THE ONE I SHALL KISS IS THE MAN; ARREST HIM

HOMILY FOR PALM SUNDAY, YEAR A

Rev. Fr. Ezekoka Peter Onyekachi

Okonkwo had two sons in his household –Ikemefuna and Nwoye. Nwoye was the legitimate son of Okonkwo, as Ikemefula who was fatherless and had come from another village. There was a plot by the people of Umuofia to kill Ikemefula. Two days before the execution of the evil plan, Ogbuefi Ezendu, one of the elderly men went to Okonkwo and said to him: “that boy calls you father. Do not bear a hand in his death.” Okonkwo was surprised, and was about to say something when the old man continued: “Yes, Umuofia has decided to kill him. The oracle of Hills and Caves has pronounced it. They will take him outside Umuofia as is the custom, and kill him there. But I want you to have nothing to do with it. He calls you father”. The next day, a group of elders from the nine villages of Umuofia came to Okonkwo’s house early in the morning to dispose Okonkwo about their plan for tomorrow. When they went away, Okonkwo called Ikemefuna and told him that he was to be taken home the next day. Nwoye overheard it and burst into tears. As for Ikemefuna, he was at a loss. His own home had gradually become faint and distant. He still missed his mother and his sister and would be very glad to see them.

The next day, the men returned with a pot of wine and all other instruments needed for the execution. Okonkwo got ready quickly, and the party set out with Ikemefuna carrying a pot of wine. A deathly silence descended on Okonkwo’s compound. Even the very little children seemed to know. Throughout that day, Nwoye sat in his mothers hut and tears stood in his eyes. As they approached the outskirt of the village, Ikemefuna heard a whisper close behind him and turned around sharply. The man who had whispered now called out aloud, urging the others to hurry-up. “We still have a long way to go”, he said. Then he and another man went before Ikemefuna and set a faster pace. Thus, the men of Umuofia pursued their way, armed with sheathed matchets, and Ikemefuna, carrying a pot of wine on his head, walked in their midst. Although he had felt uneasy at first, he was not afraid now. Okonkwo walked behind him. He could hardly imagine that Okonkwo was not his real father. One of the men behind him cleared his throat. Ikemefuna looked back, and the man growled at him to go on and not stand looking back. The way he said it sent cold fear down Ikemefuna’s back. His hands trembled vaguely on the black pot he carried. Why had Okonkwo withdrawn to the rear? Ikemefuna felt his legs melting under him. And he was afraid to look back. As the man who had cleared his throat drew up and raised his matchet, Okonkwo looked away. He heard the blow. The pot fell and broke in the sand.  He heard Ikemefuna cry, “my father, they have killed me!”, as he ran towards him. Dazed with fear, Okonkwo took out his matchet and cut him down. He was afraid of been thought weak (cf. Chinua Achebe, Things Fall apart).

Why is it so that often times, betrayal and slander are experienced from the person close to us? Why is it so that it is always the “domestic rat that informs the wild rat about the newly bought fish in the kitchen”? Why is it that most kidnapping incidents have the involvement of a relation of the kidnapped? These and many likely question are the questions that beg for answers as we reflect in the words of Judas Iscariot: the one I kiss is the man; arrest him (the Gospel: Matthew 26:14 - 27:66).

By using a kiss as a signal for arrest, Judas perverts a gesture for friendship. Then, it becomes a sign of betrayal. Even my friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread has lifted up his heels against me (cf. Ps. 41:9). However, there is more to this kiss. The Greek word used for the English kiss when Judas told the Pharisees that it was through this sign that he would indicate the Christ is philein, which is the normal word for a kiss. But when it is said that Judas actually kissed Jesus, the word used is kataphilein, which is the word for a lover’s kiss, and means to kiss repeatedly and fervently. Why did Judas do that? Judas most probably expected Jesus to hide away as he usually did, without realizing that it was the appointed time for Jesus. It was his greed that landed him to that sort of thinking so as to fool the Pharisees. If he had not been so greedy as to love money so much, he would not have nursed it in him to betray Jesus. It is true that the son of man was going to die, but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed (cf. Luke 22:22). Judas would have halted such move from his intention. So, betrayal starts from the mind.

More to this is when the person who betrays is a close one; when the person who gives the last blow is a close and loved person. The pains of suffering are increased as it would not only be bodily pain but also a pain in the heart. It was the last dagger by Brutus that killed Ceaser due to the trust Ceaser had on his friend. In our lead story, it was the last cut that made Ikemefuna to give up the ghost because it came from a person he trusted and called a father. How many a time have we daggered others who think us as the last chance for their protection? How many times have we betrayed others who mean well for us, just because of our selfish desires and interest? How many times have we disappointed those who call us fathers and mothers? How many times have we betrayed the zeal of those who look up to us as their mentors?

There are many ways we betray others. One is to deliver into the hands of an enemy by fraud. An instance of this is kidnapping. Friends have betrayed friends and have led them into the hands of kidnappers for desires best known to them. Second is to violate the confidence of someone, by disclosing a secret, or that which one is bound in honour not to make known. Many others have betrayed their friends by slandering them and assassinating their character, thereby rendering to ridicule the secrets they share or shared as friends. Third is to lead astray and then abandon or to appear as if you are with someone only to leave one on the way. Many others have betrayed their friends by denial and disappointments. Many have disappointed others by promising marriages and not accomplishing the promise. Many have promised their servants an expected time of settlements and either prolonged it or never settled at all. Psalm 55:12-14 says: if it were an enemy who betrayed me, I could bear it...but you, a person of my own rank, a comrade and dear friend, to whom I was bound by intimate friendship in the house of God.

A heart that betrays is a heart of selfishness, slander, rancour and envy. These virtues are enough to land one into hell. The antidote to this type of heart is in the message of the First Reading (Isaiah 50:4-7). The Lord gives us a well-trained tongues and well-opened ears to decipher these mischievous hearts that portray themselves as our best friends but in actual fact work for our downfall. Christians are out to crush the efforts of those who betray the work of God and even work to betray God’s people.

But come to think of it: what gains do the betrayer get after betrayal? His/her gain is simply ephemeral happiness and smiles which actually are the weapons that will strike him/her dead. The oracle of Isaiah says: woe to you, O destroyer, where you arenot destroyed; and he who is treacherous while others did not deal treacherously with him. As soon as you finish destroying, you will be destroyed. As soon as you cease to deal treacherously, others will deal treacherously with you (Isaiah 33:1). The momentary happiness which has sadism as its root cannot last but will turn against him/her. Now, I ask: whom have you betrayed? This reflection offers you that consciousness to go back to the person you have betrayed and apologize. Make also a firm purpose of amendment never to betray again. We must resolve to offer a sincere kiss to those we love and never a Judas’ kiss which we end up making us traitors unto our friends and rendering us actually inhuman. May the Holy Week increase the virtues of fidelity of actions and sincerity of heart in us. Amen. Happy Palm Sunday.