Ngaba Ukuphana Izipho ZeKrisimesi Kunengqiqo?
INKOLISO yenkcitho yangeKrisimesi yenziwa ngenxa yokuba ukuphana izipho ngelo xesha lonyaka kuyinto elindelekileyo. Ukuba ubani akaphi, uvukele isiko elimiselwe ngokungqongqo. Kodwa ingcali kwezoqoqosho uJames S. Henry, ebhala kwiThe New Republic, uyakugxeka oko “kupha kunyanzeliswayo” okunjalo njengokuphelisa uvuyo nokuyinkcitho.
Uthi: “Ukunikela isipho kulowo singamfanelanga kuyenye imbonakaliso yenkcitho. Kwivenkile enamasebe awahlukeneyo yaseNew York, nyaka ngamnye malunga ne-15 ekhulwini lezinto ebezithengwe ngeKrisimesi ziyabuyiswa. Ngenxa yesibakala sokuba izipho ezininzi ezithunyelwa kubantu ezingabafanelanga ziyagcinwa . . . , ukuya kutsho kwisithathu sezinto ezithengiweyo zisenokungabanelisi abo bazithengelweyo.”
Eneneni, ngaba kusengqiqweni ukugcina imali unyaka wonke ukuze uthenge izipho abanye abantu abangayi kuzifuna? Yaye ngaba kusengqiqweni ukuzama ukuqhayisela abanye ngezipho ezinexabiso eliphezulu?
Lo kaHenry uthi: “Enye inkalo eyingozi ngokukhethekileyo ekuthengeni izinto zeKrisimesi ‘kukupha kokutsala ingqalelo.’ Izipho zobunewunewu, zilungiselelwe ngokungqalileyo abo bangakufuni ngokupheleleyo ukuphiwa izipho (‘abantu abanento yonke’). Inkoliso yezo zipho zinamaxabiso aphezulu kuphiwana zona ngeKrisimesi; ikota yokugqibela yonyaka, ngokohlolisiso lwevenkile enamasebe awahlukeneyo yaseNew York, zingenisa ngaphezu kwesiqingatha sedayimani, iiwotshi neempahla ezenziwe ngoboya ezithengiswayo ngonyaka.”
Noko ke, kwanezipho ezinexabiso eliphezulu azisoloko zibenza abo baziphiwayo bavuye, ngokukodwa xa zinikelwa kuqunywa ulwalamano olonakeleyo. Ngokutsho koGqirha waseKhanada uRichard Allon, “ukuba awukwazi ukuba nobubele kubani ebudeni bonyaka wonke, awunakuba nabo nje ngokumthumelela isipho esinexabiso eliphezulu. Awunako ukukhululeka kwityala lakho, yaye mhlawumbi uya kulidlulisela komnye umntu.”
Okulusizi kukuba izigidi zabantu kumazwe asakhasayo azinazo izinto eziyimfuneko ebomini, kanti abo bakumazwe ahambele phambili kwezorhwebo ngokufuthi kubonakala ukuba banayo yonke into kodwa abanalo uxabiso ngezo zinto zabo zininzi. Izipho zeKrisimesi ziye zingamkelwa ngentliziyo epheleleyo—“ndiza kwenza ntoni ngale nto?”—okanye ngokucaphuka—“ngokwenene bendingafuni le nto mna”—okanye ngokunokwenzeka kwangomsindo—“isipho endimphe sona singasiphinda kabini esi!” Alithandabuzeki elokuba iqela elithile laseJamani lokukhusela abantwana lagqiba kwelokuba ngeKrisimesi zininzi izinto ekuphiwana zona yaye ngokufuthi kungacingwanga.
Ngapha koko, iKrisimesi ikhulisa ukungabi naluvelwano kwabantu, ibangela ingcinezelo nokungonwabi okukhulu. Bambi abanayo imali eyaneleyo yokuthenga izipho, yaye eUnited States oku kubonakala ukuba yeyona nto iye yakhokelela ekuphangeni okungakumbi ebudeni bexesha leKrisimesi kunalo naliphi na elinye ixesha lonyaka. Ingcali kwezorhwebo uHenry yathi: “Amapolisa arhanela ukuba konke oku kubiwa kwezinto kungenxa yokuba izaphuli-mthetho nazo zishukunyiswa kukufuna ukwenza izipho kwiintsapho zazo.”
Abaninzi baya kuvumelana nombhali wemihlathi uTom Harpur, owabhala oku kwiSunday Star yaseToronto, eKhanada: “Ngaphantsi kwemigcobo enyanzeliswayo, ndiyazi ukuba iKrisimesi ngokwandayo ilixesha lokuba sexhaleni, lokunganeliseki, lokuziva unetyala ngokunzulu nokudinwa ngokupheleleyo kwizigidi zoluntu.”
Ubani usenokuthi: ‘Kodwa ezo ngxaki zifanelekile ngenxa yabantwana.’ Sekunjalo ngaba ukuphana izipho zeKrisimesi ngokwenene kuyingenelo kubantwana?
Oko Kukwenzayo Kubantwana
UBetty Poloway ongumluleki wesikolo, wathi: “Nakubeni eli ilixesha ebelilindelwe ukuba libe ‘lelolonwabo,’ kukho abantwana abaninzi abangonwabanga.” Kutheni? Ukuphana izipho zeKrisimesi kunokuba yingozi njani ebantwaneni?
USusan James, ongunina wabantwana abathathu, wathi: “Ndababukela abantwana bam bevula izipho zabo, esinye emva kwesinye. Xa bagqibayo, baqhubeka befuna ezingakumbi! Abangobantwana babawayo yaye sekunjalo zonke izipho, zonke izithembiso zangaphambili, zabacinezelela ekubeni babe ngababawayo.”
UKaren Andersson umphathi wecandelo lezifundo zengqondo yabantwana kwisibhedlele saseConnecticut eUnited States, uyichaza ngolu hlobo le ngxaki: “Baba ngathi abafiki kumgangatho ongezantsi wendlu ekuseni ngeKrisimesi ukuze baye kubona zonke izipho zabazali babo. Basuka bavule nje zonke ezo zinto zokudlala baze bangabi nalo nethuba eli lokujongisisa nenye kuzo. Kumntwana osenokuba uyadyuduzela okanye osisityhuthutyhuthu, okanye oba nehlombe ngokulula ngokugqith’ emgceni kwanasebudeni bezona meko zizolileyo, iKrisimesi isenokuba yingozi.”
Iphephancwadi laseJamani kwinqaku lalo elixubusha ngeKrisimesi lathi: “Izipho azisaluzisi ulonwabo ezakha zaluzisa.” Elinye ibhinqa lakhalaza lathi: “Abantwana babekade besaneliseka kukufumana nje incwadi entsha, iigloves, okanye ezinye izinto nje ezincinane. Kodwa umzukulwana wam ngoku undixelela ukuba: ‘Makhulu, kulo nyaka ndifuna ikhompyutha!’”
Ewe, izipho zeKrisimesi zihlakulela ukubawa nokuzingca. Ingcali kwezorhwebo uHenry yathi: “Ubani ufanele akhe atyelele nayiphi na [ivenkile ethengisa izinto zokudlala] ngeli xesha lonyaka, ukuze abone impembelelo yengcinezelo egqithiseleyo yeli xesha kulwalamano lomzali nomntwana: oomama abaxakanisekileyo berhuqa abantwana abancinane abangamakhoboka ezinto zokudlala bekhalaza yaye besothuswa ngamaxabiso akutshanje aphakamileyo, besiya kwezifumaneka ngamaxabiso aphantsi.”
Kodwa kukwakho nezinye iingxaki ezinzulu ezinxulumene nezipho zeKrisimesi.
Izipho ZeKrisimesi Nenyaniso
Buza umntwana omncinane apho izipho zakhe zazivela khona, yaye yiyiphi indlela aya kuphendula ngayo? Ngokutsho kwengxelo yeNew York Times, ama-87 ekhulwini abantwana baseMerika abaphakathi kweminyaka emithathu nelishumi bakholelwa kuSanta Claus. Abazali abaninzi bayayibethelela le nkolelo, ngokubuza oku: “Yintoni ofuna uSanta akuphathele yona kulo nyaka?” Sekunjalo, iyintoni imiphumo?
Amava kaCynthia Keeler, achazwe kwiDaily News yaseNew York, angumzekelo woku. UBritton unyana wakhe oneminyaka esixhenxe ubudala wabuza oku: “Mama, ngaba uSanta Claus ukho ngokwenene?”
UCynthia wawuphepha, njengokuba abazali abaninzi besenza xa bebuzwa lo mbuzo. Wabuza oku: “Ucinga ntoni wena?”
UBritton wathi abahlobo bakhe bamxelela ukuba kwakungekho mntu onjalo, kodwa wayengaqinisekanga. Ngoko waqalisa ukulila. Enyembezana wathi: “Mama, ndifanele ndiyazi.”
UCynthia wathi: “Ukuba wayengazange alile, mhlawumbi ngendandingazange ndimxelele. Kodwa kuye yayingumbandela wobomi nokufa. Wayefuna impendulo kuphela. Ndamxelela ukuba kwakungekho mntu unguSanta.”
IDaily News yathi: “UBritton Keeler, esalila wamfaka ekoneni unina ngokumbeka ityala abazali bonke abasoloko beloyika xa iqhinga lidulile yaye uSanta Claus eye wadula: ‘Kwakutheni ukuze uxoke ngaloo nto?’”
Imiphumo yobuqhinga bomzali ngokufuthi iba nobungozi, njengokuba uBruce Roscoe ongunjingalwazi kwizifundo zentsapho kwiYunivesithi yakuMbindi Michigan, eUnited States, wathi: “Umntwana ufumanisa ukuba unina ebemxokisa yaye bonke abanye abantwana bebenyanisile.” Ngokomphumo, uNjingalwazi uRoscoe uthi, umntwana ngokufuthi uyazithandabuza nezinye izinto abazali abebemxelele zona.
UFred Koenig, ongunjingalwazi kwizifundo zengqondo kwiYunivesithi yaseTulane eNew Orleans, eLouisiana, eUnited States, wabethelela oku: “Xa bethe babufumanisa ubunyaniso, oku kukonakalisa ngokwenene ukuthembeka kwabazali.” Wongezelela wathi: “Oko kufaka amathandabuzo kwizinto ezininzi.” Umntwana usenokucinga ukuba “mhlawumbi yonke into engonqulo bubuvuvu nje.”
Ngokuqinisekileyo, akukho ngqiqweni ngokwenene ukubethelela ubuxoki ngokuxelela abantwana ukuba umntu othile wasentsomini ubazisela izipho. Sekunjalo, ngaba iindwendwe ezithile azizange zizise izipho kumntwana onguYesu ngomhla wokuzalwa kwakhe? Ngaba bekungayi kuba yinto efanelekileyo ukuphana izipho ngeKrisimesi namhlanje?
Ngaba Kuluqheliselo LwamaKristu?
IBhayibhile iyatsho ukuba izazi, okanye abavumisi ngeenkwenkwezi, bazisa izipho kuYesu. Noko ke, izipho zeKrisimesi azikokulandelwa komzekelo wabo kuba abazange baphane bona ngokwabo izipho Okubaluleke ngakumbi kukuba, abazange bazinikezele izipho zabo ngexesha lokuzalwa kukaYesu kodwa bakwenza oko kamva. Izenzo zabo zazivisisana nesiko lamandulo lokuzukisa abalawuli. Phawula ukuba ingxelo yeBhayibhile ithi xa zafikayo uYesu wayengasekho esitalini kodwa wayehlala endlwini. Kungenxa yoko uHerode, ngenxa yoko babemxelele kona, wayalela ukuba onke amakhwenkwe aneminyaka emibini ubudala abulawe.—Mateyu 2:1-18.
Kwakhona qwalasela: Ngaba ayisosimanga into yokuba ngosuku ekuthiwa lolokuzalwa kukaYesu yena angafumani nento le? Kusenokuba akakhathalelwe kwaphela! Eneneni, lalivela phi isiko lokuphana izipho zeKrisimesi?
Ebhala kwi-Independent yaseLos Angeles, uDiane Bailey wathi: “Ukuphana izipho kususela emva phayaa kwiRoma yamandulo, apho abantu babeya kuphana izipho eziyimali ebudeni bemisitho yokunqulwa kwelanga nonyaka omtsha.”
Kumxholo oyintloko othi “Ukubhencwa Kwezithethe ZeKrisimesi,” uAnita Sama wabhala oku kwibali leGannett News Service: “Kude kudala ngaphambi kwemisitho yamaKristu, ukuphana izipho kwakuyinxalenye yemibhiyozo yasebusika. AmaRoma ayephana amasebe emithi engcwele, aze adlulele kwezinye izinto ezenziwa ngocoselelo ezifuzisela iminqweno emihle yonyaka olandelayo—isilivere, igolide, nezipho zokutya okunobusi.”
Inyaniso yeyokuba, iKrisimesi ngumbhiyozo wobuhedeni owathatyathwa yiNgqobhoko. UDisemba 25, ayingomhla wokuzalwa kukaYesu Kristu, kodwa ngumhla onxulumene nemisitho yobuhedeni yamandulo kavula zibhuqe amaKristu angaphambili awayiphephayo.—Bona ibhokisi ethi, “Iyintoni Imvelaphi Yokwenene YeKrisimesi?” kumaphepha alandelayo.
Ukuba uYesu Kristu ebesemhlabeni namhlanje, ebeya kuvakalelwa njani ngezipho zeKrisimesi?
Indlela UYesu Akujonga Ngayo Ukupha
Ngokuqinisekileyo uYesu akakugwebi ukupha. Ngokwahlukileyo koko, usoloko ekulungele ukuzincama ukuze ancede abanye, wafundisa abafundi bakhe oku: “Yiphani.” Yaye ebonisa ukuba ukupha kwakuya kubazisela abo baphayo iintsikelelo, wongezelela wathi: “Naniya kuphiwa nani.”—Luka 6:38.
Noko ke, uYesu apha wayengabhekiseli ekuphaneni izipho. Kunoko, wayebhekisela kwinyaniso engenakuphikiswa yokuba ukupha ngokungazingci kunembuyekezo. Oku kuyinyaniso ngokukhethekileyo xa lowo uphayo enentshukumisa elungileyo yaye enothando “ngokwasentliziyweni.”—1 Petros 1:22.
Uthando alufuni ntlawulo ngoko lukwenzileyo, ngoko uYesu wancomela oku: “Xa uliza abantu, masingazi isandla sakho sokhohlo into eyenziwa sisandla sakho sokunene, ukuze amalizo akho abe semfihlekweni.” Ngokufanelekileyo umphi akatsaleli ngqalelo kuye okanye kwisipho sakhe, sekunjalo akanakungabuyekezwa. UYesu wakubonisa oku xa wongezelela wathi: “Aze uYihlo obona emfihlekweni akubuyisele.” (Mateyu 6:3, 4) Ngokubhekele phaya, njengokuba iBhayibhile isitsho, umphi umele ‘anike njengoko agqibe ngako entliziyweni, kungabi kokuphuma kabuhlungu, nangokunyanzelwa; kuba uThixo uthanda umphi ochwayitileyo.’—2 Korinte 9:7.
Ngoko ukupha okumvuyisayo uKristu kushukunyiswa luthando, kwenziwa kungalindelwanga mbuyekezo, yaye akwenziwa ngokuphuma kabuhlungu okanye ngokunyanzelwa. Hayi indlela okwahluke ngayo ukupha okulolo hlobo koko kupha kwenziwa ngeKrisimesi!
Ngoko ke, ukupha okungumthombo wovuyo, akuxhomekekanga kwikhalenda okanye kumasiko. Kwakhona akutyhili nawuphi na umlinganiselo wemali echithiweyo ngeso sipho, kodwa kutyhila umlinganiselo wobubele bakhe. Eneneni, iKrisimesi iye yalahlekisa izigidi zabantu ukuba ziphane izinto ezingafanelekanga, ngokufuthi ngezizathu ezingafanelekanga. Ngoko, kutheni ungazami into elunge ngakumbi kunezipho zeKrisimesi? Zama uhlobo lokupha oluzisa iintsikelelo novuyo lokwenene, ekuza kuxutyushwa ngalo kwinqaku elilandelayo.
[Ibhokisi/Umfanekiso okwiphepha 8, 9]
Iyintoni Imvelaphi Yokwenene YeKrisimesi?
ABANTU abanolwazi bayaqonda ukuba uDisemba 25 akalosuku uYesu awazalwa ngalo. INew Catholic Encyclopedia ithi: “Umhla wokuzalwa kukaKristu waziwa. IiVangeli aziluchazi usuku okanye inyanga.”
Ngokubhekele phaya, kungqinwe kakuhle ukuba iKrisimesi namasiko ayo yamkelwa kwimithombo engeyoyabuKristu. Enyanisweni, iU.S. Catholic yathi: “Akunakwenzeka ukuba iKrisimesi yahlukaniswe nemvelaphi yayo yobuhedeni.”
IThe Encyclopedia Americana yathi: “Inkoliso yamasiko ngoku anxulunyaniswa neKrisimesi ngaphambili ayengengomasiko eKrisimesi kodwa kunoko ayengamasiko aphambi kobuKristu nawayengengowabuKristu awathatyathwa yicawa yamaKristu. ISaturnalia, umsitho wamaRoma owawubhiyozelwa phakathi kuDisemba, wamisela owona mzekelo kwabaninzi kumasiko okubhiyozela iKrisimesi. Ngokomzekelo, ukwanda kokubhiyoza, ukuphana izipho nokukhanyisa amakhandlela kwathatyathwa kulo mbhiyozo.”
Ethetha ngeli siko lokuphana izipho, ulindixesha oyiHistory Today wathi: “Ukuphana izipho kumsitho waphakathi ebusika phantse ngokuqinisekileyo kwaqalisa njengesiko lobugqi kunokuba kube lisiko nje lasekuhlaleni. Izipho zeSaturnalia zaziquka oonodoli abenziwe ngentlaka ababenikwa abantwana. Akuthandabuzeki ukuba eli yayilisiko elichwayitisayo ngexesha lokuveliswa kwalo, kodwa ngenxa yamasikizi angaphambili; kwanabantu ababephila ngexesha lokuqalisa kwalo bacinga ukuba kusenokuba liyintsalela yokwenziwa kwamadini ngabantu, ngabantwana, ukuze kusikelelwe imbewu yokulima.”
IThe New York Times kaDisemba 24, 1991, yabalaselisa inqaku elixubusha ngemvelaphi yamasiko eKrisimesi, kuquka nokuphana izipho. USimon Schama, unjingalwazi kwezembali kwiHarvard University wabhala oku: “IKrisimesi yayisekelwe kwimisitho yamandulo yokubhiyozela ilanga lasebusika . . . Ngenkulungwane yesithathu, xa ukunqulwa kwelanga njengokunqulwa kukaMithras wasePersia kwanwenwela eRoma, ngoDisemba kwakubakho iintsuku ezithile ezazibekelwa ecaleni ukuze kubhiyozelwe ukuzalwa kwakhona kweSol Invictus: ilanga elingoyiswayo. . . .
“ICawa yokuqala eRoma yaba nomlo onzima ngokukhethekileyo nxamnye neminye imisitho emibini emikhulu yabahedeni, umbhiyozo weSaturnalia owawuthabatha iveki, owawuqalisa ngoDis. 17, noweeKalend zokubulisa uNyaka Omtsha. Lo wokuqala wawulixesha leziphithiphithi ezivunyiweyo, ngokufuthi owawusonganyelwa yinkosi yemigcobo, ingenguye uSanta kodwa nguSaturn otyebileyo, umphathi wemisitho engalawulekiyo yokutya, yokusela neyezinye iindlela zokungathobeli. Noko ke, kwakusebudeni bombhiyozo weeKalend, apho xa unyaka utshintsha ngokwesithethe kwakuphanwa izipho, ngokufuthi ezazixhonywa kumagqabi emithi aluhlaza awayehombise izindlu ebudeni belo xesha lemisitho.
“Icawa yokuqala ngaphambili yayingayamkeli le misitho ingenasidima. Abaseki bayo, ngokukodwa iNgcwele uJohn Chrysostom owayekhaba ngawo omane, wakhuthaza ukuba kungalalaniswa kwezo zinto zithiyekileyo zingezizo ezonqulo: . . . Ekubeni kwakungekho sivumelwano ngokubanzi ngosuku oluchanileyo lokuzalwa kukaYesu . . . , kumele ukuba kwabonakala kuluncedo ukuba kube yinto yokuthabathel’ indawo iSaturnalia . . . Ngoko ukuzalwa kwakhona kwelanga kwathatyathelw’ indawo kukuzalwa koNyana kaThixo . . .
“Ngokufanayo, iiKalend zathatyathelw’ indawo nguMsitho we-Epiphany, yaye izipho nemihombiso emincinane amaRoma angabahedeni ayedla ngokuphana zona zaba zizipho ezanikelwa ngookumkani abathathu kuKumkani omtsha weHlabathi. Phakathi kwinkulungwane yesine, ukubalaseliswa ngokusisiseko kweKrisimesi kwikhalenda kwamiselwa ngokusisigxina.”
Nakubeni abantu abanolwazi beyamkela into yokuba iKrisimesi namasiko ayo zinemvelaphi yobuhedeni, abaninzi basenokuma ngelokuba oko akuyonto inokuxhalatyelwa kangako. Ephendula inqaku likaNjingalwazi Schama, ebutsheni balo nyaka owayesakuba ngumfundisi wabhala oku kwileta eya kumhleli weTimes: “Imvelaphi yoqheliselo olumiselweyo ayinanto yokwenza nokuxabiseka kwalo namhlanje.” Ngokuphathelele iKrisimesi neminye imisitho, wathi: “Abo bazibhiyozelayo bazinika intsingiselo entsha ebazisela injongo kubomi babo nephakamisa umoya wabo wokonwaba.”
Kodwa, ngaba imibhiyozo yeKrisimesi iphakamisa umoya wokonwaba ize ivelise isiqhamo esihle sobuKristu? Ngokuphandle, njengokuba sekubonisiwe, isiqhamo ngokuqhelekileyo bububi, kungekhona ukulunga. Ngaphezu koko, ngaba amaKristu afanele aboleke eminye imibhiyozo yonqulo lwabahedeni? IBhayibhile ibongoza isithi: “Musani ukunxulumana nabolunye uhlobo, abangakholwayo ke; kuba kunakwabelana kuni na ubulungisa nokuchasa umthetho? Kunabudlelane buni na ukukhanya nobumnyama? Unakuvumelana kuni na uKristu noBheliyali? . . . Phumani phakathi kwabo, nizahlule itsho iNkosi, nento engcolileyo ningayichukumisi.”—2 Korinte 6:14-17.
Kwakhona, khumbula oko uYesu wakuthethayo ngokunqula uThixo uSomandla: “Abo ke bamnqulayo bamelwe kukumnqula ngomoya nangenyaniso.” (Yohane 4:24) Ngaloo ndlela, ukuze unqulo lwethu lwamkeleke kuThixo, lufanele lusekelwe kwinyaniso. Kanti, iKrisimesi kuthiwa ilusuku lokuzalwa kukaYesu Kristu nangona ingelulo. Yaye kuthekani ngabo bacingelwa ukuba bazisa ngomlingo izipho zeKrisimesi, abanjengoSanta Claus? Xa abantwana besenziwa bakholelwe ukuba izipho zifunyanwa kubantu abanjalo, ngaba oku ngokwenene ayikokubaqhatha abantwana?
Ukuba ngokwenene umkhathalele uThixo, uya kuwuthobela umthetho wakhe wokuyeka ukuba nenxaxheba kwizinto ezingacocekanga zonqulo. Ngaba usikhathalele isibakala sokuba kufanele kuphetshwe iiholide ezibalaselisa ubuxoki?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 7]
Ngaba kusengqiqweni ukuqhatha abantwana ngokubaxelela ukuba uSanta Claus ubaphathela izinto?