Izithethe ZeKrismesi—Ngaba ZezobuKristu?

IXESHA leKrismesi lifikile. Ithetha ntoni loo nto kuwe, kwintsapho yakho nakwizinxulumani zakho? Ngaba sisihlandlo sonqulo, okanye lixesha nje lokuzonwabisa nokugcoba? Ngaba lixesha lokucinga ngokuzalwa kukaYesu Kristu okanye lixesha lokungazikhathazi ngezithethe zobuKristu?

Xa ucinga ngale mibuzo, khumbula ukuba izithethe zeKrismesi zinokwahluka ngokwendawo ohlala kuyo. Ngokomzekelo, eMexico nakwamanye amazwe akuMzantsi nakuMbindi Merika, kwanegama eli layo lahlukile. Enye intyila-lwazi ithi igama lesiNgesi elithi iKrismesi “lithatyathwe kwigama elalisetyenziswa kumaxesha aphakathi elithi Christes Masse, uMthendeleko kaKristu.” Noko ke, igama elithi La Navidad, okanye uMthonyama, njengoko ibizwa kumazwe akuMzantsi nakuMbindi Merika, libhekisela ekuzalweni kukaKristu. Khawuziphe ithuba lokuqwalasela ezinye zeenkcukacha zezithethe zaseMexico. Oku kunokukunceda ulungise indlela olijonga ngayo eli xesha leeholide.

IiPosada, “Izazi Ezithathu,” NeNacimiento

Imibhiyozo iqala ngoDisemba 16 ngeeposada. Incwadi ethi Mexico’s Feasts of Life igqabaza isithi: “Lixesha leeposada, iintsuku ezisithoba zoyolo ezingaphambi koBusuku Obandulela iKrismesi, ekukhunjulwa ngazo ukubhadula kukaYosefu noMariya kwisixeko saseBhetelehem nexesha abathi ekugqibeleni benzelwa ububele baza bafumana indawo ekhuselekileyo. Iintsapho kunye nabahlobo ziyahlanganisana ngobusuku ngabunye ukuze zize kulinganisa oko kwakusenzeka kwiintsuku ezingaphambi kokuzalwa kukaKristu.”

Ngokuqhelekileyo iqela labantu liphatha imifanekiso kaMariya noYosefu liye kungena nayo kwikhaya elithile lize licule ingoma licela ikhusi, okanye iposada. Abo basendlwini baphendula ngengoma de ekugqibeleni ezo ndwendwe zivunyelwe. Emva koko kuqalisa itheko, apho abanye—begqunywe amehlo yaye bephethe imisimelelo—batshintshisana ngokuzama ukuqhekeza ipiñata, imbiza enkulu eyenziwe ngodongwe yaza yahonjiswa nexhonywe ngentambo. Yakuba iqhekeziwe, izinto ezingaphakathi kwayo (iilekese, iziqhamo nezinye izinto ezifana nazo) ziyaqokelelwa ngabo beze ethekweni. Emva koko kulandela ukutya, iziselo, umculo nomdaniso. Amatheko asibhozo eeposada aqhutywa ukususela ngoDisemba 16 ukuya kutsho ngoDisemba 23. Ngolwama-24, kubhiyozelwa iNochebuena (uBusuku Obandulela iKrismesi), yaye iintsapho zenza umgudu wokuba kunye ukuze kwenziwe isidlo esikhethekileyo.

Kungekudala kufika uSuku Lonyaka Omtsha, olubhiyozelwa ngamatheko ekubakho ingxolo enkulu kuwo. Ngengokuhlwa kaJanuwari 5, iTres Reyes Magos (“izazi ezithathu”) zimele ziphathele abantwana izinto zokudlala. Uvuthondaba luba litheko eliqhutywa ngoJanuwari 6, xa kutyiwa irosca de Reyes (ikeyiki esisangqa). Njengoko kutyiwa le keyiki, kukho othile oza kufumana unodoli omncinane omela uYesu olusana kwiqhekeza lakhe. Lowo ulifumeneyo unyanzelekile ukuba aququzelele aze aqhube itheko lokugqibela elibakho ngoFebruwari 2. (Kwezinye iindawo kubakho oonodoli abancinane abathathu, abamela “izazi ezithathu.”) Njengoko unokuzibonela nawe, amatheko anxulumene neKrismesi akabi nasiphelo.

Ebudeni beli xesha, inacimiento (imifanekiso engokuZalwa kukaYesu) idla ngokubalasela. Yintoni ebandakanyekileyo kuyo? Kaloku, kwiindawo zikawonke-wonke, ezicaweni nasemakhaya, kubekwa imifanekiso (emikhulu nemincinane) eyenziwe ngodongwe olutshisiweyo, ngamaplanga okanye ngodongwe. Imela uYosefu noMariya beguqe phambi komkhumbi ekukho phakathi kwawo usana olusandul’ ukuzalwa. Kudla ngokubakho abalusi kunye neeLos Reyes Magos (“izazi”). Iba ngathi sisitali, yaye kusenokubakho nezilwanyana. Noko ke, eyona nto ibalulekileyo lusana olusandul’ ukuzalwa, ngesiSpanish olubizwa ngokuba yi-el Niño Dios (uThixo onguMntwana). Olu sana lunokubekwa apho ngoBusuku Obandulela iKrismesi.

Makhe Siqwalasele Amasiko OkuZalwa KukaYesu

Ngokuphathelele imibhiyozo yeKrismesi, njengoko isaziwa njalo ehlabathini jikelele, iThe Encyclopedia Americana ithi: “Inkoliso yezithethe ngoku ezinxityelelaniswa neKrismesi zazingezozithethe zeKrimesi kodwa zizithethe zangaphambi kobuKristu nezingezozabuKristu eziye zathatyathwa yicawa yamaKristu. Uninzi lwezithethe zemigcobo yeKrismesi lusekelwe kwiSaturnalia, itheko lamaRoma elibhiyozelwa phakathi kuDisemba. Ngokomzekelo, kulo mbhiyozo kwathatyathwa isithethe sokwenza amatheko amakhulu, ukuphana izipho, nokukhanyiswa kwamakhandlela.”

KuMzantsi nakuMbindi Merika, ezo zithethe zisisiseko zokuZalwa kukaYesu ziyenziwa kuze kufakelelwe nezinye. ‘Zivela phi kanye kanye,’ usenokuzibuza. Ngeliphandle, abaninzi abafuna ukunamathela eBhayibhileni bayabona ukuba ezinye zezo zithethe zingamasiko ama-Aztec. IEl Universal, iphephandaba laseMexico City, lagqabaza lisithi: “Iimonki zeenkonzo ngeenkonzo zasebenzisa isibakala sokuba ikhalenda yemibhiyozo yamasiko amaIndiya yayidibana nekhalenda yeenkonzo zamaKatolika, ngoko zasebenzisa loo nto ukuze zixhase umsebenzi wazo wobuvangeli. Endaweni yezikhumbuzo ezazisenzelwa oothixo babantu abathetha isiSpanish zafaka izikhumbuzo zoothixo bamaKristu, zafaka imibhiyozo nezinto zaseYurophu, zaza zafakelela nemibhiyozo yamaIndiya, eyaphumela ekubeni kubekho ingxubevange yezithethe eye yavela kuyo indlela yaseMexico.”

IThe Encyclopedia Americana iyachaza: “Mandulo imidlalo elinganisa ukuZalwa kukaYesu yaba yinxaleye yemibhiyozo yamaKristu . . . Kuthiwa umfanekiso obakho ecaweni wecrèche [umkhumbi] waqaliswa yiNgcwele uFrancis.” Le midlalo ebonisa ukuzalwa kukaKristu yayiboniswa ezicaweni xa iMexico yayiqalisa ukwenziwa ithanga. Yayiququzelelwa ziimonki ezingabalandeli bakaFrancis ukuze zifundise amaIndiya ngokuZalwa kukaYesu. Kamva iiposada zaya zithandwa ngakumbi. Enoba yayiyintoni na injongo yazo yantlandlolo, indlela iiposada eziqhutywa ngayo namhlanje iyazichaza nje ngokwayo. Ukuba useMexico ngeli xesha, unokubona okanye uve into efana nale yabalaseliswa ngumbhali weEl Universal kumagqabaza akhe esithi: “Iiposada, ezaziyindlela yokusikhumbuza ngokubhadula kwabazali bakaYesu befuna indawo awayenokuzalelwa kuyo uThixo onguMntwana, namhlanje ziintsuku nje ezilishumi zokunxila, zokuzifica, zobudlakudla, zokuyabula nje esithubeni, nezokwaphula umthetho nangakumbi.”

Ingcamango yenacimiento yavela ngexesha elo lizwe laliliThanga isuka kwimidlalo eyayisenziwa ezicaweni. Ngoxa abanye beyifumanisa inomtsalane, ngaba ikumela ngokuchanileyo oko iBhayibhile ikutshoyo? Ngumbuzo omhle lowo. Xa abo babizwa ngokuba zizazi ezithathu—enyanisweni ababezizazi zeenkwenkwezi—batyelelayo, uYesu nentsapho yakhe babengasahlali esitalini. Kwakusele kudlule ixesha, yaye le ntsapho yayihlala endlwini. Uya kuyifumanisa ibangel’ umdla le nkcukacha yengxelo ephefumlelweyo kaMateyu 2:1, 11. Kwakhona uya kufumanisa ukuba iBhayibhile ayitsho ukuba zazingaphi izazi ngeenkwenkwezi ezazikho apho.a

KuMzantsi nakuMbindi Merika, izazi ezithathu zithabatha indawo kaSanta Claus. Sekunjalo, njengoko kusenziwa nakwamanye amazwe, abazali abaninzi bafihla izinto zokudlala emakhayeni abo. Kwandule ke ngentsasa kaJanuwari 6, abantwana bazikhangele, ngokungathi zizazi ezithathu ezizizisileyo. Eli lixesha lokuyikha ngezitya imali kwabo bathengisa izinto zokudlala, ibe abanye baye bazizigwili ngenxa yento abo bantliziyo zinyanisekileyo abayigqala njengephupha. Intsomi yezazi ezithathu ayisathenjwa liqela labo, kwanabanye abantwana abancinane. Nangona abanye bengayithandi into yokuba le ntsomi ingalandelwa, yintoni ubani abenokuyilindela kwiphupha eligcinwe kuphela ngenxa yesithethe nangenxa yeengenelo zorhwebo?

IKrismesi, okanye ukuZalwa kukaYesu, kwakungabhiyozelwa ngamaKristu okuqala. Enye intyila-lwazi yatyatyadula yenjenje ngalo mba: “Le mibhiyozo yayingenziwa ngeenkulungwane zokuqala zecawa yamaKristu, ekubeni uqheliselo lwamaKristu ngokubanzi yayikukubhiyozela ukufa kwabantu ababalaseleyo kunokubhiyozela ukuzalwa kwabo.” IBhayibhile inxibelelanisa ukubhiyozelwa kwemihla yokuzalwa nabahedeni, kungekhona nabanquli bokwenyaniso bakaThixo.—Mateyu 14:6-10.

Kakade ke, oku akuthethi kuthi akuyongenelo ukufunda nokukhumbula iziganeko ezenzekayo xa kwakuzalwa uNyana kaThixo. Ingxelo yeBhayibhile eyinyaniso ibanika ingqiqo nezifundo ezibalulekileyo bonke abo bafuna ukwenza ukuthanda kukaThixo.

Ukuzalwa KukaYesu Ngokutsho KweBhayibhile

Uya kufumana inkcazelo enokuthenjwa engokuzalwa kukaYesu kwincwadi yeVangeli kaMateyu nekaLuka. Ibonisa ukuba ingelosi uGabriyeli yatyelela ibhinqa eliselula elingatshatanga eligama linguMariya kwidolophu yaseGalili eyiNazarete. Sisiphi isigidimi eyasidluliselayo? “Khangela! uya kukhawula esibelekweni sakho uze uzale unyana, umbize ngokuba nguYesu igama lakhe. Yena uya kuba mkhulu, abizwe ngokuba nguNyana wOyena Uphakamileyo; yaye uYehova uThixo uya kumnika itrone kaDavide uyise, kwaye uya kulawula njengokumkani phezu kwendlu kaYakobi ngonaphakade, yaye ubukumkani bakhe abuyi kuba nasiphelo.”—Luka 1:31-33.

UMariya samothusa gqitha esi sigidimi. Ekubeni wayengatshatanga, wathi: “Kuza kubakho njani na oku, ekubeni ndingenazintlobano zokwazana nandoda?” Ekuphenduleni ingelosi yathi kuye: “Umoya oyingcwele uya kukufikela, namandla Oyena Uphakamileyo aya kukusibekela. Ngenxa yeso sizathu kwanoko kuzalwayo kuya kubizwa ngokuba kungcwele, uNyana kaThixo.” Eqonda ukuba oku kukuthanda kukaThixo, uMariya wathi: “Khangela! Ikhobokazana likaYehova! Ngamana kungenzeka kum ngokwendlela ovakalise ngayo.”—Luka 1:34-38.

Ingelosi yaxelela uYosefu ngoku kuzala kungummangaliso ukuze angamali uMariya, nto leyo awayeceba ukuyenza akuba evile ukuba ukhulelwe. Ngoko wakulungela ukuthabatha imbopheleleko yokunyamekela uNyana kaThixo.—Mateyu 1:18-25.

Emva koko umyalelo owawuvela kuKesare Agasto wanyanzela uYosefu noMariya ukuba bahambe besuka eNazarete eGalili besiya eBhetelehem kwelakwaYuda, isixeko sookhokho babo, ukuze baye kubhalisa. “Ngoxa babelapho, yazaliseka imihla yokuba azale. Wazala unyana wakhe, izibulo, yaye wamsongela ngezithandelo zelaphu waza wambeka emkhumbini, ngenxa yokuba kwakungekho ndawo yabo kwigumbi lokulalisa.”—Luka 2:1-7.

ULuka 2:8-14 uchaza okwalandelayo: “Kwakukwakho kwelo lizwe likwalinye abalusi ababehlala ezindle yaye belinde imihlambi yabo ebusuku. Kwaza ngequbuliso kwema ngakubo ingelosi kaYehova, nobuqaqawuli bukaYehova bakhazimla ngakubo, yaye boyika kakhulu. Kodwa ingelosi yathi kubo: ‘Musani ukoyika, kuba, khangelani! ndivakalisa kuni iindaba ezilungileyo zovuyo olukhulu olo bonke abantu baya kuba nalo, kuba nizalelwe namhlanje uMsindisi, onguKristu iNkosi, kwisixeko sikaDavide. Yaye nanku umqondiso kuni: Niya kufumana usana lusongelwe ngezithandelo zelaphu, lulele emkhumbini.’ Kwaza ngequbuliso kwabakho kunye nengelosi leyo inkitha yomkhosi wasezulwini, idumisa uThixo isithi: ‘Uzuko kwiindawo eziphakamileyo phezulu kuThixo, uxolo emhlabeni phakathi kwabantu abakholekileyo.’”

Abavumisi Ngeenkwenkwezi

Ingxelo kaMateyu ithi abavumisi ngeenkwenkwezi ababevela eMpuma beza eYerusalem bekhangela indawo awayezalelwe kuyo uKumkani wamaYuda. UKumkani uHerode wayenomdla kule nto—kodwa kungengazinjongo zintle. “Xa ebathuma eBhetelehem, wathi: ‘Hambani niye kumfuna ngokucokisekileyo umntwana lowo uselula, yaye xa nimfumene ze nindixelele, ukuze nam ndiye kuqubuda kuye.’” Abavumisi ngeenkwenkwezi bamfumana lo mntwana uselula baza “bavula nobuncwane babo baza bampha izipho, igolide nentlaka yokuqhumisa nemore.” Kodwa abazange babuyele kuHerode. “Babenikwe isilumkiso sobuthixo ephupheni ukuba bangabuyeli kuHerode.” UThixo wasebenzisa ingelosi ukuze alumkise uYosefu ngeenjongo zikaHerode. Emva koko uYosefu noMariya nonyana wabo basabela eYiputa. Emva koko, ezama ukubulala lo Kumkani mtsha, uKumkani uHerode okhohlakeleyo wayalela ukuba kubulawe amakhwenkwe kummandla waseBhetelehem. Ngawaphi loo makhwenkwe? Ngawayeneminyaka emibini nangaphantsi.—Mateyu 2:1-16.

Yintoni Esinokuyifunda Kule Ngxelo?

Abavumisi ngeenkwenkwezi—enoba babebangaphi na—babengamnquli uThixo oyinyaniso. Umbhalo osemazantsi wenguqulelo yeBhayibhile iLa Nueva Biblia Latinoamérica (Uhlelo lowe-1989) uthi: “IZazi zazingengabo ookumkani, kodwa zazizizanuse nababingeleli bonqulo lobuhedeni.” Zazizele ulwazi lwazo ngeenkwenkwezi ezazizinikele kulo. Ukuba uThixo wayefuna ukuzikhokelela kulo mntwana uselula, ngezazikhokelwe zaya ngqo kuloo ndawo ngaphandle kokuqala ziye eYerusalem nakwibhotwe likaHerode. Kamva, uThixo wangenelela waza walutshintsha uhambo lwazo ukuze kukhuselwe umntwana.

Ngexesha leKrismesi le ngxelo idla ngokufakelelwa iintsomi ize ibaxwe ngendlela eyenza ingabonakali neyona nto ibalulekileyo: yokuba olu sana lwazalwa ukuze lube nguKumkani onobungangamsha, njengoko kwakuvakaliswe kuMariya nakubalusi. Ewe, uYesu Kristu akaselosana ngoku, engenguye nomntwana. UnguKumkani woBukumkani bukaThixo obulawulayo, obuza kuthi kungekudala buphelise bonke abalawuli abachasa ukuthanda kukaThixo, buze bucombulule iingxaki zoluntu. Obo buBukumkani esibucelayo kuMthandazo WeNkosi.—Daniyeli 2:44; Mateyu 6:9, 10.

Kula mazwi awavakaliswa yingelosi kubalusi, sifumanisa ukuba ithuba lokusinda livulekele bonke abakulungeleyo ukuva isigidimi seendaba ezilungileyo. Abo bamkholisayo uThixo baba ‘ngabantu abakholekileyo.’ Kukho ithemba elibangel’ imincili lokuba kuza kubakho uxolo kulo lonke ihlabathi phantsi koBukumkani bukaYesu Kristu, kodwa abantu bamele bakulungele ukwenza ukuthanda kukaThixo. Ngaba ixesha leKrismesi liyalukhuthaza olo xolo, yaye ngaba libonisa umnqweno wokuba kubekho uxolo? Abantu abaninzi abafuna ukulandela iBhayibhile bavakalelwa kukuba impendulo izicacele.—Luka 2:10, 11, 14.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Ibhokisi ekwiphepha 4]

BAMBI BAYA KUMANGALISWA

Incwadi yakhe ethi The Trouble With Christmas, ebhalwe nguTom Flynn ichaza izigqibo afikelele kuzo emva kweminyaka eliqela ayichithe ephanda ngeKrismesi:

“Uninzi lwamasiko ngoku esiwanxulumanisa neKrismesi avela kwizithethe zonqulo zobuhedeni bangaphambi kobuKristu. Ezinye zazo zinentsingiselo ethile kwezentlalo, kwisini, okanye ukuvumisa ngeenkwenkwezi, nto leyo enokubangela izifundiswa zale mihla eziyiphapheleyo inkcubeko ziwakhabe loo masiko zakuba ziyiqonde kakuhle imvelaphi yawo.”—Iphepha 19.

Emva kokuchaza intabalala yobungqina benkcazelo exhasayo, uFlynn ungena kumbandela ongundoqo esithi: “Enye yezona zinto zihlekisayo ngeKrismesi yindlela ezimbalwa ngayo izinto ezizezobuKristu ngokwenene kuyo. Sakuba sizilahlile izinto zangaphambi kobuKristu, inkoliso yezinto ezisalayo zezasemva kobuKristu, kunokuba zibe nemvelaphi yobuKristu bokoqobo.”—Iphepha 155.

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 7]

Ukuvakaliswa kokuzalwa kukaYesu kwahlahl’ indlela yendima yakhe yexa elizayo njengoKumkani okhethiweyo kaThixo