Ingabe Ukuphana Izipho ZikaKhisimusi Kunengqondo?
UKUSETSHENZISWA kakhulu kwemali ngoKhisimusi kwenziwa ngoba ukuphana izipho ngalesosikhathi sonyaka kuyinto okulindelekile ukuba yenziwe. Uma othile engaphi, usuke esephule isiko elimisiwe. Kodwa isazi sezomnotho uJames S. Henry, ebhala kuyiNew Republic, ugxeka “ukupha ngempoqo” okunjalo njengokuqeda injabulo nokusaphazayo.
Uyachaza: “Ukupha isipho esingafunwa ngosamukelayo kungesinye isibonakaliso salokhu kusaphaza. Ngokwezitolo ezinkulu zaseNew York, unyaka ngamunye cishe amaphesenti angaba ngu-15 azo zonke izinto ezincane ezithengwayo ngoKhisimusi ayabuyiswa. Kanye neqiniso lokuthi izipho eziningi ezithunyelwa ngephutha kubantu ezingaqondene nabo ziyagcinwa . . . , ingxenye eyodwa kwezintathu yezinto ezithengwayo ingase ingahlangabezani nezidingo zabantu abazamukelayo.”
Ingabe kunengqondo ngempela ukugcina imali unyaka wonke ukuze uthenge izipho abanye abangase bangazidingi noma bangazifuni? Futhi ingabe kunengqondo ukuzama ukuhlaba abanye umxhwele ngezipho ezibizayo?
“Esinye isici esilimaza kakhulu sokuthenga ngoKhisimusi ‘ukuphana izipho ezimba eqolo,’” kusho uHenry. Uthi, “Izipho zokunethezeka ziklanyelwe ngokuqondile labo abangasidingi kwanhlobo isipho (‘umuntu onakho konke’). Izipho eziningi ezinjalo ezibizayo ziphisanwa ngoKhisimusi; ngezinyanga ezintathu zokugcina onyakeni, ngokokuhlolwa kwezitolo ezinkulu zaseNew York, kuthengiswa idayimane, amawashi, nezingubo zoboya ezithengiswa minyaka yonke ezingaphezu kwengxenye.”
Nokho, ngisho nezipho ezibizayo ngokuvamile azibajabulisi abazamukelayo, ikakhulukazi lapho ziphiwa ukuze kusitshekelwe ubuhlobo obusengozini. Ngokukadokotela waseCanada uRichard Allon, “uma ningezwani unyaka wonke, ngeke nibuyisane ngesipho esibizayo. Ngeke ukuqede ngokuphelele ukuba kwakho onecala, futhi cishe uyokwenza nalowomuntu abe nomuzwa wecala.”
Ngokudabukisayo, izigidi zabantu emazweni asathuthuka zintula izidingo eziyisisekelo zokuphila, nokho labo abasemazweni athuthukile ngokuvamile babonakala bentula kuphela ukwazisa ngokuningi abanakho. Izipho zikaKhisimusi zamukelwa ngokunganaki—“kufanele ngenzeni ngalokhu?”—noma ngokucasuka—“ngokuqinisekile bengingakufuni lokhu”—noma ngokunokwenzeka ngisho nangentukuthelo—“isipho engiphane ngaso sibiza okungenani ngokuphindwe kabili kunalesi!” Akumangalisi ukuthi iqembu laseJalimane elivikela izingane laphetha ngokuthi ngoKhisimusi kuphiwana okuningi kakhulu futhi ngokuvamile ngokungacabangi.
Ngaphezu kwalokho, uKhisimusi ukhulisa ukungalingani kwabantu ngokwezimali, ubangele ukucindezeleka nokungajabuli okukhulu. Abanye abanayo imali eyanele yokuthenga izipho, futhi eUnited States, lokhu ngokusobala kuholela ekuphangeni okwengeziwe phakathi nesikhathi sikaKhisimusi kunanoma ngasiphi esinye isikhathi sonyaka. Isazi sezomnotho uHenry sabika: “Amaphoyisa asola ukuthi konke lokhu kwebiwa kwempahla kungenxa yokuthi izigebengu nazo zishukunyiswa isidingo sokunikeza imikhaya yazo okuthile.”
Abaningi bayovumelana nomhleli wephephandaba uTom Harpur, owabhala kuSunday Star yaseToronto, eCanada: “Ngaphansi kwayo yonke injabulo ephoqelelwe, ngiyazi ukuthi uKhisimusi ngokwandayo uyisikhathi sokucindezeleka okujulile, ukunganeliseki, umuzwa wecala nokukhathazeka okungapheli ezigidini zomphakathi wethu.”
Omunye angase aphikise ngokuthi, ‘Kodwa lezinkinga ziwubala uma kucatshangelwa ukuzuzisa abantwana.’ Nokho, ingabe ngempela ukuphana izipho zikaKhisimusi kuyazuzisa ezinganeni?
Lokho Okukwenzayo Ezinganeni
“Nakuba lesi kufanele kube isikhathi sonyaka ‘esijabulisayo,’ kunezingane eziningi ezingajabulanga,” kwaphawula umeluleki wesikole uBetty Poloway. Kungani? Ukuphana izipho zikaKhisimusi kungazilimaza kanjani izingane?
USusan James, umama wabantwana abathathu abancane, wabika: “Ngabukela abantwana bami bevula izipho zabo, ngasinye ngokulandelana. Lapho beqeda, bama kulobusaphasapha becela okwengeziwe! Ababona abantwana abanobugovu kodwa zonke lezizipho, konke ababekwazé kusengaphambili nezithembiso, kwabaqeda amandla kakhulu kangangokuthi baba nobugovu.”
UKaren Andersson, umphathi wesikhungo sezifo zengqondo zabantwana esibhedlela saseConnecticut, eU.S.A., wachaza lenkinga: “Kuqeda ama-ndla ukwehlela ekamelweni lokuphumula ngoKhisimusi ekuseni futhi ubone zonke lezizipho. Ngokujaha bavula zonke izinto zokudlala futhi ababi nalo ithuba lokugxila kunoma isiphi isipho. Kumntwana okungenzeka ukuthi wesasa ngokweqile noma wenama kalula ngisho nasezimweni ezizothekakhulu, uKhisimusi ungakhungathekisa.”
“Izipho azisayilethi injabulo ezake zayiletha,” kwaphawula iphephandaba elithile laseJalimane ngaphansi kwesihloko esiphathelene noKhisimusi. Omunye wesifazane wakhononda: “Kwakuvame ukuthi abantwana baneliswe ukuthola incwadi enhle, amagilavu, noma isipho esithile esincane. Kodwa manje umzukulu wami ungitshela ukuthi: ‘Gogo, kulonyaka ngifuna icomputer!’”
Yebo, ukuphana izipho zikaKhisimusi kukhulisa ukuhaha nobugovu. Isazi sezomnotho uHenry saphawula: “Umuntu angavakashela nje noma yisiphi [isitolo samathoyizi] kulesikhathi sonyaka ukuze abone igalelo lokucindezela okungavamile kwalesikhathi ebuhlotsheni bengane nomzali: omama abakhathazekile engqondweni bedonsa imilutha emincane yamathoyizi ikhahlela futhi imemeza beyisusa ezintweni zamuva ezinhle, ezingenalusizo ezithengiswayo.”
Kodwa kunezinkinga ezingathi sína ngisho nangokwengeziwe ezihlobene nokuphana izipho zikaKhisimusi.
Izipho Namaqiniso KaKhisimusi
Buza umntwana omncane ukuthi zavelaphi izipho zakhe, futhi cishe iyiphi impendulo ayokunikeza yona? Ngokuvumelana nokuhlola okwenziwa yiNew York Times, amaphesenti angu-87 abantwana baseMelika abaphakathi kweminyaka emithathu neyishumi ubudala bakholelwa kuSanta Claus. Abazali abaningi baqhubekisela lenkolelo phambili, bebuza: “Yini ofuna uSanta [Claus] akulethele yona kulonyaka?” Nokho, iyini imiphumela?
Okuhlangenwe nakho kukaCynthia Keeler, okwabikwa kuyiDaily News yaseNew York, kubonisa lokhu. “Mama,” kwabuza indodana yakhe eneminyaka eyisikhombisa ubudala, uBritton, “ingabe ukhona ngempela uSanta Claus?”
UCynthia wayemane agwajaze, njengoba benza kanjalo abazali abaningi lapho bebuzwa lowombuzo. Wabuza, “Wena ucabangani?”
UBritton wathi abangane bakhe bamtshela ukuthi akekho, kodwa yena wayengaqiniseki. Khona-ke waqala ukukhala. Ekhala, wathi, “Kufanele ngazi, Mama.”
UCynthia wathi: “Ukuba wayengazange akhale, mhlawumbe ngangingeke ngimtshele. Kodwa kwakuyindaba yokuphila nokufa kuye. Wayedinga nje ukuthola impendulo. Ngamtshela ukuthi wayengekho uSanta wangempela.”
IDaily News yabika: “Esakhala, uBritton Keeler wasola umama wakhe ngecala bonke abazali abalisabayo lapho kutholakala ukuthi bekunenkohliso nalapho kwembulwe ubunjalo bangempela bukaSanta Claus: ‘Ubungikhohliselani?’”
Imiphumela yokukhohlisa kwabazali ngokuvamile iyabulala, njengoba uBruce Roscoe, uprofesa wokuhlolwa kwemikhaya eYunivesithi yaseCentral Michigan, eU.S.A., asho: “Ingane ithola ukuthi umama wayeqamba amanga nokuthi zonke lezi ezinye izingane beziqinisile.” Ngenxa yalokho, uProfesa Roscoe wachaza ukuthi ingane ngokuvamile ingabaza ezinye izinto eye yazitshelwa abazali bayo.
UFred Koenig, uprofesa wokusebenza kwengqondo kwezokuhlalisana eYunivesithi yaseTulane eNew Orleans, eLouisiana, eU.S.A., wagcizelela: “Lapho bethola iqiniso, kulilimaza ngempela idumela labazali.” Wanezela: “Kuletha ukungabaza ezintweni eziningi.” Ingane ingase icabange ukuthi “mhlawumbe yonke lendaba yenkolo imane nje iyinkohliso.”
Ngokuqinisekile, akunangqondo ukusakaza amanga ngokutshela izingane ukuthi umuntu othile wasenganekwaneni uzilungiselela izipho. Nokho, ingabe izivakashi azizange zilethe izipho kumntwana uJesu ngosuku lwakhe lokuzalwa? Ngakho ubengeke yini akuvumele ukuphana izipho ngoKhisimusi namuhla?
Ingabe Kuwumkhuba WamaKristu?
IBhayibheli liyasho ukuthi amadoda ahlakaniphile, noma izazi zezinkanyezi, aletha izipho kuJesu. Nokho, ukuphana izipho zikaKhisimusi akulandeli isibonelo sawo ngoba awazange ashintshisane ngezipho. Okubaluleke nangaphezulu, awazange aphane ngezipho zawo ekuzalweni kukaJesu kodwa esikhathini esithile kamuva. Izenzo zawo zazivumelana nomkhuba wasendulo wokuhlonipha ababusi. Phawula ukuthi ukulandisa kweBhayibheli kuthi lapho efika uJesu wayengasekho emkhombeni kodwa wayehlala endlini. Ngokusekelwe kulokho amtshela kona, uHerode wayaleza ukuba bonke abafana abaneminyaka emibili nangaphansi ubudala babulawe.—Mathewu 2:1-18.
Futhi cabangela lokhu: Ingabe akumangalisi ukuthi ngosuku okuthiwa olokuzalwa kukaJesu, yena ngokwakhe akatholi lutho? Kungase kungacatshangwa ngisho nakancane ngaye! Eqinisweni, wavelaphi lomkhuba wokuphana izipho zikaKhisimusi?
Ebhala kuyi-Independent yaseLos Angeles, uDiane Bailey wachaza: “Ukushintshisana ngezipho kwaqala emuva eRoma lasendulo, lapho abantu babeshintshisana ngezipho ezilula ezingatheni phakathi nemikhosi yokukhulekelwa kwelanga nonyaka omusha.”
Ngaphansi kwesihloko esikhulu esithi “Ukwambula Amasiko KaKhisimusi,” uAnita Sama wabhala endabeni yeGannett News Service: “Esikhathini eside ngaphambi kokugujwa kwemikhosi yobuKristu, ukushintshisana ngezipho kwakuyingxenye yemikhosi yasebusika. AmaRoma ayenikezana amagatsha avela ehlashaneni lezihlahla elingcwele, abe esedlulela ezintweni eziyimicikilisho kakhulu ezazifanekisela izilokotho ezinhle zonyaka ozayo—isiliva, igolide nokudla okunoju lwezinyosi.”
Iqiniso liwukuthi uKhisimusi uwumkhosi wobuqaba owamukelwa eLobukholwa. UDecember 25 akalona usuku lokuzalwa kukaJesu Kristu, kodwa usuku oluhlangene nomkhosi wasendulo wokuyekelela wobuqaba lowo amaKristu okuqala ayewugwema.—Bheka ibhokisi elithi, “Uyini Ngempela Umsuka KaKhisimusi Wobuqaba?” emakhasini alandelayo.
Ukuba uJesu Kristu ubesemhlabeni namuhla, wayeyozizwa kanjani ngokuphana izipho zikaKhisimusi?
Indlela UJesu Akubheka Ngayo Ukuphana
Ngokuqinisekile uJesu akakulahli ukuphana. Ngokuphambene, ezimisele ngaso sonke isikhathi ukuzinikela ngokungenabugovu ekukhonzeni abanye, wafundisa abafundi bakhe: “Yiphani.” Futhi ebonisa ukuthi ukuphana kwakuyophumela ekubusisweni kwabaphayo ngokwabo, wanezela: “Khona niyakuphiwa.”—Luka 6:38.
Nokho, lapha uJesu wayengabhekiseli ekushintshisaneni ngezipho. Kunalokho, wayeveza iqiniso elaziwayo lokuthi ukupha ngokungenabugovu ngokuvamile kuyaphindiselwa. Lokhu kuyiqiniso ikakhulukazi lapho umuntu ophayo enesisusa esifanele futhi ethanda omunye “ngokupheleleyo . . . ngenhliziyo.”—1 Petru 1:22.
Uthando aluyifuni inkokhelo yezinkonzo zalo, ngakho uJesu watusa: “Nxa wabela isipho, isandla sakho sokhohlo masingakwazi esikwenzayo esokunene, ukuze isipho sakho sibe-sekusithekeni.” Ngokufanele ophayo akalethi ukunakekela kuye noma isipho sakhe, nokho ngeke ahlale engawutholi umvuzo. UJesu wakubonisa lokhu lapho enezela: “NoYihlo obona ekusithekeni uzakukuvuza.” (Mathewu 6:3, 4) Ngaphezu kwalokho, njengoba iBhayibheli lisho, ophayo kumelwe “azikhethele khona enhliziyweni, kungabi-ngokudabuka nangokucindezelwa, ngokuba uNkulunkulu uyamthanda onikelayo ethokoza.”—2 Korinte 9:7.
Ngakho ukuphana okuthokozisa uKristu kushukunyiswa uthando, kwenziwa ngaphandle kokulindela okuthile njengembuyiselo, futhi akwenziwa ngamagqubu noma ngokucindezelwa. Yeka indlela ukuphana okunjalo okuhluke ngayo kokuningi kangaka okwenziwa ngoKhisimusi!
Ngakho-ke, ukuphana okuwumthombo wenjabulo akuncikile esikhathini esithile sonyaka noma phezu kwamasiko. Futhi akwembuli lutho ngobuningi bemali yonikelayo, kuphela ubukhulu bothando lwakhe. Ngempela, uKhisimusi uye waholela izigidi ekupheni izinto ezingafanele, ngokuvamile ngenxa yezizathu ezingalungile. Khona-ke, kungani ungazami okuthile okungcono kunokuphana izipho zikaKhisimusi? Zama uhlobo lokuphana oluletha izibusiso ezicebile nenjabulo yangempela, okuyingxoxo yesihloko esilandelayo.
[Ibhokisi/Isithombe ekhasini 8, 9]
Uyini Umsuka Wangempela Kakhisimusi?
ABANTU abafundile bayaqaphela ukuthi uDecember 25 akalona usuku uJesu Kristu azalwa ngalo. INew Catholic Encyclopedia iyavuma: “Usuku lokuzalwa kukaKristu alwaziwa. AmaVangeli awalubonisi usuku noma inyanga.”
Ngaphezu kwalokho, kufakazelwe kahle ukuthi uKhisimusi namasiko awo kwathathelwa emithonjeni engeyona eyobuKristu. Eqinisweni, iU.S. Catholic yathi: “Akunakwenzeka ukuhlukanisa uKhisimusi emisukeni yawo yobuqaba.”
IEncyclopedia Americana yachaza: “Amasiko amaningi manje ahlobene noKhisimusi ekuqaleni ayengewona amasiko kaKhisimusi kodwa kunalokho ayengamasiko angaphambi kobuKristu nangewona awobuKristu amukelwa isonto lobuKristu. ISaturnalia, umkhosi wamaRoma owawugujwa phakathi noDecember, wanikeza isibonelo samasiko amaningi kaKhisimusi okuzijabulisa. Ngokwesibonelo, imikhosi eyinkimbinkimbi, ukuphana izipho, nokushiswa kwamakhandlela kwathathelwa kulomkhosi.”
Ngokuphathelene nesiko lokuphana izipho, iphephabhuku elithi History Today laphawula: “Ukuphana izipho emkhosini wangenkathi yaphakathi nobusika cishe ngokuqinisekile kwaqala njengesiko eliwumlingo kunokuba nje libe elokuzijabulisa. Izipho zeSaturnalia zazihlanganisa onodoli abenziwe ngengcina, ababephiwa izingane. Akungabazeki ukuthi lelisiko lalicatshangelwa njengelikhangayo ngesikhathi elasungulwa ngaso, kodwa ngomlando oshaqisayo: ngisho nabantu ababephila ngalesosikhathi babecabanga ukuthi lolu kwakuwuphawu lomhlatshelo womuntu, wezingane, wokusiza ukuze ulethe isibusiso ekutshalweni kwembewu.”
INew York Times kaDecember 24, 1991, yaqokomisa isihloko esasikhuluma ngemisuka yamasiko kaKhisimusi, kuhlanganise nokuphana izipho. USimon Schama, uprofesa womlando eYunivesithi yaseHarvard, wabhala: “Ukhisimusi ngokwawo wabekwa phezu kwemikhosi yasendulo yokugubha inkathi yokuguquka kwelanga ebusika . . . Ekhulwini lesithathu leminyaka, lapho ukukhulekelwa kwelanga njengenkolo yobuMithra yasePersia kwethulwa eRoma, izinsuku zangoDecember zabekelwa eceleni ngenjongo yokugubha ukuzalwa kabusha kweSol Invictus: ilanga elinganqotshwa. . . .
“ISonto lokuqala eRoma lalwa kanzima ngokukhethekile ngokumelene neminye imikhosi emibili emikhulu yobuqaba, iSaturnalia eyayithatha isonto lonke, eyayiqala ngoDec. 17, kanye neKalends, eyayendlalela uNyaka Omusha. Umkhosi wokuqala wawuyisikhathi sokubusa ngokungafanele okugunyaziwe, ngokuvamile wenganyelwa inkosi yemikhosi yokuzijabulisa, hhayi uSanta kodwa uSaturn okhuluphele uqobo lwakhe, umuntu owayezitika ngokweqile ngokudla, ukuphuza nezinye izinhlobo zokuganga. Nokho, kwakungenkathi yeKalends, lapho kwakushintsha khona unyaka, lapho kwakushintshiswana khona ngezipho ngendlela engokwesiko, ngokuvamile ziboshelwe emagatsheni ohlaza ayehlobisa izindlu phakathi nalemikhosi.
“Isimo sengqondo sesonto lokuqala ngakho konke lokhu kwenama okungahlonipheki sabonakala kusengaphambili ukuthi sasingenakuba sihle. Ofata balo, ngokuphawulekayo uSt. John Chrysostom owabonisa ukungavumelani nakho ngokuqinile, banxusa ukuba angabekezelelwa amanyala abahedeni. . . . Njengoba kwakungekho ukuvumelana kukawonk’ uwonke ngosuku oluqondile lokuzalwa kukaJesu . . . , kumelwe ukuba kwabonakala kuwusizo ukuba lufakwe esikhundleni seSaturnalia . . . Ngakho kunokuba kube ukuzalwa kabusha kwelanga kwaba ukuzalwa kweNdodana kaNkulunkulu . . .
“Ngendlela efanayo, iKalends yathathelwa isikhundla uMkhosi we-Epiphany, futhi esikhundle-ni sezipho namagugu amaRoma angamaqaba ayephane khona kwaba ukudunyiswa kweNkosi Yezwe entsha ngamakhosi amathathu. Phakathi nekhulu lesine leminyaka, izici eziyinhloko zekhalenda likaKhisimusi zamiswa ngokungenakuguqulwa.”
Nakuba abantu abafundile bewuqaphela kalula umsuka wobuqaba kaKhisimusi namasiko awo, abaningi baphikisa ngokuthi umsuka onjalo awusho lutho ngempela. Ephendula isihloko sikaProfesa Schama, ekuqaleni kwalonyaka urabi osewathatha umhlala-phansi wabhala encwadini eyayiya kumhleli weTimes: “Imisuka yalomkhuba omisiwe ayihlangene nakancane nokubaluleka kwawo namuhla.” Ngokuphathelene noKhisimusi neminye imikhosi enjalo, wathi: “Abantu abayigubhayo bayinikeza ukubaluleka okusha okunikeza injongo ekuphileni kwabo siqu nokubenza ukuba bename ngokujabula.”
Nokho, ingabe imikhosi kaKhisimusi iletha ukwenama ngokujabula futhi iveze izithelo ezinhle zobuKristu? Empeleni, njengoba ziqashelwa ngokusobala, izithelo ngokuvamile zimbi, azizinhle. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ingabe amaKristu kumelwe aboleke emikhosini yobuqaba engokwenkolo? IBhayibheli liyanxusa: “Maningaboshelwa ejokeni linye nabangakholwayo, ngokuba kunakuhlanganyela kuni ukulunga nokungalungi na? Kunabudlelwane buni ukukhanya nobumnyama na? Unakuzwana kuni uKristu noBeliyali na? . . . Ngakho-ke phumani phakathi kwabo, nahlukane nabo, isho iNkosi; ningathinti okungcolileyo.”—2 Korinte 6:14-17.
Khumbula futhi lokho uJesu akusho ngokukhulekelwa kukaNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke: “Abakhuleka kuye bafanele ukukhuleka ngomoya nangeqiniso.” (Johane 4:24) Ngakho, uma ukukhulekela kwethu kuzokwamukeleka kuNkulunkulu, kumelwe kusekelwe eqinisweni. Nokho, uKhisimusi ubungazwa njengosuku lokuzalwa kukaJesu Kristu ngisho nakuba ungelona. Kuthiwani ngabalethi bezipho abangokomlingo abacatshangelwayo bakaKhisimusi, njengoSanta Claus? Lapho abantwana benziwa ukuba bakholelwe ukuthi izipho zamukelwa kubantu abanjalo, ingabe eqinisweni lokhu akuzikhohlisi yini izingane?
Uma unendaba ngempela noNkulunkulu, uyowulalela umyalo wakhe wokuyeka ukuhlanganyela kulokho okungcolile ngokwenkolo. Ingabe ulikhathalela ngokwanele iqiniso ukuba uyeke iholide eliqokomisa amanga?
[Isithombe ekhasini 7]
Ingabe kunengqondo ukukhohlisa izingane ngokuzitshela ukuthi uSanta Claus uzilethela izipho?