NgoDisemba 29, 2023, ngokwekhalenda lama-Orthodox, abafel’ ukholo bezingane eziyizinkulungwane eziyi-14 ababulawa uHerode eBhetlehema bayahlonishwa.
Lezi zingane zamaJuda ezingenacala zahlupheka ngenxa yomntwana uJesu ngokuyala kwenkosi yaseJudiya uHerode, owayesaba ukuthi umntwana osanda kuzalwa uzothatha umbuso wakhe.
Isahlulelo sikaNkulunkulu - ngokusho kwababhali besonto - safinyelela uHerode ngezifo ezimbi ezaqeda impilo yakhe ngokubulawa ngokungemthetho kwabangenacala.
Lezi zingane zamaJuda ezingenacala zahlupheka ngenxa yengane yokuqala enguKristu - iNdodana kaNkulunkulu ngomyalo wenkosi yamaJuda uHerode.
Kwathi ebona ukuthi izazi ezazikhonza uKristu uMntwana, zingabuyelanga kuye, kodwa zamuka zaya ezweni lakubo, uHerode wathukuthela kakhulu, esaba ukuthi inkosi yabaJuda esanda kuzalwa ingathatha. embusweni wakhe, wayala ukuba kubulawe zonke izinsana eBetlehema nayo yonke imikhawulo yalo, kusukela kwabaneminyaka emibili kuya phansi. Khona-ke kwagcwaliseka okwashiwo umprofethi uJeremiya:
“Izwi lezwakala eRama, ukukhala nokulila nokukhala okukhulu. URaheli wakhala ngenxa yabantwana bakhe, engafuni ukududuzwa ngoba base behambile” (Math. 2:17-18).
Kanjalo uHerode ononya wanikela ngezinkulungwane zezingane ekukhanukeleni kwakhe amandla okungalawuleki, engazi ukuthi uJesu Kristu wazalelwa ukuze amise umbuso ongewona wokubusa kwasemhlabeni, kodwa wensindiso yaphakade;
ukuthi wonke amaqhinga abantu awanamandla futhi ayize ekuphatheni okunamandla kaNkulunkulu, ohlela ngamandla nangenazihibe ukusindiswa komhlaba;
ukuthi ukuphila kukaHerode ngokwakhe, owazinakekela ngokugabadela, kwakungeke kuthathe isikhathi esingaphezu konyaka, nokuthi isiphetho sakhe sasincike kuNkulunkulu!
Isahlulelo sikaNkulunkulu - ngokwamazwi ababhali bebandla - safinyelela kuHerode ngezifo ezimbi ezaqeda impilo yakhe ngokubulawa ngokungemthetho kwabangenacala.
Abafel’ ukholo bezingane bangena eMbusweni weZulu hhayi ngomnyango woMbhapathizo oNgcwele, kodwa ngokufela ukholo lukaJesu Kristu, yena ngokwakhe akubiza ngokuthi “ubhapathizo” (Marku 10:10). Futhi ngalokhu kubhapathizwa, uma kunesidingo, isakramente lokubhapathizwa kwamanzi ngokwalo lithathelwa indawo.
