Ingabe Bazoshumayela Endlini Ngendlu?
“UPAPA Uthumela Abashumayeli Emigwaqweni YaseRoma.” Leso kwakuyisihloko sombiko wezindaba owenziwa uGreg Burke. Wabhala: “UPapa John Paul unxusé amaKatolika e-Italy ukuba alandele isibonelo samahlelo anjengoFakazi BakaJehova, abaye baphumelela ekuguquleni abathile kulelozwe, aqale ukushumayela endlini ngendlu.
“‘Akusona isikhathi sokuba namahloni ngeVangeli, isikhathi sokulishumayela phezu kwezindlu,’ kusho uPapa ngoMsombuluko kubashumayeli abahamba izindawo ngezindawo nabafundisi benkolo abangu-350. . . .
“‘Ngiyethemba ukuthi umsebenzi wenu wokumemezela iVangeli emigwaqweni . . . uzoletha izithelo eziyinala,’ ebatshela. ‘Seniphindé nayithola indlela yokushumayela efinyelela ngisho nakulabo abaye baphambuka ekukholweni.’”
Intatheli uBurke yaphawula: “Isibalo sababa khona emaSontweni amaKatolika siye sehla kakhulu e-Italy emashumini amabili eminyaka adlule, futhi intshiseko kaPapa ngabashumayeli bendlu ngendlu ibonakala sengathi okungenani ngokwengxenye iwumphumela wokwehla kwethonya lalo [iSonto].”
Ukunxusa okunjalo kokuba ‘baqale ukushumayela endlini ngendlu’ akukusha ngokuphelele. Upapa owandulele, uPaul VI, wathi iSonto lamaKatolika “likhona ukuze lishumayele ivangeli.” Futhi upapa wamanje, uJohn Paul II wakhipha i-Redemptoris Missio yakhe eqondiswe kubabhishobhi ngo-1991 ukuze aqaphelise isonto lakhe ngesidingo sokufeza umyalo kaJesu wokushumayela obala.
Umlobi ongumRoma Katolika uPeter Hernon uphakamisé lombuzo kuyi-Catholic Herald yaseLondon: “Kwenzekeni ngempela ekushumayeleni ivangeli?” Ubekhathazeke ‘ngeshumi leminyaka lokushumayela ivangeli’ elimenyezelwa kakhulu eselineminyaka eminingana manje liqalile. Lapho ebuza umbhishobhi ngokungabibikho kwentuthuko, umbhishobhi waphendula: “Ungajahi. LeliSonto liseneminyaka engu-2000 nje kuphela likhona.”
Akumangalisi ukuthi uHernon wabuza: “Kuphi ukuphuthuma okwaboniswa uJesu njengoba ayethuma abafundi baKhe ukuba bashumayele ivangeli lombuso emizaneni ezungezile? Noma okwaboniswa uSt Paul lapho ethi: ‘Maye kimi uma ngingalishumayeli iVangeli! (1Ko 9:16).’” Ngempela, ingabe amaKatolika ayowalingisa amaKristu okuqala ashumayela obala “nasendlini ngendlu”?—IzEnzo 5:42; 20:20, Douay Version.
UHernon wavuma ukuthi uma kuziwa endabeni yokushumayela ivangeli endlini ngendlu, “uzwa abanokungabaza bevungazela bethi ‘kusengqondweni nje, akunakwenzeka ngokoqobo.’ Akunjalo,” kuphendula uHernon. “Ukuze ngisekele lokhu kudingeka ngisebenzise igama elinganambitheki. Ngiyazi ukuthi alinambitheki ngoba esikhathini esidlule lapho ngilisebenzisa endabeni ekhuluma ngamaKatolika yasuswa yonke leyongxenye (nakuba kungekho lutho olwashintshwa). Leligama elithi oFakazi BakaJehova. . . . UFakazi ngamunye ufundiswa nokuthi, ngenxa yalo kanye ubizo lwakhe, uyisithunywa sevangeli ngokungenakugwenywa.”
Nakuba uHernon engavumelani nezinkolelo zoFakazi BakaJehova, uyavuma ukuthi lapho umuntu ecabanga ngezindlela zabo zokushumayela, ‘uvele akhumbule iSonto lokuqala njengoba liboniswé ezenzweni zabaPhostoli.’
OFakazi BakaJehova baqhubeka nenkonzo yabo yentshiseko yendlu ngendlu, kanjalo befeza umyalo kaJesu Kristu kulezizikhathi zanamuhla othi: “Nibe-ngofakazi bami . . . kuze kube-sekugcineni komhlaba.”—IzEnzo 1:8.