Ukuqiqa Okusezindabeni
AmaKatolika Nobhaptizo
Iphephandaba lesiFrentshi, iLe Monde linikela ingxelo yokuba liyanda inani labantu abakhulu ababhaptizwa yiCawa yamaRoma Katolika eFransi. Enyanisweni, iphepha eli libika ezithi “amanani aye aphindaphindeka kabini kwiminyaka emine edluleyo.” Abantu baseFransi abangaphezu kwama-4 000 baye baqala ngezifundo eziqhutywa ngaphambi kobhaptizo befuna ukuba ngamaKatolika abhaptiziweyo. Ababini kwabathathu ngamabhinqa aneminyaka ephakathi kwengama-20 nengama-40. Ikota yabo asingomaFrentshi ngokwemvelo.
Noko ke, ukulungiselela ukubhaptizwa kwabantu abakhulu kuthabatha iminyaka emibini okanye emithathu. Umfundisi uGuy Cordonnier, oqhuba izifundo ezinjalo zangaphambi kobhaptizo kummandla waseVersailles, uchaza athi: “Ukuze abhaptizwe, ubani akwanelanga ukuba athi uyakholwa kuThixo. Kubalulekile ukufunda indlela yokuhlala nebutho labantu.”
Kakade ke, ubhaptizo lwabantu abakhulu alunto intsha. UYesu ngokwakhe wabhaptizwa xa wayeneminyaka engama-30 ubudala. Oko kuba nokholo ngakumbi kuThixo kuyafuneka kuba ngokukwanjalo ubhaptizo alunto intsha. Umyalelo kaYesu kubafundi bakhe ‘yayingowokwenza abafundi . . . , babhaptizwe’ baze ‘bafundiswe’ ukugcina imithetho yakhe.—Mateyu 28:19, 20.
Phofu ke, ekubeni iCawa yamaKatolika iye kangangeenkulungwane yaqhelisela ubhaptizo lweentsana, isimo sengqondo secawa ngakubhaptizo lwabadala saba sesichaseneyo nalo. Abasemagunyeni kule Cawa bathi kuthabatha iminyaka emibini nangaphezulu ukulungiselela umntu omkhulu ukuba abhaptizwe, kanti bami ngelithi ubhaptizo lweentsana lufanelekile. Bathi ubhaptizo lucoca iintsana kwisono ezazalwa naso, kodwa umpostile uYohane wabhala oku: “Negazi likaYesu . . . lisihlambile kuso sonke isono.” (1 Yohane 1:7) Ekubeni iintsana zingakwazi ukuqhelisela ukholo kuThixo nakwigazi likaYesu elaphalalayo, kutheni zibhaptizwa?
Amazwi Angazange Aviwe
Phantse isiqingatha kubafazi abangama-3 800 abahlolisiswa yinkampani ye-inshorensi yaseJapan “abazange baweve amazwi athi ‘Ndiyakuthanda’ avela kumadoda abo kwiminyaka embalwa,” inikela loo ngxelo iThe Daily Yomiuri. Inani labafazi abangawevayo la mazwi landa ngeminyaka yobudala yaye abo bakwiminyaka yabo yama-50 ubudala, abalinani elimangalisayo labangama-82 ekhulwini bathi abazange baweve la mazwi evela kumadoda abo. Naphakathi kwabafazi abakwiminyaka yabo yama-20 ubudala, kuphela ngabali-10 ekhulwini abeva amadoda abo esitsho la mazwi mihla le.
Kwibali lothando likaKumkani uSolomon olumkileyo elibandakanya umalusi nentombazana eyimbelukazi yesizwe esithile ephuma kwisixeko samandulo saseShunem, ‘kwakungezincokoliso zalo ezimnandi’ elathi eli tyendye layithimba intliziyo yelo gqiyazana. (Ingoma yazo Iingoma 1:2) Akuba amadoda ezithimbile iintliziyo zabafazi bawo, ngaba kuseyimfuneko ukuba avakalise iimvakalelo zawo? Ewe! IBhayibhile ibongoza isithi: “Nina madoda, bathandeni abafazi benu, njengokuba naye uKristu walithandayo ibandla, wazinikela ngenxa yalo.”—Efese 5:25.
Ngobusuku bokungcatshwa kwakhe, uYesu waluvakalisa ngokuphindaphindiweyo uthando analo ngabafundi bakhe. (Yohane 13:34; 14:19-21; 15:9, 10, 12) Indoda imele iwuphawule umnqweno womfazi wayo wokufuna ukuqinisekiswa ngothando lwayo. Amadoda akwamele akhumbule ukuba uKristu ‘wazinikela ngenxa yebandla.’ Ngaloo ndlela, walubonakalisa uthando lwakhe kokubini ngamazwi nangezenzo. Licacile elokuba, amadoda enza kakuhle ukuxelisa umzekelo kaKristu.