue to suffer as a result of being caught up in recent acts of terrorism in London and Manchester, and in the avoidable tragedy of Grenfell Tower.

There appears to be so much evil in the world, especially when acts of violence are met with revenge violence, that it could be tempting to turn off the news altogether.

However, there is hope among ordinary people regardless of colour, religion or age, in that we have seen an outpouring of the sacred in the immediate aftermath of each hate-filled atrocity on our streets and in the tragedy of Grenfell Tower.

People of various faith groups and people who reject all faith approaches to life have come together in compassionate service to support the survivors.

Heroic frontline medical, firefighting and police services continue to work tirelessly, often to their own personal cost, to save lives.

Churches and mosques continue to respond far more quickly and effectively than some local and national governments.

But when these tragedies fade from the newspapers and the television screens, will faith groups go back into their own particular self-help shells rather than continue to work together as sisters and brothers of the One God of all?

Surely, we need to go beyond the barriers that different religions erect around themselves and continue to work together for the benefit of all people and for the integrity of Creation.

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