Ukuqondisisa Izindaba
AmaKatolika Nobhapathizo
Inani elandayo labantu abadala libhapathizwa isonto lamaRoma Katolika eFrance, kubika iMonde, iphephandaba laseFrance. Eqinisweni, leliphephandaba lithi “amanani aye aphindeka kabili eminyakeni emine edlule.” Izifundo zangaphambi kokubhapathizwa zifundwa abantu abadala baseFrance abangaphezu kwezi-4 000 abafuna ukuba ngamaKatolika abhapathiziwe. Izingxenye ezimbili kwezintathu zingabesifazane abaseminyakeni ephakathi kwengama-20 nengama-40 ubudala. Ikwata elilodwa alibona abaseFrance.
Nokho, ukulungiselela abantu abadala ukuba babhapathizwe kungathatha iminyaka emibili noma emithathu. Umfundisi uGuy Cordonnier, ophethe lawomakilasi ezifundo zangaphambi kobhapathizo endaweni yaseVersailles, wathi: “Ukuze umuntu abhapathizwe, akwanele nje ukuba athi uyakholelwa kuNkulunkulu. Kubalulekile ukuba afunde indlela yokuphila emphakathini.”
Ngempela, ubhapathizo lwabantu abadala alulusha. ‘UJesu ngokwakhe wabhapathizwa eneminyaka engama-30 ubudala. Ukuthi ukholo lulodwa kuNkulunkulu alwanele ngomuntu ukuba abhapathizwe ngokufanayo nakho akukusha. Umyalo kaJesu oya kubalandeli bakhe wawuwukuba ‘benze . . . abafundi, bababhapathize’ futhi ‘babafundise’ ukuba bagcine imiyalo yakhe.—Mathewu 28:19, 20.
Nokho, njengoba iSonto lamaKatolika liye lenza ubhapathizo lwezinsana amakhulu eminyaka, lesimo sengqondo salelisonto mayelana nokubhapathiza abantu abadala siyindida. Izikhulu zesonto zithi kuthatha iminyaka emibili noma ngaphezulu ukuba zilungiselele umuntu omdala ukuba abhapathizwe, nokho bayaphikelela ukuthi ubhapathizo lwezinsana lulungile. Bazisholo ukuthi ubhapathizo luhlanza izinsana esonweni esizuzwe njengefa, kodwa umphostoli uJohane wabhala: ‘Igazi likaJesu . . . liyasihlambulula ezonweni zonke.’ (1 Johane 1:7) Njengoba abantwana bengakwazi ukubonakalisa ukholo kuNkulunkulu nasegazini likaKristu elachithwa, kungani bebhapathizwa?
Amazwi Angakaze Ezwiwe
Cishe ingxenye yamakhosikazi ayizi-3 800 ahlolwa inkampane yomshuwalense yaseJapane “ayiwezwa amazwi athi ‘ngiyakuthanda’ evela kubayeni bawo eminyakeni emibalwa,” kubika iDaily Yomiuri. Amaphesenti amakhosikazi angawezwa lamazwi akhula ngokweminyaka yobudala, futhi labo abaseminyakeni yama-50, amaphesenti amangalisayo angama-82 athi awakaze awezwe lamazwi avela kubayeni bawo. Ngisho naphakathi kwamakhosikazi aseminyakeni yama-20, amaphesenti ayi-10 kuphela ezwa abayeni bawo besho lamazwi nsuku zonke.
Endabeni yothando yeNkosi ehlakaniphile uSolomoni ekhuluma ngomfana ongumelusi nentombazane enhle yasemzini wasendulo waseShunemi, ‘kwakungamazwi othando’ lomfana anqoba ngawo inhliziyo yalentombazane. (IsiHlabelelo SeziHlabelelo 1:2, qhathanisa neNW.) Uma amadoda esezinqobile izinhliziyo zamakhosikazi awo, ingabe kusadingeka ukuba alokhu ekhuluma ngemizwa yawo? Yebo! IBhayibheli liyeluleka: “Madoda, thandani omkenu, njengalokho noKristu ulithandile ibandla, wazinikela ngenxa yalo.”—Efesu 5:25.
Ngobusuku akhashelwa ngabo, uJesu ngokuphindaphindiwe wakhuluma ngothando lwakhe ngabafundi bakhe. (Johane 13:34; 14:19-21; 15:9, 10, 12) Indoda kumelwe icabangele ukudinga komkayo ukuqinisekiswa ngothando lwayo. Amadoda kumelwe akhumbule futhi ukuthi uKristu ‘wazinikela ngenxa yebandla.’ Kanjalo, wabonakalisa uthando kokubili ngamazwi nangezenzo. Ngokusobala, amadoda ayobe enza kahle uma elingisa isibonelo sikaKristu.