“Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” (Colossians 3:13)
The Mother of Fr. Xavier Thelakkatt, the priest of St Thomas Church, Malayattoor who was murdered by the former verger/ sexton, visited the family of the convict Johnny Vattekkadan, to express her forgiveness to the family. Fr. Xavier’s mother Thressiamma is setting an example of pure compassion and forgiveness, in this world of hatred and revenge. Thressiamma visited Johnny’s family on 4th March, 2018, and expressed her love and conveyed that she has forgiven Johnny and his family. Forgiving her son’s murderer, Thressiamma embraced Johnny’s wife Mrs. Annie, who touched the feet of Thressiamma asking for forgiveness.
It is said that the greatest test is when you are able to bless someone else while you are going through your own storm. Here, in this case, this loving mother has shown and highlighted the significance of love and forgiveness and has proclaimed through her deeds that there is no love without forgiveness. This mother can be compared to the weeping but courageous mother at the cross who looks at her beloved Son with helplessness!! She reflects Mother Mary who forgave the world that harmed her son, she reflects the Church who has been forgiving her perpetrators since ages and thus she reflects the face of love!!
Fr Xavier Thelakkat, 52, had been the rector of St. Thomas Church, Malayattoor, since 2011. He was stabbed at the Sixth Station of the Cross as he came down the hill after checking on preparations for the annual Lenten pilgrimage on 1st March 2018. His Eminence Cardinal George Alencherry, Major Archbishop of Syro-Malabar Church, conveyed during Fr. Xavier’s funeral service that the Church has forgiven the convict Johnny, which again highlights the forgiving attitude of the Church to the sinners. Here, we can compare the Church as the father of the prodigal son who had been waiting for his son to return and welcomed him back by forgiveness and love.
