Kodi Kupembedza Zotsala za Akufa Kumamkondweretsa Mulungu?

MWAZI wa “San Gennaro,” wonenedwa kuti umasungunuka katatu pachaka, uli chimodzi cha zotsala za akufa zachipembedzo zambiri. Irinso tero Nsalu Yakumanda ya Turin, imene amati ndimmene anakulungamo thupi la Yesu Kristu. Pakati pa zotsala za akufa zogwirizanitsidwa ndi Yesu pali wolingaliridwa kukhala kama wake wapaubwana (m’tchalitchi chachikulu mu Rome), bukhu lake lophunzirira kuŵerenga, ndi misomali yoposa chikwi chimodzi yonenedwa kukhala inagwiritsiridwa ntchito pompachika! Zotsala za akufa zachipembedzo zimaphatikizaponso mitu yambiri ya Yohane Mbatizi ndipo, m’malo osiyanasiyana mu Ulaya, matupi anayi onenedwa kukhala a “Santa Lucia.”

Pakati pa mizinda yotchuka kwambiri kaamba ka zotsala za akufa zachipembedzo pali Trier, Jeremani, kumene chimodzi cha “zovala zopatulika” zambiri​—chovala chamkati chopanda msoko chovalidwa ndi Yesu Kristu​—chikusungidwako. Mumzinda wa Vatican mwenimwenimo muli zotsala za akufa zoposa chikwi chimodzi m’nyumba yapadera yosungiramo zakale. Kwenikweni zikwi za zotsala za akufa zachipembedzo zikusungidwa m’tchalitchi cha “Saint Ursula” mu Cologne, Jeremani. Ndandanda ikhoza kupitirizabe. Eya, mu Italiya mokha, muli malo otchedwa opatulika okwanira 2,468 okhala ndi zotsala za akufa zachipembedzo!

Kulemekeza zotsala za akufa kumakhulupiriridwa kukhala kunayambira m’zaka za zana lachinayi m’Nyengo Yathu ino, monga momwe kuliri kulemekezedwa kwa “oyera mtima.” Kaamba ka zifukwa zachipembedzo, zachuma, ndipo ngakhale zandale zadziko, chiŵerengero cha zotsala za akufa chakhala chikumakula m’kupita kwa zaka mazana ambiri, ndipo lerolino ziripo zikwizikwi. Msonkhano Wachiŵiri wa Vatican unatsimikiziranso kuti “malinga ndi mwambo wake, Tchalitchi chimalemekeza oyera mtima ndi kuchitira ulemu zotsala zawo zoyenerera ndi mafano awo.” (Constitution “Sacrosanctum Concilium” sulla sacra Liturgia, mu I Documenti del Concilio Vaticano II, 1980, Edizioni Paoline) “Zotsala za akufa zotchuka, limodzinso ndi zija zopembedzedwa ndi anthu ambiri,” zimatchulidwa mu Codex Iuris Canonici (Mpambo wa Lamulo la Tchalitchi) lolengezedwa ndi John Paul II mu 1983. (Lamulo la Tchalitchi 1190) Mamembala a Angilikani ndi a matchalitchi a Orthodox nawonso amapembedza zotsala za akufa.

Pokhala kuti pali misomali yambirimbiri yonenedwa kukhala imene anapachikirako Kristu ndi mitu ya Yohane Mbatizi, kuli kowonekeratu kuti kaŵirikaŵiri zotsala za akufa zachipembedzo zimakhala zachinyengo. Mwachitsanzo, kuŵerengera nthaŵi kotchedwa radiocarbon dating kunatsimikizira kuti Nsalu Yakumanda ya Turin iri yachinyengo. Mokondweretsa, mkati mwa mkangano wadzawoneni pankhaniyi mu 1988, Marco Tosatti, wopenyerera wotchuka wa ku Vatican anafunsa kuti: “Ngati kupenda kwasayansi kogwiritsiridwa ntchito pa Nsaluyi kukanagwiritsiridwa ntchito pa zinthu zina za kupembedza kofala, kodi chigamulo chikadakhala chotani?”

Mwachiwonekere, palibe munthu wanzeru amene angafune kuchitira ulemu chotsala cha wakufa chachinyengo. Koma kodi imeneyo ndiyo mfundo yokha yoyenera kuilingalira?

Kodi Baibulo Limanenanji?

Baibulo silimanena kuti anthu oyanjidwa a Mulungu, Aisrayeli akale, anapembedza zotsala za akufa pamene anali muukapolo ku Igupto. Zowonadi, kholo Yakobo anamwalira mu Igupto ndipo thupi lake linatengeredwa m’dziko la Kanani kukaikidwa “m’phanga liri m’munda wa Makipela.” Mwana wake Yosefe nayenso anamwalira mu Igupto, ndipo mafupa ake pomalizira pake anatengeredwa ku Kanani kukawaika. (Genesis 49:29-33; 50:1-14, 22-26; Eksodo 13:19) Komabe, Malemba samasonyeza konse kuti Aisrayeli anapembedzapo zotsalira za Yakobo ndi Yosefe monga zotsala za akufa zachipembedzo.

Talingaliraninso chimene chinachitika m’nkhani ya mneneri Mose. Pansi pa chitsogozo cha Mulungu, iye anatsogolera Aisrayeli kwa zaka 40. Ndiyeno, pamsinkhu wa zaka 120, anakwera pa phiri la Nebo, kuyang’ana Dziko Lolonjezedwa, ndi kumwalira. Mikayeli mngelo wamkulu anakangana ndi Mdyerekezi ponena za thupi la Mose, ndipo Satana analepheretsedwa m’kuyesayesa kulikonse kwa kuligwiritsira ntchito kunyenga Aisrayeli m’kulambira zotsala za akufa. (Yuda 9) Ngakhale kuti iwo momvekera bwino analira imfa ya Mose, iwo sanapembedze konse zotsala zake. Kwenikweni, Mulungu anapangitsa chinthu choterocho kukhala chosatheka mwakumuika Mose m’manda osadziŵika pamalo osadziŵika kwa anthu.​—Deuteronomo 34:1-8.

Ena ochirikiza kupembedza zotsala za akufa amasonyeza 2 Mafumu 13:21, imene imati: ‘Ndipo anthu, pakuika maliro a munthu wina, anaona gulu la nkhondo, naponya mtembo m’manda mwa [mneneri] Elisa; koma pamene mtembowo unakhudza mafupa a Elisa, wakufayo anauka, naima chiriri.’ Ichi chinali chozizwitsa choloŵetsamo mafupa opanda moyo a mmodzi wa aneneri a Mulungu. Koma Elisa anali wakufa ndipo anali ‘wosadziŵa kanthu bi’ pamene chozizwitsacho chinkachitika. (Mlaliki 9:5, 10) Chotero, chiukiriro chimenechi chiyenera kugwirizanitsidwa ndi mphamvu yochita zozizwitsa ya Yehova Mulungu, amene anachichita mwa mzimu wake woyera, kapena mphamvu yogwira ntchito. Nkofunikanso kudziŵa kuti Malemba samanena kuti mafupa a Elisa anapembedzedwapo.

Ena m’Chikristu Chadziko amachirikiza kupembedza zotsala za akufa chifukwa cha zimene zikunenedwa pa Machitidwe 19:11, 12, pamene timaŵerenga kuti: ‘Ndipo Mulungu anachita zamphamvu za pa zokha ndi manja a [mtumwi] Paulo; kotero kuti anamuka nazo kwa odwala nsalu zopukutira ndi zapantchito, zochokera pa thupi pake, ndipo nthenda zinawachokera, ndi mizimu yoipa inatuluka.’ Chonde onani kuti anali Mulungu amene anachita zamphamvu zachilendo zimenezo kupyolera mwa Paulo. Mtumwi iyemwiniyo sanachite zamphamvu zoterozo payekha, ndipo sanavomereze konse kupembedzedwa ndi munthu aliyense.​—Machitidwe 14:8-18.

Kosemphana ndi Ziphunzitso za Baibulo

Kwenikweni, kupembedza zotsala za akufa zachipembedzo kumasemphana ndi ziphunzitso zingapo za Baibulo. Mwachitsanzo, mfundo yosatsutsika m’kupembedza koteroko ndiyo kukhulupirira kusakhoza kufa kwa moyo wa munthu. Mamiliyoni a ziŵalo zodzipereka za tchalitchi amakhulupirira kuti miyoyo ya awo ovomerezedwa ndi kulemekezedwa monga “oyera mtima” iri yamoyo kumwamba. Anthu owona mtima ameneŵa amapemphera kwa “oyera mtima” oterowo, akumafuna chitetezo chawo ndikupempha kuti adzichondererera opemphawo kwa Mulungu. Kwenikweni, malinga ndi bukhu lina latchalitchi, Akatolika amati “mphamvu ya kuchonderera kwa Woyera Mtima kwa Mulungu” iri mwa zotsala za akufa.

Komabe, malinga nkunena kwa Baibulo, moyo wa munthu suli wosakhoza kufa. Anthu alibe miyoyo m’matupi mwawo imene siimafa ndi yokhoza kukhalapo popanda thupi pambuyo pa imfa. Mmalomwake, Malemba amanena kuti: ‘Yehova Mulungu anaumba munthu ndi dothi lapansi, nauzira mpweya wa moyo m’mphuno mwake; munthuyo nakhala wamoyo.’ (Genesis 2:7) Mmalo mophunzitsa kuti anthu ali ndi miyoyo yosakhoza kufa, Baibulo limanena kuti: ‘Moyo wochimwawo ndiwo udzafa.’ (Ezekieli 18:4) Ichi chimagwira ntchito kwa anthu onse​—kuphatikizapo awo ovomerezedwa pambuyo pake kukhala “oyera mtima”​—popeza kuti tonsefe tiri ndi choloŵa cha uchimo ndi imfa chochokera kwa munthu woyamba, Adamu.​—Aroma 5:12.

Kupembedza “oyera mtima” kuyenera kupeŵedwa chifukwa chakuti iwo sanapatsidwe konse chilolezo cha kuchondererera aliyense kwa Mulungu. Yehova Mulungu analamula kuti Mwana wake yekha, Yesu Kristu, ndiye angachite chimenecho. Mtumwi Paulo ananena kuti Yesu “sanangotifera kokha​—iye anaukitsidwa kwa akufa, ndipo kudzanja lamanja la Mulungu akuimirira ndi kuchonderera kaamba ka ife.”​—Aroma 8:34, The Jerusalem Bible; yerekezerani ndi Yohane 14:6, 14.

Chifukwa china chopeŵera kupembedza “oyera mtima” ndi zotsala za akufa zachipembedzo zogwirizanitsidwa nawo chazikidwa pa zimene Baibulo limanena pakulambira mafano. Limodzi la Malamulo Khumi operekedwa kwa Aisrayeli linati: ‘Usadzipangire iwe wekha fano losema, kapena chifaniziro chiri chonse cha zinthu za m’thambo la kumwamba, kapena za m’dziko lapansi, kapena za m’madzi a pansi pa dziko; usadzipembedzere izo, usazitumikire izo; chifukwa ine Yehova Mulungu wako ndiri Mulungu wansanje.’ (Eksodo 20:4, 5) Zaka mazana pambuyo pake, mtumwi Paulo anauza Akristu anzake kuti: ‘Okondedwa anga, thaŵani kupembedza mafano.’ (1 Akorinto 10:14) Mofananamo, mtumwi Yohane analemba kuti: ‘Tiana, dzisungireni nokha kupeŵa mafano.’​—1 Yohane 5:21.

Chotero, kupembedza ovomerezedwa kukhala “oyera mtima” ndi zotsala za akufa zachipembedzo, sikumapeza chichirikizo m’Baibulo. Komabe, anthu ena amafuna kuti pakhale chinthu chowonedwa kukhala chopatulika chimene chingawonedwe ndi kukhudzidwa cholingaliridwa kukhala ndi mphamvu yopulumutsa. Ndithudi, ambiri amalingalira zotsala za akufa zachipembedzo kukhala mbali yowonekera ya njira yogwirizanitsa kumwamba ndi dziko lapansi. Chonde talingalirani pa mfundo imeneyi kwakamphindi.

Kuwona ndi kukhudza zotsala za akufa zachipembedzo sindiko kumene kumapangitsa munthu kuchita mogwirizana ndi mawu a Yesu onena za kulambira kumene Mulungu amakufuna. Yesu anati: ‘Ikudza nthaŵi, ndipo tsopano iripo, imene olambira owona adzalambira Atate mumzimu ndi m’chowonadi; pakuti Atate afuna otere akhale olambira ake. Mulungu ndiye mzimu; ndipo omlambira iye ayenera kumlambira mumzimu ndi m’chowonadi.’ (Yohane 4:23, 24) Yehova Mulungu ndi “mzimu,” wosawoneka ku maso a anthu. Kumlambira “mumzimu” kumatanthauza kuti utumiki wathu wopatulika kwa Mulungu umasonkhezeredwa ndi mtima wodzala chikondi ndi chikhulupiriro. (Mateyu 22:37-40; Agalatiya 2:16) Sitingalambire Mulungu ‘ndi chowonadi’ mwakupembedza zotsala za akufa koma kokha mwakukana zinyengo zachipembedzo, kuphunzira chifuniro chake monga momwe chavumbulidwira m’Baibulo, ndi kuchichita.

Chotero, nkosadabwitsa kuti katswiri James Bentley akuvomereza kuti ‘Ahebri amakedzana sanapembedze zotsala za akufa.’ Iye akunenanso kuti mkati mwa zaka mazana anayi pakati pa imfa ya Stefano ndi kufukulidwa kwa thupi lake kochitidwa ndi Lucian, kaimidwe kamaganizo ka Akristu kulinga ku zotsala za akufa kanasintha kotheratu. Komabe, pofika zaka za zana lachisanu C.E., Chikristu Chadziko champatuko chidaleka kale kumamatira ku ziphunzitso za Baibulo zomvekera bwino zonena za kulambira mafano, mkhalidwe wa akufa, ndi mbali ya Yesu Kristu monga amene ‘amachonderera kaamba ka ife.’​—Aroma 8:34; Mlaliki 9:5; Yohane 11:11-14.

Ngati tifuna kuti kulambira kwathu kumkondweretse Mulungu, tiyenera kutsimikizira kuti sikumachita ndi mtundu uliwonse wa kulambira mafano. Kuti kulandiridwe, kulambira kwathu kuyenera kupita kwa Mlengi, Yehova Mulungu, osati kwa chotsala cha wakufa chirichonse kapena cholengedwa. (Aroma 1:24, 25; Chivumbulutso 19:10) Tiyeneranso kupeza chidziŵitso cholongosoka cha Baibulo ndi kukulitsa chikhulupiriro cholimba. (Aroma 10:17; Ahebri 11:6) Ndipo ngati tiyenda m’njira ya kulambira kowona, tidzachita mogwirizana ndi umboni wowona wa Malemba wakuti kupembedza zotsala za akufa sikumamkondweretsa Mulungu.

[Chithunzi patsamba 5]

Mafupa a Elisa sanapembedzedwe ngakhale kuti analoŵetsedwamo m’chiukiriro