I-Advent noKhisimusi

Kuwo wonke umlando, abantu baye basebenzisa izimpawu nezimpawu izikhathi eziningi ukuze badlulisele okuthile kubantu abanomqondo ofanayo, kodwa bakufihle kubantu bangaphandle. Isibonelo esivela ku- 1. Ikhulu leminyaka liwuphawu lwezinhlanzi (ichthys) olusetshenziswa amaKristu, ababonisa ngalo ngasese ukuxhumana kwabo noKristu. Njengoba abaningi babo bashushiswa noma babulawa imbala, babeqhubela imihlangano yabo emangcwabeni nakwezinye izindawo ezicashile. Ukuze kuphawulwe indlela eya lapho, kwakudwetshwa izimpawu zezinhlanzi ezindongeni. Lokhu akuzange kubangele ukusola ngoba amaKristu ayengaqali ukusebenzisa uphawu lwezinhlanzi - amaqaba ayevele elusebenzisa njengophawu lonkulunkulu nonkulunkulukazi bawo.

Ngemva kweminyaka eminingi uMose emise umthetho (kuhlanganise neSabatha), uNkulunkulu wanikeza isibonakaliso esisha kubo bonke abantu - leso sokuzalwa kweNdodana yakhe esesimweni somuntu, uJesu. IVangeli likaLuka liyabika:

Futhi lokho kuyisibonakaliso: uzothola ingane isongwe ngamanabukeni futhi ilele kumbhede. Masinyane kwaba khona kanye nengelosi uquqaba lwamabandla asezulwini, ludumisa uNkulunkulu, luthi: Udumo kuNkulunkulu kweliphezulu, nokuthula emhlabeni kubantu bentando yakhe (Lukasi 2,12-enye).

Ukuzalwa kukaJesu kuwuphawu olunamandla, oluhlala njalo lwazo zonke izinto ezihlanganisa isenzakalo kaKristu: ukuba senyameni kwakhe, ukuphila kwakhe, ukufa kwakhe, ukuvuka kwakhe kanye nokwenyukela kwakhe ekuhlengweni kwaso sonke isintu. Njengazo zonke izimpawu, libonisa isiqondiso; ikhomba emuva (futhi isikhumbuza izithembiso nezenzo zikaNkulunkulu endulo) naphambili (ukukhombisa ukuthi yini enye uJesu azoyigcwalisa ngoMoya oNgcwele). Ukulandisa kukaLuka kuyaqhubeka nendima evela endabeni yevangeli evame ukutshelwa ngemva kukaKhisimusi, phakathi nomkhosi we-Epiphany:

Bheka, kwakukhona eJerusalema umuntu ogama lakhe linguSimeyoni; lo muntu wayelungile, elungile, elindele induduzo ka-Israyeli, noMoya oNgcwele wayenaye. Kwase kufika kuye izwi elivela kuMoya oNgcwele ukuthi angayikubona ukufa, uma engamboni ngaphambili uKristu weNkosi. Futhi weza ethempelini ngokuyala kukaMoya. Kwathi abazali bengenisa umntwana uJesu ethempelini njengomkhuba womthetho, wamgona, wamdumisa uNkulunkulu, wathi: “Nkosi, vumela inceku yakho ukuba ihambe ngokuthula, njengalokho wathi; ngoba amehlo ami abone uMsindisi wakho, omlungisileyo phambi kwabantu bonke, ukukhanya kokukhanyisa abezizwe lokudumisa abantu bakho uIsrayeli. Uyise nonina bamangala ukuthi kuthiwani ngaye. USimeyoni wambusisa, wathi kuMariya unina: “Bheka, lokhu kumiselwe ukuwa nokuvuka kwabaningi kwa-Israyeli, kube isibonakaliso esiphikiswayo, nenkemba ibhoboze emphefumulweni wakho, ukuze imicabango yezinhliziyo eziningi ibe yizichitho. kusobala (Luka 2,25-enye).

NjengamaKristu, iningi lethu alithembi kwizimpawu nezimpawu ukugcina izindawo zethu zokuhlangana ziyimfihlo. Kuyisibusiso esikhulu futhi imithandazo yethu inalabo okumele baphile ezimeni ezinzima. Noma ngabe yiziphi izimo, wonke amaKristu ayazi ukuthi uJesu wavuka kwabafileyo nokuthi uBaba wethu waseZulwini udonsela bonke abantu kuye ngoJesu nangoMoya oNgcwele. Yingakho sinokuningi okufanele sikugubhe - futhi kufanele futhi sikwenze esikhathini esizayo se-Advent nangoKhisimusi.

nguJoseph Tkach

I-Advent noKhisimusi