Chiyambi cha Krisimasi Yamakono

ANTHU miyandamiyanda kuzungulira dziko lonse lapansi amaona kuti nyengo ya Krisimasi ndi nthaŵi yachisangalalo chachikulu chapachaka. Ndi nthaŵi ya kudya zakudya zapamwamba, nthaŵi yokumbutsira miyambo yakalekale, ndiponso pamene mabanja amakhalira pamodzi. Holide ya Krisimasi ndiyo nthaŵi imenenso mabwenzi ndi achibale amatumizirana makhadi a mafuno abwino ndi mphatso.

Komabe, zaka 150 zokha zapitazo, Krisimasi inali holide yosiyana kwambiri ndi zimenezo. M’buku lake lakuti The Battle for Christmas [Kumenyera Krisimasi], profesa wa mbiri yakale Stephen Nissenbaum analemba kuti: “Krisimasi . . . inali nyengo ya kumwa kwadzaoneni pamene malamulo a kakhalidwe ka anthu anali kusiyidwa kwa kanthaŵi ncholinga chotsatira mkhalidwe wa ‘kudya ndi kusangalala’ kosadziletsa, kofanana ndi phwando la Mardi Gras lochitika m’December.”

Amene amalemekeza kwambiri Krisimasi angakhumudwe kwambiri ndi mawu ameneŵa. Nchifukwa chiyani anthu anadetsa holide imene amati imaimira tsiku la kubadwa kwa Mwana wa Mulungu? Yankho lake lingakudabwitseni.

Chiyambi Choipa

Anthu akhala akutsutsana ponena za Krisimasi kuyambira pamene inakhazikitsidwa m’zaka za zana lachinayi. Mwachitsanzo, panali nkhani ya tsiku la kubadwa kwa Yesu. Popeza kuti Baibulo silitchula tsiku kapena mwezi umene Kristu anabadwa, anthu akhala akulingalira za masiku osiyanasiyana a kubadwa kwake. M’zaka za zana lachitatu, gulu lina la akatswiri a zaumulungu la ku Egypt linasankha tsiku la May 20, pamene ena anasankha masiku a m’miyezi yoyambirira, monga March 28, April 2, kapena April 19. Pomadzafika cha m’zaka za zana la 18, mwezi uliwonse anali ataulingalirapo kukhala nthaŵi ya kubadwa kwa Yesu! Nanga pomalizira pake anasankha bwanji December 25?

Akatswiri ambiri a zamaphunziro amavomereza kuti December 25 inasankhidwa ndi Tchalitchi cha Katolika kukhala tsiku la kubadwa kwa Yesu. Chifukwa chiyani? “Mwinamwake chifukwa chake chenicheni,” inatero The New Encyclopædia Britannica, “nchakuti Akristu oyambirira anafuna kuti tsiku lake likhale tsiku limenenso anali kuchita phwando lachiroma lachikunja lokondwerera ‘tsiku la kubadwa kwa dzuŵa losagonjetseka.’” Koma kodi Akristu amene anazunzidwa kwambiri ndi akunja kwa zaka mazana aŵiri ndi theka, anagwirizana bwanji mosayembekezereka chotero ndi anthu amene anali kuwazunza?

Kuyambika kwa Makhalidwe Oipa

M’zaka za zana loyamba, mtumwi Paulo anachenjeza Timoteo kuti “anthu oipa ndi onyenga” adzaloŵa mumpingo wachikristu ndi kusokeretsa anthu ambiri. (2 Timoteo 3:13) Mpatuko waukulu umenewu unayambika atumwi atafa. (Machitidwe 20:29, 30) Pambuyo pa zimene amati kutembenuka kwa Constantine m’zaka za zana lachinayi, khamu lalikulu la akunja linaloŵa Chikristu cha panthaŵiyo. Kodi chotsatirapo chake chinali chiyani? Buku lakuti Early Christianity and Paganism [Chikristu Choyambirira ndi Chikunja] likufotokoza kuti: “Gulu lochepa la okhulupirira oonadi mtima linazimiririka m’khamu lalikulu la amene anadzitcha kuti Akristu.”

Mawu a Paulo analidi oona! Zinakhala monga kuti Chikristu chinali kumezedwa ndi zoipitsa zachikunja. Ndipo kuipitsa kumeneku kunali kuonekera kwambiri panthaŵi yokondwerera maholide.

Kunena zoona, phwando lokha limene Akristu analamulidwa kuchita ndilo phwando la Chakudya Chamadzulo cha Ambuye. (1 Akorinto 11:23-26) Chifukwa chakuti mapwando achiroma anagwirizana ndi kulambira mafano, Akristu oyambirira sanali kuchita nawo mapwando amenewo. Nchifukwa chake akunja a m’zaka za zana lachitatu ananyoza Akristu nati: “Simuonerera maseŵera kapena zinthu zina; zimene anthu amasonyeza sizikukhudzani; mumakana kuchita nawo mapwando apoyera, ndipo mumadana ndi mipikisano yopatulika.” Ndipo akunjawo anadzitukumula kuti: “Ifeyo timalambira milungu mokondwera, mwa kuchita mapwando, kuimba nyimbo ndi kuseŵera.”

Chapakatikati pa zaka za zana lachinayi, kunyodola kumeneku kunayamba kutha. Motani? Pamene Akristu onyenga anawonjezereka, malingaliro a mpatuko anawonjezerekanso. Zimenezi zinapangitsa kuti Akristuwo ayambe kugwirizana ndi chikhalidwe cha Aroma. Pothirira ndemanga nkhaniyi, buku lakuti The Paganism in Our Christianity [Chikunja cha m’Chikristu Chathu] linati: “Akristu anatenga mapwando achikunja amene anthu anali kuwachita mwamwambo, ndi kuwapatsa matanthauzo achikristu.” Ndithudi, mpatuko waukuluwo unali kusokoneza zinthu. Kufunitsitsa kwa otchedwa kuti Akristu kutsatira zikondwerero zachikunja kunapangitsa kuti anthu onse ayambe kuvomereza miyambo yachikunja. Pasanapite nthaŵi yaitali, Akristu anayamba kukhala ndi mapwando ochuluka monga momwe akunja anali kuchitira. Mosadabwitsa, Krisimasi ndiyo inali phwando lalikulu koposa pa mapwando amenewo.

Holide ya Dziko Lonse

Pamene Chikristu chinafalikira ku Ulaya, Krisimasi inafalikiranso chimodzimodzi. Tchalitchi cha Katolika chinayamba kulingalira kuti kunali koyenerera kupitirizabe kuchita phwando lokondwerera tsiku la kubadwa kwa Yesu. Mogwirizana ndi zimenezo, mu 567 C.E., bungwe la Council of Tours “linalengeza kuti masiku 12 a pakati pa Krisimasi ndi phwando la Epiphany akhale nyengo yopatulika ndi yachisangalalo.”​—The Catholic Encyclopedia for School and Home.

Posapita nthaŵi, zinthu zambiri zachikunja zimene zinali kuchitika pamapwando a kukolola a kumpoto kwa Ulaya zinayamba kuchitikanso pa Krisimasi. Zokondweretsa zinafala kwambiri kuposa kudzipereka pazachipembedzo pamene anthu aphokosowo anayamba kudya ndi kumwa mosusuka. M’malo mwa kutsutsa khalidwe lonyansalo, tchalitchi chinalivomereza. (Yerekezerani ndi Aroma 13:13; 1 Petro 4:3.) Mu 601 C.E., Papa Gregory I analembera Mellitus, mmishonale wake wa ku England, kumuuza kuti “asaletse mapwando amenewo achikunja, koma kuti awalole kukhala miyambo ya Tchalitchi, mwakungosintha zifukwa zake zachikunja kukhala zifukwa zachikristu.” Anafotokoza motero Arthur Weigall, amene anakhalapo mkulu woyang’anira nkhani za zinthu zakale wa boma la Egypt.

M’Nyengo Yapakati, anthu ofuna kusintha zinthu anaganiza zotsutsa makhalidwe opambanitsa ameneŵa. Iwo anatumiza zikalata zambiri zotsutsa “makhalidwe oipa a pachikondwerero cha Krisimasi.” Dr. Penne Restad, m’buku lake lakuti Christmas in America​—A History [Krisimasi ku America​—Mbiri Yake], anati: “Atsogoleri ena achipembedzo analimbikitsa lingaliro lakuti anthu opanda ungwiro amafunikira kukhala ndi nthaŵi yochita zikhumbo za thupi mosadziletsa, malinga ngati zinthuzo zichitidwa mwachikristu.” Zimenezi zinangowonjezera kusokonezeka maganizo kumeneko. Komabe, popeza kuti miyambo yachikunja inali itagwirizana kwambiri ndi Krisimasi, anthu ambiri sanafune kuisiya. Wolemba Tristram Coffin analemba kuti: “Anthu onse [anali] kungochita zinthu zimene a[nka]chita nthaŵi zonse ndipo sanalabadire kutsutsa kwa anthu olimbikitsa makhalidwe abwino.”

Pomadzafika panthaŵi imene Azungu anayamba kusamukira ku dera lotchedwa kuti New World, Krisimasi inali holide yodziŵika bwino. Komabe, Krisimasi inali yosaloledwa m’maderawo. Anthu ofuna kusintha zinthu otchedwa kuti Apyuritani anaona kuti chikondwerero chimenechi chinali chachikunja ndipo anachiletsa ku Massachusetts pakati pa 1659 ndi 1681.

Chiletsocho chitatha, kukondwerera Krisimasi kunafalikira m’maderawo, makamaka chakummwera kwa dera la New England. Komabe, monga momwe mbiri ya holide imeneyi ikusonyezera, nzosadabwitsa kuti ena anali kungofuna chisangalalo osati kulemekeza Mwana wa Mulungu. Mwambo wina wa pa Krisimasi umene kwenikweni unali wosokoneza kwambiri unali mwambo wa kumwa kopambanitsa. Magulu a achinyamata ovutitsa anali kuloŵa m’nyumba za anthu achuma kukapempha chakudya ndi chakumwa chaulere mwa kuopseza kuti ngati sawapatsa, iwo adzalipsira mwini nyumbayo. Ngati mwini nyumbayo anakana, kaŵirikaŵiri achinyamatawo anali kumtemberera, ndipo nthaŵi zina anali kumuwonongera nyumba.

Zinthu zinafika poipa kwambiri cha m’ma 1820 kotero kuti “chiwawa cha pa Krisimasi” chinali “chinthu chimene anthu anali kuda nacho nkhaŵa kwambiri,” akutero Profesa Nissenbaum. M’mizinda ina monga New York ndi Philadelphia, eni malo achuma anayamba kulemba ntchito alonda kuti azilondera malo awo. Kwanenedwanso kuti pamene kunachitika chiwawa panyengo ya Krisimasi ya mu 1827/28, mpamene mzinda wa New York City unakhazikitsa gulu lakelake la apolisi ophunzitsidwa bwino ntchitoyo!

Kukonzanso Krisimasi

Zochita za anthu zinasintha mosayembekezereka m’zaka za zana la 19. Anthu, katundu, ndiponso nkhani zinayamba kuyenda mofulumira kwambiri pamene anayamba kukonza misewu ndi njanje. Kusintha kwakukulu pazopangapanga kunadzetsa miyandamiyanda ya ntchito zolembedwa, ndipo mafakitale anali kupanga katundu mofulumira. Kufalikira kwa mafakitale kunadzetsa mavuto enanso aakulu pamakhalidwe, amene anapangitsa kusintha kwakukulu pa kachitidwe ka Krisimasi.

Anthu agwiritsira ntchito maholide kwa nthaŵi yaitali pofuna kulimbikitsa maunansi a banja, ndipo achitanso chimodzimodzi ndi Krisimasi. Mwa kusinthanso ina mwa miyambo ya pa Krisimasi, anthu ochirikiza Krisimasi anaisintha kuti ikhale holide ya pabanja osati yachiwawa monga momwe zinalili kale.

Zoonadi, pomadzafika chakumapeto kwa zaka za zana la 19, Krisimasi inayamba kuonedwa monga chinthu chothetsera mavuto amakono a anthu a ku America. “Mwa maholide onse,” anatero Dr. Restad, “Krisimasi inali chida champhamvu cholimbikitsira mabanja kuti azichita zachipembedzo ndi kulingalira mwaumulungu, ndiponso kuwongolera makhalidwe opambanitsa ndi zolephera za anthu onse.” Iye anawonjezera kuti: “Kupereka mphatso, kuthandiza osoŵa, ngakhalenso kupatsana moni waubwenzi wapaholide ndiponso kukongoletsa ndi kusangalatsa kwa mtengo womwe sugwetsa masamba woikidwa m’chipinda cha alendo kapena umene pambuyo pake ankauika m’nyumba yochitiramo sukulu ya Sande, zinayanjanitsa mwamuna, mkazi ndi ana ake, kuwayanjanitsa ndi tchalitchi, ndiponso kuwayanjanitsa ndi anthu onse.”

Mofananamo, ambiri lerolino amakondwerera Krisimasi pofuna kusonyezana chikondi ndi kuthandiza kulimbikitsa umodzi wa banja. Tisaiŵalenso kuti panyengoyi amachitaponso zinthu zauzimu. Anthu miyandamiyanda amakondwerera Krisimasi ncholinga cholemekeza kubadwa kwa Yesu. Iwo amapita kumapemphero apadera kutchalitchi, amaika zithunzithunzi zosonyeza kubadwa kwake m’nyumba zawo, kapena kupereka mapemphero oyamikira Yesu mwiniyo. Koma kodi Mulungu amaiona motani nkhani imeneyi? Kodi iye amavomereza zinthu zimenezi? Tiyeni tione zimene Baibulo likunena pankhani imeneyi.

“Kondani Choonadi ndi Mtendere”

Pamene Yesu anali padziko lapansi, iye anauza otsatira ake kuti: “Mulungu ndiye mzimu; ndipo omlambira iye ayenera kumlambira mumzimu ndi m’choonadi.” (Yohane 4:24) Yesu anatsatira mawu amenewo. Nthaŵi zonse analankhula choonadi. Iye anatsanzira mokhulupirika Atate ake, “Mulungu wa choonadi.”​—Salmo 31:5; Yohane 14:9.

M’Baibulo lonse, Yehova anafotokoza momveka bwino kuti amadana ndi chinyengo chamtundu wina uliwonse. (Salmo 5:6) Kodi pamenepa sizodabwitsa kuti zinthu zambiri zochitika pa Krisimasi nzachinyengo? Mwachitsanzo, talingalirani za nthano ya Santa Claus. Kodi munayesapo kufotokozera mwana chifukwa chimene Santa amakondera kuloŵa m’nyumba kudzera m’chumuni osati pakhomo, monga momwe amakhulupirira m’maiko ambiri? Ndipo kodi Santa amachezera bwanji makomo mamiliyoni ambirimbiri pausiku umodzi wokha? Nanga bwanji ponena za nyama yotchedwa reindeer imene imauluka? Pamene mwana azindikira kuti iye wanyengedwa pokhulupirira kuti Santa ndi munthu weniweni, kodi zimenezi sizimpangitsa kuti asamakhulupirirenso makolo ake?

Buku lakuti The Catholic Encyclopedia linafotokoza momveka bwino kuti: “Miyambo yachikunja . . . inaloŵa m’Krisimasi.” Nanga nchifukwa chiyani Tchalitchi cha Katolika ndi matchalitchi ena a m’Dziko Lachikristu akupitirizabe kutsatira holide imene chiyambi chake si chachikristu? Kodi kumeneku sikuvomereza ziphunzitso zachikunja?

Pamene anali padziko lapansi, Yesu sanauzepo anthu kuti azimlambira. Yesu iye mwini anati: “[“Yehova,” NW] Mulungu wako udzamgwadira, ndipo iye yekhayekha udzamlambira.” (Mateyu 4:10) Mofananamo, Yesu atalandira ulemerero wakumwamba, mngelo anauza mtumwi Yohane kuti ‘alambire Mulungu,’ kusonyeza kuti palibe chimene chinasintha pankhani imeneyi. (Chivumbulutso 19:10) Zimenezi zimadzetsa funso lakuti, Kodi Yesu akanavomereza kuti kulambira konse kochitika panyengo ya Krisimasi kuzilunjikitsidwa kwa iye, osati kwa Atate ake?

Mwachionekere, zenizeni zoloŵetsedwa m’Krisimasi yamakono nzosasangalatsa. Kwenikweni, Krisimasi ndi holide yopeka yokhala ndi umboni wambiri wosonyeza chiyambi chake choipa. Choncho, chifukwa cha chikumbumtima chawo choyera, Akristu mamiliyoni ambiri anaganiza zoti asamakondwerere nawo Krisimasi. Mwachitsanzo, wachinyamata wina wotchedwa Ryan anasimba za Krisimasi kuti: “Anthu amasangalala kwa masiku oŵerengeka chabe pachaka pamene banja limakhala pamodzi mwachimwemwe. Koma kodi zimenezo nzachilendo? Makolo anga amandipatsa mphatso chaka chonse!” Wachinyamata winanso, wazaka 12, anati: “Sindiona kuti ndikumanidwa zinthu. Ndimalandira mphatso chaka chonse, osati tsiku limodzi lokha lapadera pamene anthu amakakamizika kugula mphatso ayi.”

Mneneri Zekariya analimbikitsa Aisrayeli anzake ‘kukonda choonadi ndi mtendere.’ (Zekariya 8:19) Ngati ifeyo, monga Zekariya ndi amuna ena akale okhulupirika, ‘timakonda choonadi,’ kodi sitidzapeŵa chikondwerero chonyenga chimenechi chachipembedzo chimene chimanyoza “Mulungu weniweni wamoyo,” Yehova?​—1 Atesalonika 1:9.

[Chithunzi patsamba 7]

“Sindiona kuti ndikumanidwa zinthu. Ndimalandira mphatso chaka chonse”