Archbishop Mar Mathew Kavukatt

 Archbishop Mar  Mathew Kavukatt

For Eliot, many are hollow men —
Stuffed men, with no depth in their lives.
But once in a while, there arise souls
Like Arnold’s Scholar Gypsy —
Inspiring hearts, offering comfort and consolation.

Archbishop Mathew Kavukatt belonged to the rank of such great men,
Always finding time and offering his resources
For the welfare of those entrusted to his care.

Tall and lanky in appearance, endowed with a gentle, comforting voice,
He was rich in mercy and compassion.
Never did he reject a needy hand;
Always willing to help, always ready to soothe
Those who came to him in hope.

Oh, how I loved his words and quotations
Explaining the intricacies of Church doctrines,
Inviting everyone to draw closer
To Jesus, our Redeemer.
His words flowed with the sweetness of honey —
Never hurting or antagonizing,
But always guiding, showing the right way,
Helping people to overcome the storms and tribulations of life.

I was deeply touched by his counsel;
I will never forget the day he urged me
To pursue higher studies —
Opening before me the path of a teacher’s life.
It was his direction and encouragement
That inspired me to learn in universities
Across India and abroad.

Like the sequoias, whose towering heights
Dwarf the trees around them,
The Archbishop stands tall among all others
In his expression of mercy and compassion.

How lovely were his ways —
More tender than the roses and lilies in his garden.

He is with his heavenly Father now,
Yet his voice, his words, and his kind deeds
Live on in our hearts and memories.
Death does not touch the Archbishop,
Negating Willa Cather’s proposition —
For he lives forever,
Through his love and mercy
In the hearts of those he touched.

He is a shepherd, like his Master,
Willing to carry the lost sheep
Upon his shoulders.