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

Other Links : www.kottayamflowers.com | www.kottayamrealestate.com | www.catholicchurches.in
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Dedicated To My Grand Mothers
Aleyamma George
Ettuparayil
Baby Thomas
Vachaparambil
   
I dedicate this book to my father’s mother who had told us the loving stories of Jesus Christ in our childhood and to my mother’s mother who had shown me the picture of Dominic Savio, who lived for Jesus Christ and told me to live for the Lord.
 
(My Grandmother with blessed Mother Teresa)
 
During my school days I was able to meet Mother Teresa at the Bishop House of Vijayapuram Diocese at Kottayam. I got the opportunity to spend some time with Mother. She told me that “God loves you and you have to live for the Lord.”

Contents
PART ONE : How Jesus Taught Me to Overcome My Hatred
1 “With My prayers you will not overcome your hatred”
2 See God through Jesus Christ
3 Count down to my repentance
4 What should I search for?
5 Thirst for the Holy Spirit
6 How can I receive the Holy Spirit?
7 With the help of Jesus I ask for forgiveness
PART TWO : How Jesus Taught Me to Forgive
1 Scared to open the Book of Genesis
2 What God said to Adam
3 What the Devil told Eve
4 God never punished Adam and Eve
5 How much the Devil controlled Me!
6 God’s Righteousness
PART THREE : How Jesus Taught Me to Love
1 My Great Fall
2 How I can receive God’s love and Jesus in my Spirit
3 Rubbing Gold
4 People who live for the Lord
5 A mind to Love
6 For what purpose did God create me?
7 If God never punishes
8 Forgive us the wrongs
9 Eternal life
10 Whoever does not believe will be condemned
11 The Last Supper
12 “So if you are about to offer your gift to God at the altar”
13 A Prayer of Thanks
14 How I can love God
15 Lamenting God
» The Words and Prayer that helped me to love God
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