Ngu-Br. UCharbel Rizk (I-Syriac Orthodox Patriarchate yase-Antiyokiya nakuyo yonke iMpumalanga)
Iyini injongo yalempilo, lempilo yezindela, esiyiphilayo? Njengezindela nezindela, senza izinto eziningi. Ngezinye izikhathi izinto eziningi kakhulu. Ngokuvamile sizithola siphoqelekile ukuba sizenze. Lapho sifika eSweden sisuka eSyria sizosungula impilo yethu yezindela lapha, kwadingeka senze izinto eziningi. Futhi sisenza izinto eziningi. Futhi ngicabanga ukuthi kusazodingeka senze izinto eziningi. Abantu beza kithi. Ngeke sibatshele ukuthi bahambe. Eqinisweni siyakholwa ukuthi uKristu uzithumela kithi. Kodwa kungani? Kungani kithi? Beza nezinhliziyo ezibuhlungu, izinhliziyo ezilimele. Beza nobunzima. Siyalalela. Bayakhuluma. Bese beba impela futhi balindele izimpendulo. Ngeshwa abanye balindele izimpendulo eziqondile ezingase zixazulule ubunzima babo, zelaphe izinhliziyo zabo ezilimele, zibuyise izinhliziyo zabo ezibuhlungu. Ngesikhathi esifanayo sifisa sengathi bangabona ubunzima bethu, izinhliziyo zethu ezilimele, izinhliziyo zethu ezinzima. Futhi mhlawumbe bayakwenza. Umhlaba uyahlupheka. Sonke sihlupheka ngezizathu ezihlukahlukene. Lokhu kuyiqiniso elikhona elingenakuphikwa. Ukuqaphela lokhu kuqonda nokukwamukela, hhayi ukukubalekela, yikho okwenza ukuphila kwethu kwezindela.
Simane singamalungu esintu esihluphekayo, asiwona omubi. Ukuhlupheka kubuhlungu. Ukuhlupheka kungasenza sibe izimpumputhe. Indoda eyimpumputhe esezinhlungwini cishe iyolimaza abanye. Ngokuthanda, yebo, kodwa intando yakhe inegciwane. Unesibopho, kodwa futhi uhlushwa. Akekho omubi, kodwa wonke umuntu uyahlupheka. Lesi isimo sethu. Yini esingayenza ngakho? Siyathandaza, noma ukunemba kakhudlwana, siphila ngomthandazo njengoKristu. Lena inhloso yempilo yethu yezindela, ukuphila ngomthandazo njengoKristu. Esesiphambanweni, ehlupheka kakhulu, wakhuleka wathi: “Baba, bathethelele, ngokuba abakwazi abakwenzayo.” ( Luk. 23:34 ) Ngempela, njengoba siphuphuthekiswe ubuhlungu bethu, silahlekelwa ukuqonda. Kanjalo asikwazi esikwenzayo. Ekuhluphekeni kwakhe, uKristu akazange alahlekelwe ukuqonda kwakhe. Kungani? Ngoba uyindoda ephelele. Uyindoda yeqiniso. Futhi uyisiqalo sokuvuselelwa kwesintu. Ungukuphulukisa kwethu.
“Lezo zingxabano nezingxabano phakathi kwenu zivelaphi na?” Kubuza uJames encwadini yakhe. Futhi uyaqhubeka echaza, “Aziveli yini ezinkanukweni zenu ezisekulweni na? Ufuna okuthile kodwa awunakho, ngakho ubulala. Futhi nifisa futhi anikwazi ukukuthola, ngakho nihileleka ezingxabanweni nasezingxabanweni.” ( Jak. 4:1-2 )
Izingxabano nezingxabano, nazo zonke izinhlobo zobubi, zivela ezifisweni zethu, ezinhliziyweni zethu ezilimele. Asidalwanga kanje. Futhi asidalwanga ukuthi sibe njena. Kodwa saba kanje. Lesi isimo sesintu sethu esiwile. Lesi isimo somunye nomunye wethu. Ngokuqinisekile singachitha sonke isikhathi sethu, ngisho nokuphila kwethu konke, ekutholeni ukuthi ubani okufanele asole amanxeba ethu. Uma sikhetha ukuchitha isikhathi esithile ekwenzeni lokhu, uma siqotho ngokwanele, siyoqaphela ukuthi silinyazwe ngabanye, kodwa futhi silimaza abanye. Pho, ubani okufanele asolwe ngamanxeba esintu? Ubuntu, okungukuthi, thina. Hhayi yena, hhayi yena, hhayi bona, kodwa thina. Sinecala. Ukuthi nje sinecala, ngamunye wethu.
Nokho, esiphambanweni, uKristu akasolanga muntu. Esezinhlungwini, waxolela konke. Kukho konke ukuphila kwakhe, wathululela umusa esintwini. Ekuhluphekeni kwakhe, siphilisiwe ngempela. Akazange asole muntu. Welapha wonke umuntu. Lokhu wakwenza ekuhluphekeni kwakhe.
Sikhethe ukuphila impilo yokukhuleka, ukukhuleka njalo, yebo, ukuphila okuphikelelayo kokukhuleka. Kusho ukuthini lokhu? Kusho ukulandela uKristu ngaphandle kokuyekethisa. “Yeka abafileyo bangcwabe abafileyo babo, kodwa wena hamba ushumayele umbuso kaNkulunkulu.” ( Luk. 9:60 ) Kusho ukuthethelela lapho ebethelwa esiphambanweni. Kusho ukuzigxeka thina, hhayi omunye umuntu, ngamanxeba ethu. Kithina, wonke umuntu ukhona. Kithina, sithwala konke. Singabantu. Uma sizigxeka, sisola isintu. Futhi kufanele siyisole ukuze sibone ukuthi idinga ukwelashwa. Ngokufanayo, lapho siziphulukisa, siletha ukuphulukiswa esintwini. Emkhankasweni wokuphulukisa amanxeba ethu, sisezinhlelweni zokupholisa amanxeba esintu. Lona umzabalazo wethu wokuzincisha injabulo.
Kusukela ekuqaleni, ukupholisa amanxeba bekuyinjongo yokuphila kwezindela. Lesi yisizathu esihle, akufanele sithathwe kalula. Impela kunzima. Cishe akunakwenzeka. Impela kunjalo ngaphandle kwempilo yensindiso kaKristu. Ubuyisele isintu, wasenza kabusha, futhi wasinika imiyalo yakhe yokuhlanza, okuthi ngayo thina ebuhlungwini bethu sithole ukuphulukiswa. Inhliziyo engakwazi ukuthanda iyophulukiswa umyalo wakhe wokuthanda. Futhi ukuthanda ube ungafuni uthando kuwumshikashika omkhulu kunayo yonke. Ukubeka abanye phambi kwakho kuyilapho ungafuni ukwenza kanjalo kuwumzabalazo omkhulu kunayo yonke. Ngamafuphi nje, ukugcina imiyalo yakhe kuwumshikashika omkhulu kunayo yonke, futhi uma siphumelela kulo mzabalazo, asigcini nje ngokupholisa amanxeba ethu, kodwa futhi silethe ukuphulukiswa kwesintu.
Abantu abeza kithi ngezinhliziyo ezilimele basikhumbuza inhloso yempilo yethu yezindela. Silalela ngezinhliziyo zethu. Sithwala ubunzima babo ngendlela ecashile ezinhliziyweni zethu ezilimele. Ngakho-ke amanxeba abo kanye nawethu ahlangana enhliziyweni eyodwa, enhliziyweni eyodwa elimele, enhliziyweni elimele yesintu. Nasezinhlelweni zokuphulukisa amanxeba ethu, awabo nawo aphulukiswa ngendlela engaqondakali. Lena inkolelo yethu eqinile enikeza inhloso enkulu empilweni yethu ethule.
Izinhliziyo ezikhathazwa inkanuko yazo ziba lula ukwahlulela lapho zilalela ubunzima babanye, ikakhulukazi lapho ubunzima babo bubonakala bubangelwa amaphutha abo. Kodwa-ke, izilonda azilashwa ngamajaji kodwa ngodokotela. Ngakho-ke, uma sifuna ukuhlanganyela ekwelapheni isintu, akufanele senze njengamajaji kodwa njengodokotela. Lapho belalelisisa iziguli zichaza izinhlungu zazo, odokotela abahlakaniphile bazinikeza izindlela zokwelapha abanolwazi ngazo ngomsebenzi. Njengamamonki nezindela, silandela uKristu, ngethemba silalela ngokucophelela isintu esilimele, sizihlanganise naso, sihlupheke kanye naso futhi siphulukise ngaso. Kudingeka siphaphame futhi sithembeke ukuze singasheleli futhi siwe. Uma senza kanjalo, kufanele sivuke ngokushesha ngezinhliziyo eziphendukile futhi sikuthathe lokhu njengesikhumbuzo sokuthi nathi singabantu abalimele njengabo bonke abanye abantu, abazabalaza endleleni enzima yokuphulukisa. Akufanele neze sizame ukuchaza ukushelela nokuwa kwethu.
Ngeshwa, emlandweni weBandla, akubanga khona nje kuphela ukushelela nokuwa okuningi, kodwa futhi nokuzama ukukuchaza kude. Sihlukanise umzimba kaKristu. Futhi esikhundleni sokuvuka ngezinhliziyo eziphendukile lapho sishelela futhi siwa, siye sabhekisa umhlaba wonke phansi, senza kubonakale sengathi wonke amanye amaKristu ayashelela futhi ayawa, kuyilapho kuyithi sodwa esimi ngokuphelele futhi siqinile siqonde. Ingabe ukhona ngempela oqiniseka ngokuthi isonto elithile alinacala ngokuphelele kuyilapho amanye amasonto enecala ngokuphelele? Sonke sinecala ngendlela eyodwa noma enye. Nokho yilabo kuphela phakathi kwethu abapholisa amanxeba abo abakwaziyo ukubona amacala abo, bawavume futhi balungise umonakalo ngamunye wethu owenziwe eBandleni.
I-Ecumenism iyisidingo esikhulu sempilo yethu yezindela. Nokho, izinhliziyo ezilimele azikwazi ukuhlanganisa iBandla elihlukene phakathi. Ngenqubo yokupholisa amanxeba ethu, sizokwazi ukusiza ukubuyisela iBandla elihlukene phakathi.
Impela, imibuzo kanye nezindaba eziphathelene nobudlelwano bamabandla kanye nezingxoxo phakathi kwamabandla ethu miningi. NjengomSyriac‑Orthodox, uma ngicabanga ngakho konke lokhu, ngandlela-thile ngizithola ngigajwe imizwa exubile futhi ngezinye izikhathi ngisho nokukhungatheka nokudumala. Ngiyazibuza ukuthi yimiphi ngempela imibandela okumele ihlangatshezwe ukuze kube nobumbano? Ingabe sekuxoxiwe ngakho futhi kwacaciswa lokhu? Ingabe amasonto anezimo ezihlukene? NjengomSyriac‑Orthodox, ngiyazi ukuthi umbuzo weChristological ubaluleke kakhulu. ISonto LamaSyriac‑Orthodox, njengamanye amasonto abizwa ngokuthi asempumalanga, liyawenqaba uMkhandlu weChalcedon, obhekwa njengomkhandlu wesine wamasonto onke phakathi kwamanye amasonto, kuhlanganise neRoma-Katolika, iSheshi neLuthela. Emakhulwini amaningi eminyaka, okungukuthi, kusukela ekhulwini lesihlanu kuze kube ekhulwini elidlule, amaKristu aseSyriac‑Orthodox ayebhekwa njengaphethe i-Christology engavamile, okungukuthi, ephika ngandlela-thile ubuntu obuphelele bukaKristu. Eqinisweni, lokhu akukaze kube njalo. ISonto Lama-Syriac‑Orthodox, nakuba liwulahla uMkhandlu WaseChalcedon, belilokhu likholelwa ukuthi uKristu, engumuntu oyedwa noma umuntu oyedwa, uphelele ebuntwini bakhe futhi uphelele ebunkulunkulu bakhe. Ukwenqaba kweSonto Lama-Syriac‑Orthodox UMkhandlu We-Chalcedon kuhlobene nendlela elaliwuqonda ngayo umlando ukwakheka koMkhandlu kaKristu wokuthi uKristu unezimo ezimbili noma unezimo ezimbili. Ngamafuphi, iSonto Lobu-Orthodox laseSyriac, ngokomlando, laliqonda ukwakheka kweChalcedonian Christological kusho ukuthi uKristu uyizifundo ezimbili noma abantu. Nokho, ngenxa yobudlelwano bamasonto nezingxoxo zekhulu leminyaka elidlule, kuye kwaba sobala ngokwanele ukuthi iSonto Lobu-Orthodox LaseSyriac namasonto amaChalcedonian awanayo i-Christology ehlukile. Nakuba amasonto ethu enezindlela zawo ezithile zokukhuluma ngemfihlakalo Yokuvela Enyameni, ukuqonda okujwayelekile kobuKrestu kuyabonwa futhi kuvunywe.
Manje, uma kukhona ukuqondana okufanayo mayelana neChristology - futhi yini ebaluleke kakhulu ukuthi uKristu?! - bese ngiyazibuza, sikude kangakanani ebunyeni bokholo? Futhi ingabe sidinga ngaphezu kwalokho ubunye bokholo ukuze sabelane ngeSidlo seNkosi esiwuphawu lokugcina lobunye kuKristu? Noma silindele ezinye izinto komunye nomunye? Silindeleni ngobunye? Mhlawumbe, isithiyo esikhulu sobunye yizinhliziyo zethu ezehlukene?
Lapho sicelwa ukuba sihlanganyele kulo mbuthano, nalapho sithola ukuthi inhloso yokuhlangana ukuthandazela ubunye, sazizwa sibusisekile, njengoba sabona ukuthi lokhu kuwukubonakaliswa okuphelele kwempilo yethu yezindela. Njengoba nje isintu sidinga ukuphiliswa, kanjalo neBandla lidinga ukuphiliswa. Futhi njengoba nje ukuphulukiswa kwethu kuletha ukuphulukiswa esintwini, kanjalo-ke nokwethu ukuphiliswa kuletha ukuphulukiswa eBandleni. Siphinde sazizwa sibusisekile lapho sicelwa ukuthi sinamukele emphakathini wethu osanda kusungulwa lapha eSweden. Lo mphakathi, njengokungathi, ingane eneminyaka emi-3, esanda kuzalwa emhlabeni kanye neBandla ukuze kuphulukiswe kokubili. Ukuba nawe lapha, kulesi simo sokuqala, kuyisibusiso esikhulu. Imikhuleko yenu lapha izoqinisa lendawo engcweliselwe, lendawo yokukhuleka, lendawo yokuphulukisa.
Ukuba ndawonye lapha, phakathi nalezi zinsuku, ngempela kuyisibusiso kithi, kodwa ngesikhathi esifanayo, lokhu kwembula isilonda sethu esihlanganyelwe. Ukubona uMthendeleko weNkosi ulungiselelwa futhi ugujwa ngokwesiko ngalinye kodwa ungahlanganyeli yithi sonke kwembula inxeba lethu esabelana ngalo. Sizizwa kanjani lapho silungiselela futhi sigubha uMthendeleko weNkosi phambi kwabafowethu nodadewethu thina, noma okungenani abanye bethu, esingenakubamema ukuba babelane nabo? Asizwa yini amazwi kaPawulu enanela futhi evutha kunembeza wezinhliziyo zethu ezilimele?
Ngikhuluma iqiniso kuKristu, angiqambi amanga; unembeza wami uyakuqinisekisa ngoMoya oNgcwele—nginosizi olukhulu nobuhlungu obungapheli enhliziyweni yami. Ngokuba bengingathanda ukuba mina ngokwami ngiqalekiswe, nginqunywe kuKristu ngenxa yabafowethu nodadewethu, inyama yami negazi lami. ( Roma 9:1-3 )
Uma senza kanjalo, masiqhubeke sithandaza. Asibambelele empilweni yethu yezindela. Sazise ukuthi sihlanganyela inhliziyo elimele. Futhi masithembe ukuthi ohlelweni lokupholisa amanxeba ethu, sizokwazi ukusiza ukubuyisela iBandla elihlukene phakathi.
Qaphela: Umbhalo owethulwe kubahlanganyeli bomhlangano wama-22 weNgqungquthela Yezizwe Ngezizwe Ezihlangene Nezenkolo wenzeka kulo nyaka e-Sweden, ngo-September 2023.
