IKrismesi—Imvelaphi Yayo
NGUMBHALELI KAVUKANI! EITALI
KWIINTSUKU nje ezintathu ngaphambi kweKrismesi yowe-1993, uPopu John Paul II wavuma ukuba ukubhiyozelwa kweKrismesi akusekelwanga eBhayibhileni. Ngokuphathelele umhla onguDisemba 25, upopu wavuma: “Ngaloo mhla kubuhedeni bamaxesha amandulo, umhla wokuzalwa ‘kweLanga Elingoyiswayo’ wawubhiyozelwa ukuze uvumelane nokujika kwelanga ebusika.” Ngoko, yaqala njani iKrismesi? Upopu waqhubeka esithi: “Kwabonakala kusengqiqweni yaye kungokwemvelo kumaKristu ukuthabathel’ indawo loo msitho ngokubhiyozela ekuphela kweLanga eliyinyaniso, uYesu Kristu.”
Umchola-choli weendaba uNello Ajello wabhala oku kwiLa Repubblica: “Ngamany’ amazwi, kukho uthile owathi uYesu wayezelwe ngosuku alucingelayo, aluyile ngobuqhetseba, nolobuxoki.” Lwayilwa nini olo suku? Inqaku leendaba elakhutshwa yiVatican lathi: “Umbhiyozo weKrismesi wabakho okokuqala ngowama-354 [C.E.].”
Kuthekani ngeEpiphany ebakho ngoJanuwari 6, esisikhumbuzo sokufika kweZazi zize kutyelela uYesu owayesandul’ ukuzalwa? Eli nqaku lahlabela mgama lisithi: “Ubungqina obuninzi busikhokelela ekukholelweni ukuba nokukhethwa kukaJanuwari 6, njengokukhethwa kukaDisemba 25 ukuba abe yiholide yamaRoma yokubhiyozela ukuzalwa kukaYesu, kwakuphenjelelwe sisikhumbuzo saminyaka le sobuhedeni. Enyanisweni, eAlexandria, ngobusuku obuphakathi komhla wesi-5 nowesi-6 kuJanuwari, abahedeni babedla ngokubhiyozela umhla wokuzalwa kukathixo uAeon (uthixo wexesha nobunaphakade). . . . Kubonakala ngathi iCawa yayifuna ukwenza lo mbhiyozo ube ngowobuKristu.”
UYesu akazange abagunyazise abalandeli bakhe ukuba badibanise unqulo oluyinyaniso namasiko abahedeni. Kunoko, wabaxelela ukuba bafundise “zonke izinto endiniwisele umthetho ngazo.” (Mateyu 28:19, 20; akekeliswe sithi.) Ukongezelela, xa wayejamelene neenkokeli zonqulo zomhla wakhe, uYesu wazibuza esithi: “Kutheni nisaphula umthetho kaThixo ngenxa yesithethe senu?” (Mateyu 15:3, New International Version) Loo mbuzo ukwamnye usenokubuzwa kwabo bathi bangamaKristu abagcina amasiko abahedeni namhlanje.