In term 3 the Year 7’s are exploring sacred stories. The message of sacred stories are timeless. The following is from an excerpt from HaiAn Vo  of 7 Wimmera Sacred Stories Assessment. In this excerpt HaiAn recontextualises a story from Lukes Gospel to events of today and explores the underlying message of forgiveness.

Sacred stories are fictional or factual text that portrays a specific message or moral which communities tell for many different purposes. In this section of the sacred story, Jesus is brought before pilate in Luke, Jesus was put to death with two other men, both of them criminals. They arrived at the place called the skull which was the location of where Jesus was crucified with two criminals, one on his left, one on his right. Jesus said, “Forgive them, Father! They don’t know what they are doing”. This sacred story portrays that even though man treated Jesus awfully, He still forgave us by sacrificing his life just to reconcile us. If I was being put on the cross to be left to die, I would be angry and feeling nothing but hatred. But Jesus had a great enough heart to have forgiven us for the sins we’ve made and still loved us even though mankind has done evil actions towards Him. This sacred story wants us as to love one another as I have loved you, what Jesus said. Jesus wanted us to love and forgive our neighbours and enemies we may have, to have peace in our hearts.

Pope John Paul II is a perfect example of forgiveness and compassion for others. On May 13, 1981 Pope John Paul II was shot 4 times by Mehmet Ali Ağca, who had escaped from a Turkish prison after receiving a life sentence for murdering a journalist. An Italian court sentenced Ağca to life in prison. The motive for the assassination attempt and its planners remains mysterious — theories and allegations have accused the CIA, the KGB, the Bulgarian government, the Turkish mafia and more.

In 1983, John Paul II visited his would-be assassin. They had a private conversation, and emerged as friends. The pope stayed in touch with Ağca’s family during the latter's incarceration, and in 2000 requested that he be pardoned. The request was granted. Ağca was released and deported to Turkey, where he was imprisoned for the life sentence he had fled decades prior. He converted to Christianity while incarcerated, and was finally released in 2010. In December 2014, he returned to Rome and laid two dozen white roses at the pope’s tomb. Just like how Jesus’ forgave us for our sins, Pope John Paul II forgave the man who wanted to assassinate him and actually helped his life for the better. This sacred story helps us understand that we can make good deeds towards others by forgiveness.

HaiAn Vo 7 Wimmera