When Fr. Saju Mathew, parish priest at Jerusalem Mar Thoma Church at Niranom, preaches gospel, magic fills the air. For the past two decades, the 42-year-old priest has been using magic to deliver messages from the Good Book.
He started learning magic as a student at the Mar Thoma Seminary in Kottayam. His wife, Bincy Saju, daughter, Joanne, and son, Joel, now help him in his sessions at Bible camps and classes. The priest has developed separate sessions for different age groups. He also uses imported life-size puppets and motivational cinema clips as teaching tools.
But is a Christian priest allowed to do magic? Here goes Fr. Mathew’s clarification: “There may be confusion owing to the fact that certain words have two meanings. Some may equate magic with witchcraft or sorcery. The word also means sleight of hand and illusion. When sleight of hand and illusion are harnessed for the purpose of explaining gospel, they can present some very powerful spiritual messages visually. When a dirty handkerchief, representing sin, is ‘transformed’ into an egg, it makes a very striking illustration of the change that occurs in a person’s life when he trusts Christ. Magic tricks have the power to gain and maintain attention,” says Fr. Mathew.
Magic’s Oscar
This postgraduate in sociology received the Merlin Award, deemed the Oscar in the field of magic, while serving as vicar at Immanuel Mar Thoma Church at Houston in the U.S. in 2015.
He got the award in the Best Gospel Magician category.
He is the fourth Indian and third Keralite to receive the award, instituted by the International Magician’s Society in which 37,000-odd magicians are members. The society also honoured him with the Doctor of Magic title.
