| Foreword |
| “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what
they are doing” Jesus Christ prayed when they crucified him
on the Skull Place along with the two criminals. |
| In this liberating and enriching book, “How Jesus
Taught me to Forgive & Love,” the author George Ettuparayil
shows us how to tap into the power of our higher selves and live happily,
regardless of what our profession or work is, with a greater sense
of peace and fulfilment. |
| The author reveals the essential steps to help us understand
how to overcome the greatest evil of hatred and how we can change
our way of life, rejecting our hateful and sinful thoughts and feelings
totally. |
| This book discusses hatred and malice — physical,
emotional and spiritual — and helps us understand why we suffer
from this and how we can cope with it successfully by uplifting ourselves
into a life of “Forgiveness and love.” The book is most
valuable in restoring our soul in today’s self-seeking culture
that teaches us hatred, selfishness and combat. |
| Inspiring, illuminating and uplifting, “Forgiveness
& love” make the sincere words of this young writer help
us find the true beauty of love and compassion in human life. I wish
him all success in his noble endeavours. |
Pala K.M.Mathew |
| Preface |
| From my childhood I use to dream a lot. But in my life
I never dreamed of writing a book. I struggled with hatred with one
of my relatives for more than twelve years. It was like living in
an airconditioned room with a rotten rat. When I shared my experiences
with one of my friends, Father Michael Panachikkal about how Jesus
Christ helped me to get rid of my hatred, he told me to write this
experience in a book. |
| I was surprised to hear this from Father Michael, because
writing a book is not at all a feasible dream. And in my life so far
I have never even read a novel. I shared this opinion with Father,
and then Father replied “when we first met, you told me that
your desire is to get rid of your hatred. With the help of Jesus you
have overcome your hatred, now with the help of Jesus you try to write
the book.” |
| This book was written with the help of Jesus Christ.
The chapters of Mathew, Mark, Luke and John in the New Testament and
the chapters referring to Adam and Eve, in the Genesis chapter of
the Old Testament from the Holy Bible and the story of the people
who lived for Jesus Christ helped me to write this book. The messages
about Jesus I heard from spiritual people also helped me in writing
this book. |
| When the first part of the book was shown to my friend
Bobban, he asked me, “Giju (my relatives and friends call me
Giju) how can you say God is love and see a loving God in your financial
failure?” |
| I replied to my friend in this way, “When I first
heard the message that God never punishes from Father Michel, even
though I was not able to receive that message at that time, I never
rejected that message. The message about Jesus I received in my childhood
from my parents, relatives, catechism, Jesuits magazine’ Snehasena
and the movie about Jesus helped me not to reject the message that
God never punishes.” |
| But when I grew up I started to believe God is love
but also punishes and I believed that God is a person who is keeping
all the records of the wrongs of the people. |
| During my financial crisis, most of my days and nights
were sleepless because of my tension. At that time I didn’t
know what will happen the next day. During this fearful time I started
to see God through Jesus Christ’s work. When I started to walk
with Jesus he helped me to get rid of my hatred and he taught me to
forgive and to love. |
| I am sharing this experience with you in this book. |
| When I was able get out of my hatred, my 14 year old
daughter Mekha asked me “appa (my children call me appa) how
were you able to get rid of your hatred?” On another occasion
when I told my 8 year old son Mikhale that he has to pray for others
to fill them with the Holy Spirit, he asked me “how will I receive
the Holy Spirit when I pray for others?” These instances influenced
me to write this book. |
| The raw form of the book was first read by my Father
Mr. N.G. Xavier and my wife Binu. The title of the book “How
Jesus Taught Me to Forgive & Love” was selected by my wife.
She knows that it was only because of Jesus that I was able to get
rid of my hatred. |
| I am deeply indebted to Father Michael Panachikkal
for making me write this book and to our neighbor Mr. Pala K.M.Mathew
(scholar, writer, Member of the Indian Parliament) who after reading
the book told me to publish it. |
| Besides these two eminent men of the society I am equally
obliged to our neighbour Mrs. June Jose Kudakasseril (Vice Principal
Pallikoodam School, Kottayam) for taking all the initiative and effort
in editing this book. She has spent a lot of her valuable time in
editing the book. |
| I thank Mr.K.M.Mathew Chief Editor of the Malayala
Manorama newspaper for releasing the Malayalam version of this book. |
| My thanks are due to all those who have helped me in
this venture. |
I thank Mr. Jose.T.Thomas (editor in charge of the
Malayalam edition of Osarvataro Romano), my uncle Mr.M.P. Ommen, my
father’s brother’s Mr.N.G.John (Film Producer) and Mr.Mathew
George, Kadamapuzha Chackochen (Retired Prof. of Loyola College, Chennai),
Thomas Thoppil (Retd. Prof. of St.Thomas College, Pala), Joshy Mathew
(Film Director), Molly Mathew, and my friends Boban, Bose, Raju, Shibu,
Sajan, Tony, Mathew, Prasanthipe, Unni, Sodher and my brother Sunil
George Melamparambil. |
| The Bible referred for writing this book is the Good
News Bible of St.Pauls, Catholic edition. I thank St.Pauls (India). |
| I thank Mini Surendran and Rathi G Nair for DTP work.
I thank our staff in our Boutique Threads & Petals. I thank readers
of the Malayalam version of this book. I thank Milen for designing
the cover page of the book and also my friend Arun. R for designing
the web site for the book. |
| I don’t know how to thank my Master, Jesus Christ
for not only helping me to get rid of my hatred but also helping me
to write my experiences in this book. |
George Ettuparayil
Kottayam |
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| Other Links : www.kottayamflowers.com
| www.kottayamrealestate.com
| www.catholicchurches.in |
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