UMARIYA wawa ngamadolo, ezwa ubuhlungu obungahlathululekiko. Bekasakuzwa ukulila kwamaswaphela kwendodanakhe neyihlongakalako ngemva kokuhlunguphazwa ama-awara amanengi. Isibhakabhaka saphenduka saba nzima emini. Iphasi lasikinyeka kabuhlungu. (Matewu 27:45, 51) Kungenzeka uMariya wacabanga bona uJehova bekafuna iphasi lazi bona uzwa ubuhlungu obukhulu ngokufa kwakaJesu Krestu ukudlula nanyana ngubani.

Njengombana ilanga likhamba kusuka nobumnyama egade buseGolgotha, namkha iNdawo yeKhakhayi, uMariya walilela indodanakhe. (Jwanisi 19:17, 25) Wafikelwa mikhumbulo eminengi engqondwenakhe. Okhunye akukhumbula khulu ngilokho okwenzeka eminyakeni ema-33 eyadlulako. Lokha yena noJosefa baletha umntwanabo oligugu ethempelini eJerusalema, indoda ekhulileko ebizwa ngokuthi nguSimeyoni yaphefumulelwa bonyana ibikezele isiphorofido. Yabikezela izinto ezihle ngoJesu, yangezelela ngokuthi ngelinye lamalanga, uMariya bekazozizwa kwanga uhlatjwe ngesabula. (Lukasi 2:25-35) Kwanje e-awareneli elibuhlungweli, ukubona kuhle ukuba liqiniso kwamezwi lawo.

Vane bakhulume bathi ayikho into ebuhlungu ukudlula ukufelwa mntwana. Ukufa linaba elimbi khulu, begodu kusilimaza soke ngendlela yinye. (Roma 5:12; 1 Korinte 15:26) Kuyakghoneka ukuphola eenhlungwini ezinjalo? Njengombana sicoca ngokuphila kwakaMariya ukusuka ekuthomeni kwekonzo kaJesu ukufika ekuhlongakaleni kwakhe nokudlula lapho, sifunda okunengi okwenza uMariya wakghona ukusinda eenhlungwini ezihlaba njengesabula.

Khesibuyele emva eminyakeni emithathu nengcenye: UMariya wezwa bona kunamatjhuguluko azako. Ngitjho nedorobheni elincani leNazaretha, abantu bebakhuluma ngoJwanisi umBhabhadisi nomlayezo wakhe otjhukumisako wokuphenduka. UMariya wabona bona indodanakhe ekulu beyiqala iindabezi njengetshwayo; besele kusikhathi sokobana ingenele ikonzwayo. (Matewu 3:1, 13) KuMariya nemndeninakhe, ukungabi khona kwakaJesu bekuzokuba siphazamiso ngenye indlela. Kubayini kunjalo?

Kubonakala kwanga indoda yakwaMariya, uJosefa, besele ihlongakele. Nangabe kunjalo, uMariya besele ajayelene nokulahlekelwa. * UJesu bekangabizwa bona ‘uyindodana yombazi’ kwaphela kodwana nangokuthi ‘umbazi.’ Ubufakazi balokho, uJesu wathatha umsebenzi kayise begodu kungenzeka wathatha nendima yokutlhogomela umndenekhabo, okuhlanganisa okunganani abantwana abasithandathu ababelethwa ngemva kwakhe. (Matewu 13:55, 56; Markosi 6:3) Ngitjho nanyana uJesu abandula uJakopo—okungenzeka bekayindodana elandelako—bona atlhogomele ibhizinisi, ukukhamba kwakhe bengeze kube lula emndenini. UMariya besele anomthwalo obudisi, kghani bekamtshwenya amatjhuguluko la? Kungenzeka bekamtshwenya. Kodwana naku umbuzo oqakathekileko: Bekazokusabela njani lokha uJesu weNazaretha nakaba nguJesu Krestu, uMesiya owathenjiswa kade? Enye indaba yeBhayibhelini ihlathulula indaba efana naleyo.—Jwanisi 2:1-12, ITastamende Elitjha namaRhalani akhethiweko.

UJesu waya kuJwanisi bona abhabhadiswe, ngemva kwalokho waba ngoCwengileko kaZimu, namkha  uMesiya. (Lukasi 3:21, 22) Ngemva kwalokho, wathoma ukukhetha abafundi bakhe. Umsebenzakhe bekawuqala njengoqakathekileko, kodwana bekaba nesikhathi sokuthaba nomndeni nabangani. Akhamba nommakhe, nabafundi bakhe, nabanakwabo beengazi, waya emnyanyeni womtjhado eKana, egade kulidorobho elisendaweni ephezulu emakhilomitha ali-13 ukusuka eNazaretha. Hlangana nomnyanya, uMariya kunomraro awulemukako. Kungenzeka watjheja abanye bemndenini walaba abatjhadako batshwenyekile begodu bahlebelana. Iwayini liphelile! Ngokwesiko labo, ukuphelelwa yiwayini okunjalo bekuzokuhlazisa umndeni, kone nomnyanya. UMariya wabazwela ubuhlungu, waya kuJesu.

Watjela indodanakhe: “Abasenalo iwayini.” Bekalindele bona yenzeni? Nasicabangako, bekazi bona indodanakhe imumuntu omkhulu obekazokwenza izinto ezinengi ezirarako. Kungenzeka bekanethemba lokobana izokuthoma ukuzenza nje. Kuhlekuhle, bekathi kuye, “Ndodana, ngibawa wenze okuthileko ngendaba le!” Ipendulo eyanikelwa nguJesu kungenzeka yamrara khulu. Wathi: “Ungangitjeli bona ngenzeni?” Amezwi kaJesu la bekangatjengisi ukudelela, ngitjho nanyana angazwakala ngasuthi uyadelela. Nokho, amezwi la bekatjengisa indlela enomusa yokunikela isiluleko. UJesu bekakhumbuza unina bona akanalungelo lokulawula indlela enza ngayo ikonzwakhe; umuntu egade anelungelo lokwenza lokhu nguYise uJehova.

UMariya wakwamukela ukulungiswa yindodanakhe, ngombana bekanehliziyo ethambileko amfazi onehlonipho. Waya kilabo egade baphethe umnyanya wathi kibo: “Yenzani nanyana yini akutjhoko.” UMariya wabona ukuthi bekangasenalungelo lokulawula indodanakhe; kunalokho, yena nabanye kufuze balalele isinqophiso sakhe. UJesu naye, watjengisa bona uzwa ubuhlungu njengommakhe ngesibili esiqeda ukutjhadesi. Wenza ikarisomraro yakhe yokuthoma, atjhugulula amanzi awenze iwayini elimnandi. Umphumela? “Abafundi bakhe baba nekholo kuye.” UMariya naye wabeka ikholo kuJesu. Khenge amqale njengendodanakhe kwaphela kodwana njengeKosi noMsindisakhe.

Ababelethi namhlanjesi bangafunda okunengi ekholweni lakaMariya. Ngaphezu kwalokho, akekho okhe wakhulisa umntwana ofana noJesu. Nokho, nanyana ngimuphi umntwana onesono, nakhulako aba mumuntu omkhulu, ukutjhentjhokho kungaletha iintjhijilo. Umbelethi angaragela phambili aphatha indodana nofana indodakazakhe njengomntwana omncani, ngitjho nanyana ukwenza njalo kungasatlhogeki. (1 Korinte 13:11) Umbelethi angamsiza njani umntwanakhe osele akhulile? Enye indlela ongenza ngayo kutjengisa bona uyayithemba indodana nofana indodakazakho ukuthi izokuragela phambili isebenzisa iimfundiso zeBhayibheli begodu ifumane iimbusiso zakaJehova. Amezwi athobekileko wombelethi otjengisa ukumthemba umntwana osekakhulile angatjho okukhulu. Akunakuzaza bona uJesu wabuka ukusekelwa nguMariya hlangana neminyaka eqakathekileko eyalandelako.

AmaVangeli asitjela okuncani khulu malungana noMariya hlangana neminyaka emithathu nengcenye yekonzo kaJesu. Khumbula bona uMariya bekamfelokazi—umma oyedwana, kungenzeka bekasese nabantwana abancani abasahlala ekhaya. Kuyazwisiseka bona bekangakghoni ukulandela uJesu qobe nakafundisako endawenekhabo. (1 Thimothi 5:8) Nanyana kunjalo, waragela phambili nokuzindla ngezinto ezingokomoya azifundileko malungana noMesiya begodu wabakhona nemihlanganweni esinagogini langekhabo njengombana bekulisiko lomndeni ukuya khona qobe.—Lukasi 2:19, 51; 4:16.

Kungenzeka na bona uMariya bekahlezi hlangana nesiqubuthu lokha uJesu nafundisako esinagogini  leNazaretha? Qala bona kwamthabisa kangangani ukuzwa indodanakhe ibikezela bona isiphorofido esabikezelwa emakhulwini weminyaka malungana noMesiya sesizalisekile kuye! Kodwana lokho kungenzeka kwamzwisa ubuhlungu ukuzwa bona abantu beNazaretha khenge bamukele indodanakhe. Balinga nokuyibulala!—Lukasi 4:17-30.

Okhunye egade kumzwisa ubuhlungu bekuyindlela amanye amadodanakhe asabela ngayo kuJesu. KuJwanisi 7:5 sifunda bona abafowabo lakaJesu abane khenge babe nekholo elifana nelakanina. Ifundeka bunjesi: “Ngitjho nabafowabo akhange khebamkholwe.” Malungana nabodadwabo lakaJesu—okungenzeka bebababili—iBhayibheli alikhulumi litho ngabo. * Ezehlakalweni ezinengi, uMariya waqalana nobuhlungu obungakajayeleki bokuhlala ekhayeni elinemibono ehlukeneko ngokwekolo. Kwatlhogeka bona alwisane nokuhlala athembekile eqinisweni elingokwaphezulu njengombana asebenzela ukuzuza iinhliziyo zamalunga womndenakhe ngaphandle kokuwakatelela.

Kwesinye isehlakalo, isiqhema seenhlobo—kuhlanganise nabanakwabo lakaJesu—baqunta ‘ukuyokubamba’ uJesu. Bebathi: “Uhlangene ihloko.” (Markosi 3:21, 31) Kuliqiniso, uMariya akhenge acabange ukwenza into efana naleyo, kodwana wakhamba namadodanakhe, kungenzeka anethemba lokobana azakufunda okuthileko okuzowasiza akhule ekholweni. Kukhona akufundako? Nanyana uJesu bekenza imisebenzi ekarisako begodu afundisa neqiniso elihle, amanye wamadodana kaMariya khenge amkholwe. Inga-kghani ngokukwata bekazibuza bona khuyini ezokuthinta iinhliziyo zawo?

Inga-kghani nawe uhlala ekhayeni elihlukeneko ngokwekolo? Ikholo lakaMariya lingakufundisa okunengi khulu. Akhenge alahle ithemba ngeenhlobo zakhe ezingakholwako. Nanyana kunjalo, wakhetha ukuzenza zibone ukuthi ikholo lakhe limlethele ithabo nokuthula komkhumbulo. Ngakelinye ihlangothi, waragela phambili nokusekela indodanakhe ethembekileko. Kungenzeka na bona uyamkhumbula uJesu? Kghani kungenzeka bona ngezinye iinkhathi beka khanuka kwanga uJesu bekasese khona ekhaya naye nomndenakhe? Nengabe kunjalo, waragela phambili nokubamba amazizwakhe. Wakuqala njengelungelo ukusekela nokukhuthaza uJesu. Ungakghona nawe na ukusiza abantwabakho bona babeke uZimu ntangi emaphilwenabo?

Inga-kghani uMariya wavuzwa ngokuba nekholo kuJesu? UJehova akakhohlwa ukuvuza labo abanekholo, ngokuqinisekileko noMariya wavuzwa. (Hebheru 11:6) Akhese ucabange bona bekuba njani lokha nakezwa indodanakhe ikhuluma namkha ukuzwa imibiko evela kwabanye abantu emalungana nendlela yakhe yokufundisa.

Emifanekisweni yendodanakhe, inga-kghani uMariya wafikelwa mkhumbulo wangesikhathi kusakhula uJesu eNazaretha? Lokha uJesu nakhuluma ngomfazi othanyela indlwakhe bona athole isipaparwana semali, asile iflowuru bona athole uburotho, namkha akhanyise isibani asibeke phezu kwetafula, inga-kghani uMariya wacabanga ngomsanyana ogade ahlala ahlanu kwakhe nakenza imisebenzakhe yaqobe langa? (Lukasi 11:33; 15:8, 9; 17:35) Lokha uJesu nakathi ijogi lakhe linomusa begodu nomthwalo wakhe awudisibezi, inga-kghani uMariya wacabanga ngeenkhathi zekadeni lokha nakathanda ukubona uJosefa afundisa uJesu omncani ukwenza ijogi kuhle bona isilwana sikghone ukulithwala kuhle? (Matewu 11:30) Kwamambala uMariya waba nokwaneliseka okukhulu khulu nakacabangela ilungelo uJehova amnikele lona ekuphileni—ilungelo lokukhulisa nokubandula indodana eyaba nguMesiya. Kungenzeka waba nethabo elikhulu  lokulalela uJesu, umfundisi omkhulu ephasini, owasebenzisa izinto ezijayelekileko, nezibonwako begodu ngazo wanikela ngeemfundiso ezidephileko!

Nanyana kunjalo, uMariya wahlala athobekile. Begodu ukuvelela kwendodanakhe akhenge kumenze azibone afanelwa kudunyiswa, namkha ukukhulekelwa. Phakathi nekonzo kaJesu, kwarhuwelela umfazi hlangana nesiqubuthu wathi ubusisekile umma kaJesu ngokubeletha indodana efana naye. UJesu waphendula wathi: “Kuhlekuhle ababusisekileko ngilabo abezwa ilizwi lakaZimu bebalilalele!” (Lukasi 11:27, 28) Begodu lokha abanye esiqubuthwini nabathi kuJesu unina lakhe nabanakwabo bakhona, wathi labo abanekholo kuye babommakhe nabanakwabo. Kunokobana akhubeke, uMariya walizwisisa iphuzu lakaJesu—izinto ezingokomoya ziqakatheke ukudlula izinto ezingokwenyama.—Markosi 3:32-35.

Nanyana kunjalo, akhona na amezwi angahlathulula kuhle ubuhlungu uMariya abuzwa njengombana abona indodanakhe ifa kabuhlungu khulu esigodweni sokuhlunguphazwa? Umpostoli uJwanisi owazibonela ngawakhe amehlo nakwenzeka isenzakalwesi, ngokukhamba kwesikhathi wahlathulula ngokunabileko endabenakhe wathi: Phakathi nokuhlunguphazwa, uMariya bekajame ‘hlanu kwesigodo sokuhlunguphazwa sakaJesu.’ Ayikho into egade ingavimbela umma othembekileko nonethando ukusekela indodanakhe bekube sekupheleni. UJesu wabona unina, nanyana bekezwa ubuhlungu khulu nekaphefumulako, nalokha nakakhulumako, kodwana wakhuluma. Wabawa umpostoli othandekako uJwanisi bona atlhogomele unina. Njengombana abanakwabo lakaJesu abangokwenyama gade bangasimakholwa, uJesu akhenge abawe namunye wabo bona atlhogomele uMariya kodwana wamtjhiya ezandleni zomlandelakhe othandekako. Ngalokho uJesu watjengisa indlela okuqakatheke ngayo ngendoda yekholo bona itjheje labo ekungebayo, khulukhulu nekuziwa eentlhogekweni ezingokomoya.—Jwanisi 19:25-27.

Ngemva kokufa kwakaJesu, uMariya wezwa ubuhlungu obabikezelwa kade, bokuhlaba kwesabula yobuhlungu. Nengabe sikuthola kubudisi ukucabanga ngobuhlungu abuzwako, sicabanga bona waba nethabo elingangani ngemva kwamalanga amathathu! UMariya wezwa ngeenkarisomraro ezikulu—uJesu uvusiwe! Begodu waba nethabo elikhulu khulu, ngombana uJesu ngokukhamba kwesikhathi kungenzeka wazibonakalisa ngemsithelweni kumnakwabo uJakopo. (1 Korinte 15:7) Umhlangano loyo wamthinta khulu uJakopo begodu nabanye abanakwabo lakaJesu bathinteka. Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, sifunde bona baba nekholo lokobana uJesu unguKrestu. Msinyana, bebakhamba nommabo emihlanganweni yobuKrestu, “bahlangane njalo bazokuthandaza.” (IzEnzo 1:14) Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi uJakopo noJuda, batlola iincwadi zeBhayibheli.

Kukhulunywa ngoMariya kwamaswaphela, lokha nebasemhlanganweni namadodanakhe, bathandaza. Qala bona siphetho esifaneleko kangangani somlando kaMariya, nesibonelo esihle asibekela sona! Ngebanga lekholo lakhe, wasinda esabuleni yobuhlungu begodu ekugcineni wafumana umvuzo ophazimulako. Nesilingisa ikholo lakhe, nathi sizokusinda kinanyana ngikuphi ukulimala iphasi elimbeli elisibangela kona begodu sizokuthabela nemivuzo emikhulu kunangendlela esicabanga ngayo.