A very good morning to you and thanks for joining us. Today’s reflection is by Kirk Jacob. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the HolySpirit. Amen.From today’s Gospel of St. Matthew 11: 11-15, the words thatspoke to me were: ‘The Kingdom of heaven has suffered violenceand the violent take it by force’.I wonder what you think as you process the causes of crime andwar on our streets or elsewhere. Do you ask yourself: ‘why doesmy senses have to tolerate so much violence? Can I ever beprotected from it?’ Unfortunately not!I live close enough to Huntingdon, England where recently a trainpulled up. Emergency services were called upon as 10 stabbingsoccurred within a few minutes in a train compartment which leftthese people seriously wounded. People were relaxing on their wayhome and one person with a huge knife went berserk to causeserious harm. The sad thing was that the same person injured aboy the previous week. So, how do we dare find reassurance inJesus’ words: ‘Be not afraid’ this Christmas.We may conclude: Violence starts from harmful exposure tothoughts present in the human heart. Then, it has the potential toreach our lips mightily quick through careless, harmful words andfinally, if unchecked, through our hands to reach out for weaponsto use in our immediate vicinity.This Advent we pray: ‘Lord, please use my hands to be a sourceof healing where seeds of violence are germinating’. We makeour prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen.