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Good Morning It’s exactly a week since I was sitting here in this studio when first reports of the Hamas attack on Israel began to filter through. Day after day journalists, some of whom have lost their lives, have brought to light the heart wrenching stories of those most affected. The nature of this dreadful situation has also raised unique problems in articulating a personal response. What are the acceptable boundaries in expressing how we really feel as events continue to unfold? I know people there. Israelis and Palestinians. I have been in touch with them this week. What is one to say? Words matter, but what words? There is a temptation to jump to words too quickly. To open one’s mouth before thinking. To give opinions that no one asked for. I guess that most people use social media for transmitting, rather than receiving. The history of this conflict adds to the difficulties here. There are many deeply entrenched positions. The French President addressed his nation on Thursday following the rise in anti- Semitic attacks and before yesterday’s deadly attack on a school. Some Jewish schools in the UK elected to close. Social media organisations are being told to make sure their platforms stick to acceptable methods of protest. Everywhere there seems to be a secondary war of words. The theologian Carl Ellis says that, of course it’s OK to be angry about something, before suggesting that we focus any anger “primarily on the grievance itself, not necessarily the people behind the grievance.” Easier said than done. But we have heard poignant, even brave, voices from all sides speaking out about the plight of innocent civilians caught up in the violence. I woke up this morning, and will try to sleep tonight, imagining what my brothers and sisters in the holy land are facing right now. They are constantly in my prayers. Even in the face of this darkness, I genuinely cling to the hope offered by the light of God’s love. Several times in the Gospels Jesus predicts apocalyptic events just like those we are witnessing right now. He even protests that “because of the increase of wickedness, the love of many will grow cold.” The hope, as Jesus also says, is that we cannot allow the light of this love to be extinguished altogether. In the end, love speaks louder than words.