By Fr Pat Amobi Chukwuma
There was the story of a crippled young boy who was tied and inserted in a basket and thrown into a thick forest to die. His biological father was responsible for the inhuman action because he had lost hope in the survival of the presumed useless boy whose medical treatment had thrown the family into bankruptcy. The thrown-away crippled boy was crying helplessly in the lonely forest.
The vultures started hovering over the forest, waiting to devour the boy’s corpse. Suddenly, a middle-aged man came into the forest with a rope to hang himself because fire engulfed his shop and he lost all he had. The man climbed a tall tree inside the forest. Then, he tied one end of the rope on the tree’s branch and the other end on his neck.
As he was about to jump down, he heard a shrilled voice from below shouting, “Mr. hang man, please do not fall over me! I am here waiting for my God.” The man who was about to commit suicide paused for a while. He looked down but couldn’t clearly see the person calling for his life to be spared.
Thus, he removed the rope on his neck and climbed down. At the base of the tree, he saw the basket and the crippled boy crying inside it. He told himself, “If this crippled and useless boy still has hope of survival, how then can I, a full-fledged man, decide to commit suicide? No, the devil is a liar.
I am calling the suicide off. I must go home and struggle for survival.” He untied the crippled boy and brought him out from the basket. He took him to a hospice for rehabilitation. Then, he went home to rehabilitate himself. The downfall of a man is not the end of his life.
The other evening, I was driving along a lonely tarred road at moderate speed. At a spot I saw a black hen crossing the road with its six white chicks. I trod tightly on my break in order to prevent avoidable killing of innocent animals.
They were going home to roost. I shook my head in wonder. Instantly, I remembered the adage which says, “Since a black hen can lay white eggs, there is hope”. In this case it was not only white eggs but white chicks reproduced by a black hen. A tunnel without light is shrouded in darkness. Hence, this saying: “There is always light at the end of the tunnel”.
Some time ago, I narrated how I was lost in acute darkness in the Rectory at Isuikwuato in Okigwe Diocese. On that fateful night, after supper and the digestive interaction with the parish priest, he gave me a burning bush lamp for use in my room because there was no electricity. The Rectory was situated beside the road. At the middle of the night, I perceived some strange movements outside. Fear grabbed me. Consequently, I put off the burning lamp. Later, on that fateful night, I was woken up by nature with a filled bladder. I knew the direction of the water closest.
Hence, I tiptoed towards it. But I missed the destination and was wandering in total darkness. After some useless efforts, I decided to go back to my room to sleep off because the urine mysteriously dried up in my bladder. Unfortunately, I missed my room also. Darkness overshadowed me and I got lost. Mosquitoes also butchered me in the darkness. They possessed nocturnal eyes. I was in the state of what my Igbo people describe as “Jebe ejebe adighi mma; nawa anawa adighi mma”. That is, forward never, backward never. I resigned to fate and waited for daybreak.
After hours of restlessness, early morning light flashed through the window. I saw clearly where I was and where I was going. I sighed and laughed hopefully. Lesson: In whatever adverse condition, never give up.
Judas betrayed his Master, Jesus Christ, and received a meager ransom. His intention was to scam the bloody Jews because he believed that Jesus Christ as God would elude them as usual. When he saw that the game failed, he returned the ransom money. Out of despair, he committed suicide. If he had lived, he would have been forgiven by Our Lord and Saviour. After all, Peter, the head of the Apostles, denied Jesus Christ thrice. The cock crew and his conscience pricked him.
Instead of following the hopeless step of Judas, he wept and repented. What is the difference between betrayal and denial? They are birds of the same feather. Jesus looked pitifully at Peter, saw his remorse and forgave him. Even the crucifers of Jesus Christ were forgiven there and then from the Cross: “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).
A sinner should never despair of God’s forgiveness as far as there is life. Did Jesus not forgive the repentant thief crucified beside him and promised him instant salvation? The holy thief went straight to heaven. Where is Judas Iscariot, in heaven or in hell? Was he among those forgiven by Jesus from the Cross? Only God knows.
The central message of Easter is: There is hope in hopelessness. When Jesus Christ was arrested, scourged and crucified, his followers thought that all hope was lost. No wonder two of them were going back at night to Emmaus their hometown to resume their former businesses. The risen Lord intercepted them on the way and joined them as they discussed about the crucifixion of Jesus.
They had hoped that he would deliver them from the unjust occupants of Jerusalem. Perceiving their hopelessness, Jesus taught them scripturally and restored their hope. They pleaded with Jesus to spend the night with them and he accepted their request. On that night of hopelessness, Jesus opened their eyes during supper when he broke bread at table.
Their eyes were opened and they recognized the risen Lord. As he disappeared from their midst, they hurried up and returned to Jerusalem that very late night. They told the other disciples their joyful experience. Do not despair. If one door closes, the other will open.
The Israelites suffered in Egypt for about four hundred and thirty years. At God’s own time, they were delivered from slavery through the hand of Moses and Aaron. With Divine courage, Moses went before Pharaoh and said, “Let my people go!” (Exodus 5:1). Pharaoh turned down the request for freedom. Many miracles were performed through the hands of Moses and Aaron to coerce Pharaoh.
But God hardened his heart. When the angels at the command of God slaughtered every first born in Egypt, man and animals, Pharaoh allowed them to go. Later he changed his mind and pursued the fleeing Israelites into the Red Sea. At God’s command Moses hit his rod on the dreaded sea and it parted into two. The people of Israel passed safely. But the pursuing forces of Pharaoh all perished as the water turned back to normal. A cow without tail is protected from the menace of flies by Divine Providence.
I cannot end up this write-up without showcasing the sorrowful situation we find ourselves in our country Nigeria. After sixty-six years of Independence, we are still groping in darkness. Our democracy is nothing to write home about. A man of 66 years should have reached the climax of his endeavours. He must have written his will for his children to continue from where he stopped after his retirement and death. A child who refuses to grow, ends up in culpable dwarfism.
After 66 years, Nigeria stands as a toddler among the Comity of Nations. Corruption is killing us since we failed kill it. God blessed us with abundant natural and human resources, still hunger and hardship are mesmerizing us. Constant electricity supply has eluded us. The current situation is worse. We are doomed security wise. About 39 innocent persons were slaughtered on Palm Sunday in Jos North. Instead of triumphing with the Messiah, weeping spoilt the day.
Terrorists, bandits, kidnappers and bloody herdsmen are hunting and killing innocent Nigerians going about their daily businesses here and there. The Government whose onerous duty it is to protect lives and properties is busy hatching plans to win by all means in 2027 Presidential Election. I am optimistic that man proposes, but God disposes. All hope is not lost. At the appointed time, God will surely intervene in His own ways. Happy Easter!
