For the second time this year, a stricken Paris draws our compassion. No-one can remain un-shocked by the second terrorist outrage that this city has had to endure. It is all the worse because this was quite simply an indiscriminate attack; expressing the hatred of the so-called Caliphate of ISIS (“Islamic State in Iraq and Syria”) towards those whom they would like to portray as the crusader states of the West. It is doubly disturbing because this could be the forerunner of similar attacks elsewhere, and any city, any large gathering of people, becomes a potential target.

At a time like this, as well as remembering in our prayers the families of those brutally murdered, we must guard our reactions. We are shocked about Paris; but this meant that we almost entirely ignored Beirut, where there was a similar attack the same weekend. What seems to be happening is that ISIS, which has been suffering some reverses in Iraq and Syria, has launched attacks on soft targets in the Middle East and the West. They’ve used the obvious route into Europe via the mass refugee migration to smuggle fanatics into our midst.

So what should our reaction be? First of all, let’s not victimise the victims. The refugees are fleeing ISIS, not supporting them; so if jihadis are being smuggled in their midst, let’s not tar everyone with the same brush. It all goes to show that a lot more work, and a lot more co-operation, is needed to manage the refugee crisis. It would play into the hands of ISIS if they could point to an uncaring and rejecting Europe.

Second, let’s reflect on what’s really going on. ISIS are managing to recruit angry and frightened young men, and some women, from across the Islamic world, and even from British communities, for an extreme creed because suicidal violence is presented as a solution to them. A solution to what? We need to answer that question if ever we’re going to understand the root causes of this terrorism.

Violence appeals to ISIS recruits because this particular brand of Islam is telling them that they can be martyrs and saints if they bring specific anti-Islamic forces to the ground. The West (and that includes us; even you and I are potential targets) is being blamed for Middle East dictatorships, for Israeli oppression and Palestinian suffering, for tempting Muslims with consumer culture and lax morality. All this is presented as a justification for getting high on bloodshed.

In the face of all this, we need to hold our nerve. We need to encourage international co-operation to tackle the root causes of war in the Middle East, and that includes a renewed focus on solving long-standing problems like Palestine, and Arab dictatorships. We need to renew our commitment to the values which actually feed us – compassion, fairness, tolerance – so that violence can be transcended. We need to pull people together, including our Muslim neighbours, the vast majority of whom share our revulsion at the violence. We need, we can say as Christians, the transforming power of God to be focussed on the situation by prayer, and Christian advocacy.

All this can feel utterly overwhelming in the front rooms of our homes. But let us do what we can – a letter to a politician or a newspaper here, a carefully chosen donation there, a wise word in a conversation with our neighbours, a gesture of friendship to the stranger, to the Muslim neighbour or the incoming refugee, and above all, prayer. By God’s grace and favour, we may yet change the world.