Indlela Eyinkimbinkimbi Yokuya KuNkulunkulu
“MINA ngiyindlela, neqiniso, nokuphila: akakho oza kuBaba ngaphandle kwami,” kusho uJesu Kristu. Wanezela: “Ngiqinisile, ngiqinisile ngithi kini: Lokhu eniyakukucela kuBaba egameni lami uyakuninika khona.”—Johane 14:6; 16:23.
Nokho, emakhulwini eminyaka izinkolo zeLobukholwa, ikakhulukazi iSonto LamaRoma Katolika, nezimfundiso zalo zesihogo somlilo, isihlanzo noZiqu-zintathu, ziye zayixova ‘lendlela.’ UJesu akavezwanga njengomelela abantu abanesono ngokuzithandela, kodwa wavezwa njengosana olugoniwe noma njengomahluleli owesabekayo, othambekele kakhulu ekwahluleleni nasekujeziseni izoni kunasekuzisindiseni. Khona-ke, isoni sasingaya kanjani kuNkulunkulu?
Incwadi ethi The Glories of Mary (1750) iyachaza. Efanisa uJesu nelanga elishisayo lokwahlulela, upapa Innocent III wekhulu le-13 leminyaka wathi: “Noma ubani osebusukwini besono, makabheke enyangeni, makanxuse uMariya.” NgoMariya, unina kaJesu, kwamiswa omunye ummeleli. Mhlawumbe ngethonya lakhe lobumama elicatshangelwayo, kungase kuzuzwe umusa kuJesu nakuNkulunkulu. Kanjalo, emazwini kaLaurence Justinian, umfundisi wekhulu le-15 leminyaka, uMariya waba “isikhwelo esiya epharadesi, isango lezulu, nomkhulumelikazi ofaneleka kakhulu phakathi kukaNkulunkulu nomuntu.”
Ngenxa yakho konke ukubatshazwa ayekunikwa, ngokuhamba kwesikhathi wayengasabhekwa ngokuthi nje “uMariya iNcasakazi” kodwa waba “iNdlovukazi Engcwele, uNina Womusa,” wenziwa waba msulwa futhi waphakanyiswa kangangokuthi naye waba ngcwele kakhulu ukuba kuyiwe kuye ngokuqondile. Ingabe omunye ummeleli wayengatholakala? Kuthiwani ngonina?
Njengoba iBhayibheli lingasho lutho ngalokhu, impendulo yafunwa kwenye indawo. Incwadi Engengcwele ethiwa iProtevangelium of James ilandisa indaba ka-Anne (noma uAnna), umkaJehoyakimi, owayengenabantwana ngemva kweminyaka eminingi eshadile. Ekugcineni, ingelosi yeza kuye futhi yamemezela ukuthi wayezozala umntwana. Ngesikhathi esifanele, kuthiwa waba umama ‘kaMariya iNcasakazi.’
Kwavela kanjalo ukukhulekelwa kuka“Saint” Anne. Kwakhiwa izindlu zokukhulekela kanye namasonto ukuze adunyiswe. Ukukhulekelwa kuka“Saint” Anne kwasakazeka eYurophu ngekhulu le-14 leminyaka.
“Yeka ukuthi inkolo yaba inkimbinkimbi kanjani!” kuphawula incwadi ethi The Story of the Reformation. “Abantu bathandaza kuAnna owayekhulumela abantu abanezono kuMariya yena ebakhulumela neNdodana yakhe yona ibakhulumela noNkulunkulu. Kwakungakholeki, kodwa lokho kwakuwuhlobo oluthile lwenkolelo yokukholelwa ezeni imiphefumulo yabantu eyayondliwa ngayo.” Khona-ke, yilena enye indawo amazwi kaJesu asebenza kuyo ngokufanele: “Izwi likaNkulunkulu nilenza libe-yize ngesiko lenu.”—Marku 7:13.
[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 21]
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Bequest of Benjamin Altman, 1913. (14.40.633)