Ixesha LeKrismesi—Yintoni Eyona Nto Ibalaseleyo Ngalo?

KWIZIGIDI zabantu ixesha leholide lixesha lokuba kunye kwentsapho nabahlobo, ixesha lokuvuselela amaqhina olwalamano. Ukanti kwabaninzi iba lixesha lokucinga ngokuzalwa kukaYesu Kristu nendima yakhe ekusindisweni kwabantu. Ngokwahlukileyo kumazwe amaninzi, abantu baseRashiya babengasoloko bekhululekile ukubhiyozela iKrismesi. Nakuba kangangeenkulungwane amalungu eCawa yobuOthodoki baseRashiya ayeyibhiyozela ekuhleni iKrismesi, akazange avunyelwe ukwenza oko phantse kuyo yonk’ inkulungwane yama-20. Kwakonakele phi?

Kungekudala emva kwemvukelo yeqela lamaKomanisi iiBolshevik ngowe-1917, urhulumente weSoviet wabeka umthetho ongqongqo wokuba abantu bangakholelwa kuThixo kulo lonke elo. Ixesha leKrismesi nezinto zalo zonqulo lapheliswa. URhulumente waqala ukulwa nokubhiyozelwa kweKrismesi noNyaka Omtsha. Wayenyelisa nezinto ezazisetyenziswa ngexesha lale holide—umthi weKrismesi noGrandfather Frost, indlela abizwa ngayo eRashiya uFather Christmas.

Ngowe-1935 kwenzeka utshintsho oluphawulekayo kwindlela ababhiyozela ngayo eli xesha abantu baseRashiya. Urhulumente weSoviet waphinda wayivumela imiqondiso kaGrandfather Frost, nomthi weKrismesi nokubhiyozelwa koNyaka Omtsha—kodwa ngendlela eyahlukileyo. Kwathiwa uGrandfather Frost, uza kuphisa ngezipho zakhe, kungekhona ngeKrismesi kodwa ngomhla woNyaka Omtsha. Ngokufanayo umthi weKrismesi wawuza kuthatyathelwa indawo ngumthi woNyaka Omtsha! Ngoko ke, kwenzeka utshintsho olukhulu kwiSoviet Union. Ukubhiyozelwa koNyaka Omtsha kwathabathel’ indawo iKrismesi.

Ngokusemthethweni, ixesha leKrismesi lenziwa alabi nanto yakwenza ngokupheleleyo nonqulo. Umthi woNyaka Omtsha wayeka ukuhonjiswa ngezinto zonqulo wahonjiswa ngezinto ezibonisa inkqubela yeSoviet Union. Iphephancwadi laseRashiya iVokrug Sveta (Ehlabathini Jikelele) lithi: “Kulula ukufumana imbali yobuKomanisi ngokujonga imihombiso yemithi yoNyaka Omtsha ngokulandelelana kweminyaka yayo. Ukongezelela kwimihombiso eqhelekileyo yemivundla, neentambo, namaqebengwana esonka, le mithi yahonjiswa nangeerhenqa, iihamile neetrekta. Kamva endaweni yezi zinto kwangena imifanekiso ekroliweyo yabasebenzi-migodini, noosomajukujuku, izixhobo zokumba ioli, iziphekepheke neenqwelo zokuhamba enyangeni.”

Kuthekani ngoMhla weKrismesi? Waphoswa kwelokulibala. Urhulumente weSoviet wawenza usuku lomsebenzi njengezinye iintsuku. Abanqwenela ukubhiyozela iKrismesi kwakufuneka bachul’ ukunyathela, besazi ukuba baya kuhlangana neembila zithutha. Kwinkulungwane yama-20 eRashiya yasuswa tu into yonqulo kweli xesha laza lenziwa lafana nezinye iiholide eziqhelekileyo.

Iinguqu Zakutshanje

Ngowe-1991 ulawulo lweSoviet Union lwawa kwaza kwabakho inkululeko enkulu kwelo. Waphela tu umthetho wokuba abantu bangakholelwa kuThixo. Amazwe amaninzi awayephantsi kwelo awayesandul’ ukuzimela ayahlula iCawa kuRhulumente. Abantu abaninzi abatyekele kunqulo babezimisele ukulandela iinkolelo zabo. Babevakalelwa ukuba indlela yokwenjenjalo kukubhiyozela iholide yonqulo iKrismesi. Noko ke, akuzange kube kudala baphoxeka. Kwakutheni?

Nyaka ngamnye, le holide iya isiba yiholide yorhwebo. Ewe, njengakumazwe aseNtshona, ixesha leKrismesi liye laba yenye yezona ndlela ziphambili kubarhwebi. Iivenkile zixhoma ngaphambili izinto zokuhombisa zeKrismesi. Umculo weKrismesi waseNtshona, owawukade ungaziwa eRashiya, ukwiivenkile zelo ngoku. Koololiwe nakwezinye izithuthi zikawonkewonke abantu bathengisa izinto zokuhombisa begaxel’ iibhegi ezinkulu. Yiloo nto kanye eyenzekayo ngoku.

Nabo bangaboni gxeke kule nto yezorhwebo basenokuphazanyiswa yinto nje enye kweli xesha—ukuzintyintya kwabantu ngentombi kaLudiza nemiphumo emibi yoko. Omnye ugqirha okwicandelo lonyango olungxamisekileyo kwisibhedlele saseMoscow uthi: “Oogqirha bazi mhlophe ukuba, imibhiyozo yoNyaka Omtsha ithetha ukwenzakala kwabantu abaninzi kusuka ekungqubekeni nemikrwelo kuse kumanxeba emela neembumbulu, inkoliso yoko ibangelwa kukulwa kweentsapho, ukunxila neengozi zemoto.” Esinye isazinzulu esiyintloko kwisebe leRussian Academy of Sciences sathi: “Bayanda abantu abafa ngenxa yotywala. Inani labo landa ngokukhethekileyo ngowama-2000. Kwaye kwanda nenani labantu abazibulalayo nabo babulawayo.”

Okubuhlungu kukuba, nayiphi na imikhwa enjalo ngexesha leholide eRashiya yenziwa mandundu nangabanye oothunywashe. Ngaphantsi komxholo walo othi, “AmaRashiya Ayibhiyozela Kabini IKrismesi,” iphephandaba i-Izvestiya lithi: “Phantse ummi om-1 kwabali-10 eRashiya uyibhiyozela kabini iKrismesi ngonyaka. Njengokuba uhlolisiso lweziko iROMIR libonisa, abantu abasi-8 ekhulwini bavuma ukuba iKrismesi bayibhiyozela ngomhla kaDisemba 25, ngokuvisisana neKrismesi yekhalenda yamaKatolika nangomhla kaJanuwari 7, ngokwekhalenda yamaOthodoki . . . Kwabanye akukho nto ingako iphathelele unqulo kwiKrismesi ngaphandle nje kokufumana ithuba lokubhiyoza bezonwabisa.”a

Ngaba UKristu Uhlonitshwa Ngokwenene Ngezi Ndlela?

Kucacile ukuba, zininzi izinto ezingenakuthanani nokunqula uThixo ezenziwayo ngeli xesha leholide. Nakuba oku kuphazamisa gqitha, abanye banokuvakalelwa ukuba bamele bazibhiyozele ezi holide kuba nje befuna ukuhlonela uThixo noKristu. Mhle ngokwenene umnqweno wokufuna ukukholisa uThixo. Kodwa ngaba bona uThixo noKristu bayakholiswa yimibhiyozo yeKrismesi? Makhe sihlolisise imvelaphi yayo.

Ngokomzekelo, enoba umntu uvakalelwa njani ngendlela ejongwa ngayo iKrismesi yiSoviet, bekuya kuba nzima ukuphikisa ezi zibakala zilandelayo zembali njengokuba zibhalwe kwiGreat Soviet Encyclopedia ethi: “IKrismesi . . . yayivela kunqulo olwalukho ngaphambi kobuKristu lwezithixo ‘ezazisifa ziphinde zivuke,’ nqulo olo olwalugqugqisile kubantu abaphila ngokulima, ngokuqhelekileyo lusenziwa ekuqaleni kobusika kumantla eikhweyitha ukususela ngoDisemba 21-25, minyaka le kubhiyozelwa ‘ukuzalwa’ koThixo Umsindisi, ovuselela ubomi ngokutsha.”

Ibaluleke gqitha le ngongoma ichanileyo yale ntyilalwazi ethi: “AmaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala ayengayibhiyozeli iKrismesi. . . . Phakathi kwinkulungwane yesine, amaKristu aqalisa ukubhiyozela ubusika into eyayisenziwa kunqulo lukaMithra, aza awenza umbhiyozo weKrismesi. Abantu bokuqala ukubhiyozela iKrismesi yayingabanquli abathile baseRoma. Kwinkulungwane yeshumi, iKrismesi nobuKristu, zasasazeka kwelo laseRashiya, apho zafika zavangwa nemibhiyozo yasebusika yohlanga lwamaSlav amandulo, eyayisenzelwa ukunqula izinyanya.”

Usenokuba uzibuza oku: ‘Lithini lona iLizwi likaThixo, iBhayibhile ngombandela wokuzalwa kukaYesu ngomhla kaDisemba 25?’ Enyanisweni, akukho mhla uchazwa yiBhayibhile ngokuzalwa kukaYesu, kungekho nangxelo ibonisa ukuba yena wakha wathetha ngawo, kungasathethwa ke ngokubhiyozelwa kwawo. Noko ke, iBhayibhile iyasinceda sibone elona xesha lonyaka wazalwa ngalo.

Ngokutsho kwencwadi yeVangeli kaMateyu, isahluko 26 nesama-27, uYesu wabulawa ngoNisan 14, emva kwemini ngosuku lokubhiyozela iPasika yamaYuda eyaqalisa ngoMatshi 31, 33 C.E. Kwincwadi yeVangeli kaLuka sixelelwa ukuba uYesu wayemalunga nama-30 eminyaka ubudala xa wayebhaptizwa waza waqalisa ubulungiseleli bakhe. (Luka 3:21-23) Ubulungiseleli bakhe bathabatha iminyaka emithathu enesiqingatha. Ngoko ke, uYesu wayemalunga neminyaka engama-33 1/2 ubudala ukufa kwakhe. Malunga no-Oktobha 1, 33 C.E. wayeza kuba neminyaka engama-34 ubudala. ULuka usichazela ukuba ngexesha lokuzalwa kukaYesu abelusi “babehlala ezindle yaye belinde imihlambi yabo ebusuku.” (Luka 2:8) Abelusi babengenakuba sezindle nemihlambi yabo kwiingqele zikaDisemba, ngoxa kusenokuba kwakuthe thande ikhephu kwiindawo ezikufuphi neBhetelehem. Ekuphela kwexesha ababenokuba lapho ngalo nemihlambi yabo kumalunga no-Oktobha 1, ixesha ubungqina obubonisa ukuba uYesu wazalwa ngalo.

Noko ke, kuthekani ngemibhiyozo yoNyaka Omtsha? Njengokuba siye sabona, eyona nto iqhubekayo kukuziphatha kakubi kwabantu. Phezu kwazo nje iinzame zokuyenza into yabantu bonke, nayo inemvelaphi ethandabuzekayo.

Xa sihlola ubungqina bezibakala eziphathelele eli xesha kuyacaca ukuba, amazwi athi, Le holide ikho ngenxa kaYesu kukubhibhidla nje amazinyo. Ukuba iyakukhathaza into yokuba ixesha leKrismesi lisenziwa ixesha lezorhwebo nokuziphatha kakubi kwabantu, nayinto yokuba lunemvelaphi yobuhedeni, musa ukudimazeka koko. Ikho indlela efanelekileyo yokubonisa ukuba siyamhlonela uThixo noKristu, kwangaxeshanye someleza amaqhina entsapho.

Indlela Efanelekileyo Yokuhlonela UThixo NoKristu

IBhayibhile isixelela ukuba uYesu Kristu weza ‘ukuze anikele ngomphefumlo wakhe ube yintlawulelo ngenxa yabaninzi.’ (Mateyu 20:28) Wavuma ukuba abulawe, ngokuzithandela wafela izono zethu. Abanye basenokunqwenela ukuzukisa uKristu, becinga ukuba oko bamele bakwenze ngexesha leKrismesi. Kodwa njengokuba sibonile, iKrismesi noNyaka Omtsha azinakuthanani noKristu ibe imvelaphi yazo ivela kwimibhiyozo yabahedeni. Ibe, ixesha leKrismesi lithandwa ngabaninzi ngenxa yokuhamba kakuhle kwezorhwebo ngalo. Ukongezelela, kumele kuvunywe ukuba into exhaphakileyo ngeeholide zeKrismesi zizenzo ezingamkholisiyo uThixo noKristu.

Yintoni anokuyenza umntu ofuna ukukholisa uThixo? Kunokuba atshele kwizithethe zabantu ezinokwenza abantu bacinge ukuba banqula ngendlela efanelekileyo ngoxa besenza izinto ezingqubanayo neZibhalo, umntu onyanisekileyo uya kukhangela indlela echanileyo yokuzukisa uThixo noKristu. Yiyiphi indlela echanileyo, ibe yintoni esimele siyenze?

UKristu usixelela oku: “Oku kuthetha ubomi obungunaphakade, ukungenisa kwabo ulwazi ngawe, wena ukuphela koThixo oyinyaniso, nangalowo umthumileyo, uYesu Kristu.” (Yohane 17:3) Ewe, umntu onyanisekileyo ufuna ukufumana ulwazi oluchanileyo lwendlela anokuzukisa ngayo uThixo noKristu. Emva koko usebenzisa olo lwazi, kungekhona ngexesha elithile lonyaka, kodwa yonke imihla yobomi bakhe. UThixo uyakholiswa yimigudu yokunyaniseka enjalo, enokukhokelela kubomi obungunaphakade.

Ngaba ungathanda ukuba intsapho yakho ibe phakathi kwezo zizukisa uThixo noKristu ngokwenene nokuvisisana neZibhalo? AmaNgqina kaYehova aye anceda izigidi zeentsapho ehlabathini jikelele zafumana ulwazi olubalulekileyo eBhayibhileni. Sikumema ngokunyanisekileyo ukuba uqhagamshelane namaNgqina kaYehova akwindawo ohlala kuyo okanye uwabhalele kwiadresi efanelekileyo kwezo zidweliswe kwiphepha 2 leli phephancwadi.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Ibhokisi/Umfanekiso okwiphepha 7]

Imvelaphi Yombhiyozo WoNyaka Omtsha

Imonki Yecawa YamaOthodoki YaseGeorgia Izityand’ Igila

“Umbhiyozo woNyaka Omtsha uvela kwiiholide eziliqela zobuhedeni beRoma yamandulo. Umhla woku-1 kaJanuwari yayilusuku lweholide yokuhlonela uthixo wabahedeni uJanus, ibe le nyanga ithiywe ngegama lakhe. Imifanekiso kaJanus yayinobuso obubini obunye bujonge ngemva obunye ngaphambili, nto leyo yayithetha ukuba uyakwazi ukubona kwixesha elidluleyo nangoku. Kwakusithiwa nabani na oqala umhla woku-1 kaJanuwari ngolonwabo nokutya okuninzi uya kuwugqiba loo nyaka ngolonwabo nezinto zimhambela kakuhle. Yiloo nkolelo kanye abanayo abantu abaninzi ababhiyozela unyaka omtsha . . . Kwimibhiyozo yeeholide ezithile zobuhedeni abantu babenikela imibingelelo ngokuthe ngqo kwizithixo. Eminye imibhiyozo yayidume ngokuziphath’ okubi, ukukrexeza nohenyuzo. Ngokomzekelo kwiholide kaJanus, maxa wambi abantu babezingxala ngokutya, nodlomdlayo, benxila yaye besenza yonk’ into emdaka. Ukuba siyayikhumbula indlela nathi esasiwubhiyozela ngayo uNyaka Omtsha siya kuvuma ukuba sonke sikhe sanenxaxheba kumbhiyozo wobuhedeni.”—Iphephandaba laseGeorgia.

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 6]

INgqobhoko iye yathabathela kuyo unqulo lukaMithra

[Inkcazelo]

Museum Wiesbaden

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 7]

Abelusi babengenakuba sezindle nemihlambi yabo kubusika bukaDisemba