Isikhathi SikaKhisimusi NoNcibijane—Ingabe Sizowafeza Wonke Amaphupho Akho?
“UPeter [Omkhulu] wakhipha umthetho othi kufanele wonke amasonto abe nenkonzo kaNcibijane ekhethekile ngo-January 1. Ngaphezu kwalokho, wathi kufanele kuhlotshiswe izinsika zeminyango yezindlu ngamahlamvu aluhlaza futhi wayala zonke izakhamuzi zaseMoscow wathi kufanele ‘zibonise injabulo yazo ngokuhalaliselana ngokumemeza’ ngoNcibijane.”—Peter the Great—His Life and World.
YINI obheke phambili kuyo ngesikhathi sikaKhisimusi noNcibijane? Lesi isikhathi samaholidi eside. Abazali nezingane bangase baye emaholidini ngalesi sikhathi, ngakho-ke kungaba isikhathi esihle kakhulu sokuba imikhaya ibe ndawonye. UKhisimusi usuku ngokuvamile abantu abathi uKristu wazalwa ngalo. Abanye abantu bafisa ukukhumbula uKristu ngalesi sikhathi sonyaka ngoba banomuzwa wokuthi lokho kuyisici esiyinhloko salesi sikhathi. Mhlawumbe nawe uzizwa kanjalo.
Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi lesi isikhathi sokukhumbula uKristu, ukuba nomndeni wakho, noma kokubili, emhlabeni wonke izigidi zamadoda, amakhosikazi nezingane zisilindela ngokukhulu ukulangazela lesi sikhathi. Kuthiwani ngalo nyaka? Ingabe sizoba isikhathi esikhethekile emndenini, futhi ingabe sikhethekile kuNkulunkulu? Uma nizohlangana njengomndeni, ingabe kuzofezeka wonke amaphupho akho noma uzodumazeka?
Abaningi ababheka phambili ekukhumbuleni uKristu baphawula ukuthi ngokuvamile ngoKhisimusi nangoNcibijane awubi khona neze umoya kaKristu. Kunalokho, kuba isikhathi sokuthola izipho, izaba zokwenza umcimbi ongase ube nokuziphatha okuhlambalaza uKristu, noma ngokuyinhloko kube isizathu sokuhlangana komndeni. Kuvame ukuba le mibuthano ibe nelungu elilodwa noma ngaphezulu elizitika ngokudla nangotshwala, kusuke izingxabano ezivame ukubangela ubudlova ekhaya. Kungenzeka uke wakuphawula lokhu noma mhlawumbe kwake kwenzeka nakuwe.
Uma kunjalo, ungase ubone ukuthi akukungakanani okushintshile kusukela ngesikhathi sombusi ongumRashiya uPeter Omkhulu, ochazwe ekuqaleni. Bedunyazwe izinto esezivame ukwenzeka, abaningi bafisa sengathi isikhathi sikaKhisimusi noNcibijane besingaba isikhathi sokuba umuntu acabange ajule ngoNkulunkulu nokuba umndeni uhlangane ube nesikhathi esihle. Abanye baze bayisukumele le ndaba befuna ushintsho, basebenzise iziqubulo ezinjengezithi, uKhisimusi okaJesu. Kodwa ingabe izinto zingashintsha? Futhi ingabe lolo shintsho lungayibonisa inhlonipho ngoKristu? Zikhona yini izizathu zokuba nombono ohlukile ngesikhathi sikaKhisimusi noNcibijane?
Ukuze sithole izimpendulo ezigculisayo, ake sibheke le ndaba ngokombono wesizwe esithile okufanele ngabe sinesizathu esikhethekile sokwazisa lesi sikhathi sonyaka.