Kwenzekani KuKhisimusi?
KUYO le nyanga eminyakeni eyishumi edlule, umagazini i-U.S.News & World Report washicilela isihloko esingaphandle esithi “Ukufuna UKhisimusi.” Leso sihloko sagxila embuzweni othi ingabe uKhisimusi uya ngokuya ‘uhlanzeka, nokuthi kuyancipha ukuba kwawo indlela yokwenza imali?’ Ingabe yilokho okwenzekayo?
Leso sihloko sanikeza izizathu zokuba singakulindeli lokho. Sathi: “Ayikho indawo ekhuluma ngokugujwa kokuzalwa kukaJesu, kodwa lokhu kwaqala ngekhulu lesine, ngesikhathi uConstantine . . . engumbusi waseRoma.” Lokho kwanikeza ‘ubufakazi ngandlela-thile bokuthi akekho owayazi ngokuqinisekile ukuthi uJesu wazalwa nini.’ Lesi sihloko savuma ukuthi “amavangeli awasho lutho ngonyaka [uJesu azalwa ngawo], ingasaphathwa-ke eyenyanga noma usuku.” Ngokwesazi-mlando sase-University of Texas, “amaKristu okuqala ayengenasithakazelo nhlobo ekugujweni kosuku lokuzalwa kukaJesu.”
Ngaphansi kwesihlokwana esithi “Indaba Engaqinisekile,” lesi sihloko sakhuluma “ngendlela isonto elafinyelela ngayo ku-December 25.” Sathi: “Umbono owamukelwa kabanzi owokuthi leli holidi lenziwa ngamabomu laba ‘elobuKristu’ lisuselwa emkhosini kaSaturnalia neminye imikhosi yobuqaba.” “Ngokwenza uKhisimusi ube ngasekupheleni kuka-December, isikhathi abantu kakade abase bejwayele ukugubha ngaso imikhosi, abaholi benkolo baqinisekisa ukuthi ukuzalwa koMsindisi kugujwa yonke indawo.” Maphakathi nekhulu leminyaka le-19, izinto zashintsha kwaqala umkhuba wokuthenga nokuphana izipho. “Umkhuba omusha wokuphana izipho ngoKhisimusi waba indlela yokwenza imali ngokushesha, futhi abathengisi nabakhangisi abapholisanga maseko baqala ukukhangisa le nkathi yeholidi.”
Ngakho, asikho isizathu sokulindela okuhlukile ngoKhisimusi. Awusoze waba ubuKristu obuhlanzekile. Nakuba ngoKhisimusi wanamuhla kugcizelelwa “ukuthengwa kwezinto ezinhle,” iqiniso liwukuthi amaKristu eqiniso awakaze akufune ukugubha ukuzalwa kukaJesu. Kunalokho, iBhayibheli ligcizelela isihlengo sikaKristu esaba khona ngokufa nangokuvuselwa kwakhe ezulwini. (Mathewu 20:28) Yilokho okubaluleke kakhulu futhi kuyohlala kubalulekile.