Ukuzalwa Komntu Okumelwe Kukhunjulwe

“Kuba nizalelwe namhlanje uMsindisi, onguKristu iNkosi.”—Luka 2:11.

MALUNGA neminyaka engamawaka amabini eyadlulayo, ibhinqa elithile kwidolophu yaseBhetelehem lazala umntwana oyinkwenkwe. Ngabemi abambalwa kuphela abaqonda ukubaluleka kokuzalwa kwalo mntwana. Kodwa abalusi abathile ababehleli nezimvu zabo ezindle ebusuku, babona inkitha yeengelosi yaye baziva zicula zisithi: “Uzuko kwiindawo eziphakamileyo phezulu kuThixo, uxolo emhlabeni phakathi kwabantu abakholekileyo.”—Luka 2:8-14.

Bandula ke aba balusi bafumana uMariya nomyeni wakhe, uYosefu, esitalini, kanye njengoko iingelosi zazitshilo. UMariya owayemthiye lo mntwana ngokuthi nguYesu wayemlalise emkhumbini, esitalini. (Luka 1:31; 2:12) Ngoku, kwiminyaka engamawaka amabini kamva, abantu abathathu kwabalishumi bazibiza ngokuthi bangabalandeli bakaYesu Kristu. Yaye iziganeko ezinxulumene nokuzalwa kwakhe ziyila ibali mhlawumbi ebelisoloko libaliswa ngaphezu kwalo naliphi na elinye ibali embalini.

ISpeyin, ilizwe elibambelele ngokuqinileyo kwizithethe zamaKatolika nelinobuchule bokwenza imibhiyozo yezithethe, liye layila iindlela ezininzi zokubhiyozela olo suku lwalukhethekile eBhetelehem.

Indlela Ebhiyozelwa Ngayo IKrismesi ESpeyin

Ukususela ngenkulungwane ye-13, imifanekiso yokuZalwa kukaYesu ibiyeyona nto iqhelekileyo kwimibhiyozo yabemi baseSpeyin. Iintsapho ezininzi, ziye zenze umkhumbi omncinane uYesu awayelaliswe kuwo. Kuye kwenziwe ngodongwe abalusi neZazi (okanye “ookumkani abathathu”), kuquka uYosefu, uMariya noYesu. Imifanekiso emikhulu yokuZalwa kukaYesu ephantse ilingane nabantu idla ngokubekwa kufuphi neeholo zedolophu ebudeni bexesha leKrismesi. Kubonakala ukuba uFrancis waseAssisi waqalisa esi sithethe eItali ukuze abantu banikele ingqalelo kwingxelo yeVangeli yokuzalwa kukaYesu. Iimonki ezingabalandeli bakaFrancis kamva zasenza saba yinto edumileyo esi sithethe eSpeyin nakwamanye amazwe amaninzi.

IZazi zinendima enkulu kwimibhiyozo yeKrismesi yaseSpeyin, kanye njengoSanta Claus kwamanye amazwe. Kukholelwa ukuba ngoJanuwari 6, ngeDía de Reyes (Usuku LooKumkani), abantwana baseSpeyin bafumana izipho ezivela kwiiZazi njengoko ngokuqhelekileyo kukholelwa ukuba iZazi zazisela uYesu osandul’ ukuzalwa izipho. Noko ke, bambalwa abantu abaqondayo ukuba ingxelo yeVangeli ayilichazi inani leZazi ezazize kuYesu. Kunokuba zibe ngookumkani, ziye zichazwe ngokuchanileyo ngokuba ngabavumisi ngeenkwenkwezi.a Ngaphezu koko, emva kokutyelela kwezi Zazi, uHerode wabulala onke amakhwenkwe eBhetelehem “ukususela kwiminyaka emibini ubudala nangaphantsi,” efuna ukubulala uYesu. Oku kubonisa ukuba zafika sekulithuba uYesu ezelwe.—Mateyu 2:11, 16.

Ukususela ngenkulungwane ye-12, ezinye iidolophu zaseSpeyin zenza imiboniso yokuzalwa kukaYesu, kuquka nokutyelela kwabalusi eBhetelehem kamva neZazi. Kule mihla, izixeko ezininzi zaseSpeyin ziba necabalgata, okanye imiboniso, rhoqo ngoJanuwari 5, apho “ookumkani abathathu” baye bakhwele iimoto ezihonjisiweyo bahambahambe kumbindi wesixeko besipha abantu ababukeleyo iilekese. Izinto zokuhombisa zeKrismesi eziqhelekileyo neevillancicos (iingoma zeKrismesi) zenza esi sihlandlo sibe mnandi.

Iintsapho ezininzi zaseSpeyin zithanda ukuba nesidlo sangokuhlwa esikhethekileyo ngoSuku Lwangaphambi kweKrismesi (ngoDisemba 24). Ngokuqhelekileyo kuye kutyiwe iturrón (iilekese ezenziwe ngamandongomane nobusi), ikeyiki imarzipan, iziqhamo eziqwayitiweyo, inyama yemvu eyosiweyo neentlobo ezahlukahlukeneyo zeentlanzi. Amalungu entsapho, kwanalawo ahlala kude, enza umgudu okhethekileyo wokuba kunye ngesi sihlandlo sikhethekileyo. Ebudeni besinye isidlo esiqhelekileyo, ngoJanuwari 6, intsapho iye itye iroscón de reyes, ikeyiki esisazinge “yooKumkani” enesorpresa (into encinane) efihlwe ngaphakathi. Ngexesha lokulawula kwamaRoma isithethe esifanayo sasisenza ukuba ikhoboka elifumene ikeyiki enento efihliweyo libe “ngukumkani” ngolo suku.

“Elona Xesha Lonyaka Livuyisayo Nelixakekileyo”

Enoba ziziphi izithethe zasekuhlaleni eziye zakho, ngoku iKrismesi iye yasesona sihlandlo sikhethekileyo sibhiyozelwayo ehlabathini. IThe World Book Encyclopedia ichaza iKrismesi “njengelona xesha lonyaka livuyisayo nelixakekileyo kwizigidi zamaKristu nakwabathile abangengomaKristu kulo lonke ihlabathi.” Ngaba oko kuyinto efanelekileyo?

Licacile elokuba, ukuzalwa kukaKristu kwakusesona sihlandlo sibalulekileyo. Isibakala sokuba iingelosi zakuvakalisa njengomqondiso ‘woxolo emhlabeni phakathi kwabantu abakholekileyo’ kubonisa ngokucacileyo ukubaluleka kwaso.

Sekunjalo, intatheli yaseSpeyin uJuan Arias, uthi, “ebutsheni bobuKristu, kwakungenziwa mibhiyozo ngosuku lokuZalwa kukaYesu.” Ukuba oko kunjalo, ukubhiyozelwa kweKrismesi kuvela phi? Yiyiphi eyona ndlela ifanelekileyo yokukhumbula ukuzalwa nobomi bukaYesu? Kwinqaku elilandelayo, uza kufumana iimpendulo zaloo mibuzo.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]