ʻi ha falekai pe maʻu meʻatokoni ʻi ha ʻapi ʻo ha kaumeʻa. Ko ha tuʻunga māʻolunga ʻo e maʻá ʻoku ʻamanekina ia mei he faʻahinga ʻoku nau tokangaʻi pe ʻomai ʻa e meʻakai ʻoku tau kaí. Ko e nima ʻuli—ʻonautolu pe ʻotautolú—ʻe malava ke hoko ia ko e tupuʻanga ʻo e ngaahi puke lahi. Fēfē ʻa e ngaahi falemahakí—laka hake ʻi ha toe feituʻu pē, ko e feituʻu eni ʻoku tau ʻamanekina mei ai ʻa e maʻá? Naʻe līpooti ʻe he The New England Journal of Medicine ko e nima taʻefanofano ʻo e kau toketaá mo e kau nēsí ʻe tokoni nai ia ki hono fakamatalaʻi ʻa e ʻuhinga ʻoku maʻu ai ʻe he kau mahaki ʻi he falemahakí ʻa e ngaahi mahaki pipihi ʻa ia ʻoku aʻu ki he paʻanga ʻAmelika ʻe hongofulu pilioná ʻi he taʻu ʻa hono totongi ke faitoʻó. ʻOku tau ʻamanekina totonu ʻe ʻikai ha taha te ne fakatupunga ha tuʻunga fakatuʻutāmaki ki heʻetau moʻuileleí ʻaki ʻene ngaahi tōʻonga taʻemaʻá.

ʻOku toe hoko foki ko ha meʻa mafatukituki ʻa hono ʻuliʻi ʻe ha taha—fakakaukauʻi pe taʻefakakaukauʻi—ʻa ʻetau ngaahi maʻuʻanga vaí. Pea ʻoku malu fēfē ke luelue laʻivaʻe ʻi ha matātahi ʻa ē ʻoku sio nai ai ha taha ki ha ʻotu meʻa-huhu ʻosi ngāueʻaki kuo laku ai ʻe he kau maʻu faitoʻo kona tapú pea mo e niʻihi kehé? Mahalo ko e fehuʻi ʻoku mahuʻinga fakafoʻituitui angé: ʻOku tōʻongaʻaki ʻa e maʻá ʻi hotau ʻapí tonu?

Ko Suellen Hoy, ʻi heʻene tohi ko e Chasing Dirt, ʻokú ne ʻeke: “ʻOku tau ʻi he tuʻunga maʻa ne tau ʻi aí?” ʻOkú ne tali: “Mahalo pē ʻikai.” ʻOkú ne lave ki he liliu ʻa e ngaahi tuʻunga mahuʻinga fakasōsialé ko e ʻuhinga tefitó ia. ʻI he fakaʻau ke siʻi ange ʻa e taimi ʻoku fakamoleki ʻe he kakaí ʻi ʻapí, ʻoku nau totongi leva ai ha taha kehe ke ne fai ʻa e fakamaʻá maʻa kinautolu. Ko hono olá, ko e tauhi ʻo ha ʻātakai maʻá ʻoku ʻikai kei hoko ia ko ha meʻa mahuʻinga fakafoʻituitui. “ʻOku ʻikai te u fufulu ʻa e saoá—ko au ʻoku ou fufulú,” ko e lau ia ʻa ha tangata ʻe taha. “Kehe pē ʻoku ou maʻa au, neongo ʻoku ʻuli hoku ʻapí.”

Kae kehe, ko e maʻá ʻoku ʻikai ko e fōtunga hā mai pē ki tuʻá. Ko ha tefitoʻi moʻoni fakalūkufua ia ʻo e moʻuileleí. Ko ha tuʻunga foki ia ʻo e ʻatamaí mo e lotó ʻa ia ʻoku kau ai hotau ʻulungāngá mo e lotú. Tau sio angé ki he founga ʻoku pehē ai ení.

Maʻá—Ko e Hā Hono ʻUhinga Moʻoní?

KOEʻUHI ko e ngaahi tuʻunga taʻefakahaisini fakaofo ʻi ʻIulope mo e ʻIunaite Seteté lolotonga ʻa e senituli hono 18 mo e 19, ko e kau ngāue fakamisinale ʻo e vahaʻa taimi ko iá naʻa nau malangaʻi ʻa e meʻa ʻe ui nai “ko ha tokāteline ʻo e maʻá.” Ko e tokāteliné ni naʻá ne fakatatau ʻa e ʻulí ki he angahalá, lolotonga ia naʻe pehē ko e maʻá ʻokú ne ʻomai ha taha ke ofi ange ai ki he ʻOtuá. Mahalo ko e meʻa eni naʻá ne ʻai ke ʻiloa ʻa e foʻi tefitoʻi moʻoni ko ia, “Ko e maʻá ʻa e hoko hake ki he fakaʻotuá.”

Ko e vakai eni naʻe maʻu ʻe he Salvation Army, ʻa ia naʻe fokotuʻu ʻe William mo Catherine Booth. Fakatatau ki he tohi Health and Medicine in the Evangelical Tradition, ko e taha ʻi heʻenau ngaahi kupuʻi lea motuʻa tahá ko e: “Koa, Supo mo e Fakamoʻui.” Pea ʻi he taimi naʻe fakahaaʻi fakapapau ai ʻe Louis Pasteur mo e niʻihi kehé ʻa e fehokotaki ʻi he vahaʻa ʻo e mahakí mo e siemú, naʻá ne tānaki mai pē ha fakaivimālohi mo ha makatuʻunga fakasaienisi ki he ngaahi faʻufaʻu ko ia ki he moʻuilelei ange ʻa e kakaí.

Ko e niʻihi leva ʻo e ngaahi ngāue naʻe hoko atu aí naʻe kau ai ʻa e ʻikai fiemaʻu ki ha tokotaha fakamoʻoni ʻi he fakamaauʻangá ke ʻuma ki he Tohitapú pea fakaʻauha mo e ipu inu anga-maheni ʻi he ngaahi ʻapiakó mo e ngaahi tauʻanga lēlué. Naʻe aʻu ʻo fai ʻa e ngaahi feinga ke fetongi ʻa e ipu sakalamēniti anga-maheni ʻi he ngaahi fakataha fakalotú ʻaki ha ipu fakatāutaha pē. ʻIo, ko e muʻaki kau takimuʻa ko iá naʻe hā ngali ne nau lavameʻa lahi ʻi hono liliu ʻa e fakakaukau ʻa e kakaí ki he maʻá. ʻI hono ueʻi lahi ʻa e kakaí naʻe ui ai ʻe ha faʻutohi ʻe taha ʻa e olá “ko ha vēkeveke ki he maʻá.”

Kae kehe, ko e “vēkeveke ki he maʻa” ko ení, naʻe ngalingali ko tuʻa pē. Naʻe ʻikai fuoloa mei ai kuo hanga ʻe he kau pisinisi faʻu koloa foʻoú ʻo ʻai ʻa e koa anga-mahení ko ha koloa teuteu. Naʻe taki ʻe he ngaahi tuʻuaki mohu fakakaukau potó ʻa e kau kasitomaá ke nau tui ko hono ngāueʻaki ha ngaahi koloa fakaehaisini fakafoʻituitui pau te ne ʻoange ai maʻá e tokotaha ʻokú ne ngāueʻakí ha tuʻunga fakasōsiale ʻa ia ko e meʻa pē ʻe fai ʻe he niʻihi kehé ko hono fakaʻamua. ʻOku fakatolonga mai ʻe he televīsoné ʻa e foʻi fakakaukau ko ení. Ko e kakai lavameʻa mo fakaholomamata ʻoku fakahaaʻi ʻi he ngaahi tuʻuakí pea ʻi he ngaahi polokalama hokohoko ʻi he televīsoné ʻoku tātātaha ke sio kiate kinautolu ʻoku nau fufulu ʻa e falé, tafi ʻa e lotoʻaá, tufi ʻa e vevé pe fakamaʻa ʻa e fakaveve ʻa ʻenau fanga pusí pe kulī tauhí.

ʻOku ʻi ai foki mo e faʻahinga ʻoku nau fakaʻuhinga ko e ʻalu ʻo ngāué ʻoku totongi ai ʻa e ngaahi fakamolé, lolotonga ia ko e ngāue fakaʻapí pe ngaahi ngāue fakamaʻa kehé ʻoku ʻikai hanau mahuʻinga fakapaʻanga. Pea ʻi he ʻikai ke kau ai ha totongi fakapaʻangá, ko e hā ke nau tokanga ai ki he ʻātakaí? Ko e ola ʻe taha ʻo e meʻá ni, ʻoku fakakaukau ai ʻa e kakai ʻe niʻihi ʻi he ʻahó ni ko e maʻá ʻoku ʻuhinga pē ia ki he haisini fakafoʻituituí.

Ko e Vakai ʻa e ʻOtuá ki he Maʻá

ʻOku ʻikai ha veiveiua ko e muʻaki ngaahi feinga ko ia ke akoʻi ʻa e maʻá naʻe tokoni ia ke fakaleleiʻi ʻa e ngaahi tuʻunga ʻo e moʻui ʻa e kakaí. Pea ʻoku totonu ia, he ko e maʻá ko e ʻulungaanga ia ʻoku tupu pea ʻoku ʻa e ʻOtua māʻoniʻoni mo maʻa ko Sihová. ʻOkú ne akoʻi kitautolu ke tau maʻu ʻaonga ai ʻaki ʻa e hoko ʻo māʻoniʻoni mo maʻa ʻi he kotoa ʻo ʻetau ngaahi foungá.—Aisea 48:17; 1 Pita 1:15.

ʻOku alafaʻifaʻitakiʻanga ʻa Sihova ko e ʻOtuá ʻi he tuʻungá ni. Ko e maʻá, pehē ki hono ngaahi ʻulungaanga taʻehāmai kehé, ʻoku hā mahino ia ʻi he fakatupu hā mai ʻa e ʻOtuá. (Loma 1:20) ʻOku malava ke tau sio ki he fakatupú ʻiate pē ʻoku ʻikai te ne fakatupunga ha ʻuli tuʻuloa. Ko e māmaní mo ʻene ngaahi feviloʻaki lahi fakaʻekolosiá ko ha meʻa fakaofo ʻa ʻene fakamaʻa ʻa ia peé, pea ʻoku faʻu ia ki ha moʻui maʻa mo moʻuilelei. Ko e maʻa ko iá ʻe toki haʻu pē ia mei ha Tokotaha-Faʻu ʻatamai maʻa. Ko ia ai, ʻe lava ke tau fakaʻosiʻaki mei heni, ko e kau lotu ʻa e ʻOtuá ʻoku totonu ke nau maʻa ʻi he tafaʻaki kotoa pē ʻo ʻenau moʻuí.

Ngaahi Tafaʻaki ʻe Fā ʻo e Maʻá

ʻOku fakamatalaʻi ʻe he Tohitapú ʻa e ngaahi tafaʻaki ʻe fā ʻo e maʻá ʻa ia ʻoku totonu ke feinga mālohi ki ai ʻa e kau lotu ʻa e ʻOtuá. Tau lāulea angé ki he ngaahi meʻá ni taki taha.

Fakalaumālie. Ko e tuʻunga eni ʻoku lava ke vakai ki ai ko e maʻa mahuʻinga taha ʻi hono kotoa ʻo e maʻá koeʻuhi ʻoku kaunga ia ki he ngaahi ʻamanaki ʻa ha taha ki he moʻui taʻengatá. Kae kehe, ko e tafaʻaki mohu liʻekina lahi taha eni ʻo e maʻá. Ko hono ʻai mahinó, ke maʻa fakalaumālié ʻoku ʻuhingá ke ʻoua ʻaupito naʻa fakalaka atu ʻi he ngaahi fakangatangataʻanga kuo fokotuʻu ʻe he ʻOtuá ʻi he vahaʻa ʻo e lotu moʻoní mo e loí, he ʻoku vakai ʻa e ʻOtuá ki ha faʻahinga lotu loi pē ʻoku taʻemaʻa. Naʻe tohi ʻe he ʻapositolo ko Paulá: “Mou hiki mei honau lotolotonga, pea mavahe kimoutolu, pea ʻoua te mou ala ki he meʻa taʻemaʻa—ko e folofola é ʻa e ʻEiki—pea te u maʻu kimoutolu ʻe au.” (2 Kolinito 6:​17, 18) ʻOku toe fakahaaʻi mātuʻaki mahino ʻe he ākonga ko Sēmisí ʻa e meʻá ni: “Ko eni ia ʻa e toʻonga lotu ʻoku maʻa mo taʻe hano ʻuli ʻi he ʻafio ʻa e ʻOtua ko ʻetau Tamai . . . ʻa ʻete tauhi kita mei mamani ke taʻe hato ʻila.”—Semisi 1:27.

Naʻe fakahaaʻi mahino ʻe he ʻOtuá ʻa e ʻikai te ne hōifua ki hono tuifio ʻa e lotu loí mo ʻene lotu moʻoní. Ko e lotu loí ʻoku faʻa kau ai ʻa e ngaahi tōʻonga taʻemaʻa, ngaahi ʻaitolí mo e ngaahi ʻotua fakalieliá. (Selemaia 32:35) Ko ia, ʻoku fakaʻaiʻai ʻa e kau Kalisitiane moʻoní ke nau fakaʻehiʻehi mei ha kaunga pē ki he lotu taʻemaʻá.—1 Kolinito 10:​20, 21; Fakahā 18:4.

ʻUlungāngá. ʻI heni foki, ʻoku fokotuʻu ai ʻe he ʻOtuá ha faikehekehe mahino ʻi he vahaʻa ʻo e meʻa ʻoku maʻá mo e meʻa ʻoku taʻemaʻá. ʻI he fakalūkufuá, kuo hoko ai ʻa e māmaní ʻo hangē ko ia ʻoku fakamatalaʻi ʻe he Efeso 4:​17-19: “Kuo fakapoʻuli honau ʻatamai, kuo nau motu mei he moʻui ʻa e ʻOtua . . . ʻa ia ko e faʻahinga ʻoku ongonoa, pea nau liʻoa kinautolu ki he pauʻu, ke fai ʻa e angaʻuli kotoa pe ʻi he havala.” Ko e fakakaukau taʻetaau peheé ʻokú ne fakaeʻa tonu ia ʻi he ngaahi founga lahi, ʻo fai fakahāhā mo olopoto, ko ia ʻoku fiemaʻu ʻa e kau Kalisitiané ke nau ʻāʻā.

Ko e kau ʻofa ki he ʻOtuá ʻoku nau ʻilo ko e paʻumutú, fakasōtomá, fehokotaki fakasino ki muʻa ʻi he malí pea mo e fakatātā fakalieliá ʻoku maumauʻi ai ʻa e tuʻunga ʻa Sihova ki he maʻa fakaeʻulungāngá. Kae kehe, ko hono fakahaaʻi ʻo e ngaahi tōʻonga ko ení ʻoku failahia ia ʻi he fakafiefiá mo e māmani fakaeonopōní. Ko ia, kuo pau ai ki he kau Kalisitiané ke nau leʻohi kinautolu mei he ngaahi ʻalungá ni. Ko hono tui ʻa e fanga kiʻi vala tātāʻolunga mo aata ki he ngaahi fakataha faka-Kalisitiané pe ngaahi fakatahataha fakasōsialé ʻokú ne fakahanga ai ha tokanga taʻetotonu ki he sinó pea fakahaaʻi ai ha fakangaloku ʻo e anga-maʻá. Tuku kehe ʻa hono ʻomai ʻa e fakakaukau fakaemāmani taʻemaʻa ki he feohiʻanga faka-Kalisitiané, ko e ʻai vala ʻi he founga ko iá ʻoku ʻi ai ʻene malava ke fakatupu ʻa e ngaahi fakakaukau taʻemaʻa ʻi he niʻihi kehé. Ko e tafaʻaki eni ʻoku fiemaʻu ai ki he kau Kalisitiané ke nau ngāue mālohi ʻi hono fakahāhā ʻa e “poto ʻoku mei ʻolunga.”—Semisi 3:17.

Fakaefakakaukau. Ko e ngaahi fakakaukau loloto ʻi he ʻatamai ʻo ha taha ʻoku ʻikai totonu ke hoko ia ko ha tauhiʻanga ʻo e ngaahi fakakaukau taʻemaʻá. Naʻe fakatokanga ʻa Sīsū fekauʻaki mo e fakakaukau taʻemaʻá ʻi heʻene pehē: “ʻIlonga ʻa ia te ne fakasio ki ha fefine ke tafunaki ʻene holi ki ai, kuo ne tonoʻi ia ʻi hono loto.” (Mātiu 5:28; Maake 7:​20-23) Ko e ngaahi leá ni ʻoku ngāueʻaki tatau pē ia ki he sio ʻi he ngaahi fakatātā mo e filimi fakalieliá, ko hono lau ʻa e ngaahi fakamatala fakaefehokotaki fakasino ololaló mo e fanongo ʻi he ngaahi fakalea taʻetaau ʻo e hivá. Ko ia, kuo pau ke fakaʻehiʻehi ʻa e kau Kalisitiané mei hono ʻuliʻi kinautolu ʻaki ʻa e tali ʻo e ngaahi fakakaukau taʻemaʻa ʻe lava ke tupu ai ʻa e ngaahi tōʻonga mo e ngaahi lea taʻemaʻa mo taʻemāʻoniʻoní.—Mātiu 12:34; 15:18.

Fakaesino. Ko e māʻoniʻoní mo e maʻa fakaesinó ʻokú na fehokotaki vāofi ʻi he Tohitapú. Ko e fakatātaá, naʻe tohi ʻe Paula: “Siʻoku ʻofaʻanga . . . tau fakamaʻa kitautolu mei he ʻuli kotoa pe ʻo e kakano mo e loto, ʻo tau fakakakato ʻetau maʻoniʻoni ʻi he ʻapasia ki he ʻOtua.” (2 Kolinito 6:19 [2 Kolinito 7:​1, PM]) Ko ia ai, ko e kau Kalisitiane moʻoní ʻoku totonu ke nau feinga mālohi ke tauhi honau sinó, ʻapí mo e ʻātakaí ke maʻa mo maau ʻi he lahi taha ʻoku fakaʻatā ʻe he ngaahi tuʻungá. Naʻa mo e taimi ʻoku siʻi ai ʻa e maʻuʻanga vai ki he foó mo e kaukaú, ko e kau Kalisitiané ʻoku totonu ke nau feinga ke fai ʻa e lelei taha ʻe malavá ke tauhi kinautolu ke nau maʻa mo taau.

Ko e maʻa fakaesinó te ne taʻofi foki ai ʻa e ngāueʻaki ʻi ha faʻahinga founga pē ʻa e tapaká, maʻu ʻo fuʻu tōtuʻa ʻa e inu ʻolokaholó pea mo ha faʻahinga pē ʻo e ngāuekoviʻaki ʻa e faitoʻo kona tapú, ʻa ia ʻoku ʻuliʻi mo maumauʻi ai ʻa e sinó. Ko e tauhi-sipi ʻoku fakamatalaʻi ʻi he Hiva ʻo e Hivá naʻá ne leleiʻia ʻi he namu-lelei ʻa e kofu ʻo e taʻahine Sūlemí. (Hiva ʻo e Hiva 4:11) Ko hono tokangaʻi ʻa ʻetau haisini fakafoʻituituí ko ha meʻa anga-ʻofa ia ke fai, ʻi heʻetau loto ko ia ke fakaʻehiʻehi mei hono ʻomai ha faʻahinga nanamu ʻoku taʻefeʻunga ki he faʻahinga takatakai ʻiate kitautolú. ʻE lelei nai ʻa e ngaahi meʻa fakanamuleleí mo e kaloní, ka ʻoku ʻikai ko ha fetongi ia ʻo e kaukau maʻu peé mo e vala maʻá.

Ko Hono Tauhi ha Vakai Mafamafatatau

ʻI heʻene hoko mai ki he maʻa fakaesinó, ʻe lava ke hoko ʻo fuʻu tōtuʻa ai ʻa e kakaí. ʻI he tafaʻaki ʻe taha, ko e fuʻu faivelenga tōtuʻa ʻi he fekauʻaki mo e maʻá ʻe lava ke ne kaihaʻasi meiate kitautolu ʻa e fiefia ʻo e moʻuí. ʻE lava ke ne toe keina ai mo ha taimi mahuʻinga lahi. ʻI he tafaʻaki leva ʻe tahá, ko e ngaahi ʻapi ʻuli mo taʻemāú ʻoku hoko nai ia ko e fakamole lahi ke monomono. ʻOku ʻi he vahaʻa ʻo e ongo tafaʻaki fuʻu tōtuʻa ko ení, ʻa e founga ʻaonga mo fakapotopoto ki hono tauhi hotau ʻapí ke maʻa mo tāú.

Tauhi ia ke taau. Ko e ngaahi ʻapi pe loki ʻoku felefelé ʻoku faingataʻa ke fakamaʻa, pea ʻe ʻikai nai ke fuʻu ʻilonga ʻa e ʻulí ʻi he ngaahi ʻātakai feʻefiʻefihi peheé. Ko e ngaahi ʻapi ʻoku taau mo ʻikai felefelé ʻoku siʻisiʻi pē ʻa e taimi ʻoku fiemaʻu ke fakamaʻa aí. Ko ha founga moʻui faingofua ʻoku poupouʻi māʻolunga ia ʻi he Tohitapú: “ʻI heʻetau maʻu ʻetau meʻakai mo e kofu, te tau feʻunga pe ʻi he meʻa ko ia.”—1 Timote 6:8.

Tauhi ia ke maau. Ko ha ʻapi maʻa ko e fatongia ia ʻo e tokotaha kotoa pē ʻoku nofo aí. Ko e ngaahi ʻapi taʻemāú ʻoku faʻa kamataʻaki ʻa e ngaahi loki taʻemaau. Ko e māú ʻoku ʻuhingá ko e meʻa kotoa pē ʻoku ʻi hono feituʻu totonu. Ko e fakatātaá, ko e feituʻu ki he vala ʻulí ʻoku ʻikai ko e faliki ʻo e lokí. Pea ko e mafatukituki angé, ko e ngaahi meʻa-vaʻinga mo e meʻangāue ʻoku laku takai holó ʻoku malava ke fakatuʻutāmaki ia. Ko e ngaahi fakatuʻutāmaki ʻoku hoko lahi ʻi ʻapí ko e tupu ia mei he ngaahi tōʻonga taʻemāú.

ʻOku hā mahino, ko e maʻá mo e founga moʻui ʻa e Kalisitiané ʻoku ʻikai te na mavahevahe. Fekauʻaki mo ha founga moʻui fakaʻotua, ʻoku lave ai ʻa e palōfita ko ʻAiseá ki he “hala oe maonioni.” Pea ʻokú ne tānaki mai ʻa e fakakaukau fakapotopoto “e ikai alu ai ae taemaa.” (Aisea 35:​8, PM) ʻIo, ko hono fakatupulekina ʻa e tōʻonga lelei ki he maʻá ʻokú ne ʻoatu leva ai ʻa e fakamoʻoni mālohi ki heʻetau tui ki he talaʻofa ʻa e ʻOtuá ʻe vavé ni ke ne fokotuʻu ha māmani palataisi maʻa. Pea ʻi he tafaʻaki kotoa pē ʻo e foʻi palanite fakaʻofoʻofa ko ení, ʻe fakalāngilangiʻi ai ʻe he kakai kotoa pē ʻa Sihova ko e ʻOtuá ʻaki ʻa hono tauhi kakato ʻa ʻene ngaahi tuʻunga haohaoa ki he maʻá.—Fakahā 7:9.

[Fakatātā ʻi he peesi 6]

Ko ha ʻapi maʻa ko e fatongia ia ʻo e tokotaha kotoa pē ʻoku nofo aí

[Fakatātā ʻi he peesi 6]

Ko e foʻi māmaní ko ha meʻa fakaofo ʻa ʻene fakamaʻa ʻa ia peé