UMARIYA waguqa ngamadolo, ezwa ubuhlungu obukhulu obungachazeki. Wayesakuzwa ukukhala kwendodana yakhe lapho ifa ngemva kokuhlushwa amahora amaningi. Isibhakabhaka saba mnyama kusemini. Umhlaba wazamazama kakhulu. (Mathewu 27:45, 51) KuMariya kwakungabonakala sengathi uJehova uqobo wayebonisa izwe lonke ukuthi uyena ozwa ubuhlungu obukhulu kunabo bonke abanye ngokufa kukaJesu Kristu.

Njengoba kancane kancane ukukhanya kwasemini kususa ubumnyama obabemboze iGolgotha, noma iNdawo Yogebhezi, uMariya wayelokhu ekhalela indodana yakhe. (Johane 19:17, 25) Kumelwe ukuba ziningi izinkumbulo ezamfikela. Enye okungenzeka yamfikela eyalokho okwakwenzeke eminyakeni engaba ngu-33 ngaphambili. Yena noJosefa babehambise usana lwabo oluyigugu ethempelini eJerusalema, futhi indoda esikhulile, uSimeyoni, yaphefumulelwa ukuba iprofethe. Yabikezela izinto ezinkulu ngoJesu, kodwa yanezela nokuthi ngolunye usuku, uMariya wayeyozwa sengathi udatshulwa inkemba ende. (Luka 2:25-35) Manje yima ewaqonda kahle lawo mazwi.

Kuthiwa ayikho into ebuhlungu ukwedlula ukushonelwa ingane. Ukufa kuyisitha esibi, futhi kusizwisa ubuhlungu sonke. (Roma 5:12; 1 Korinte 15:26) Singakwazi yini ukubhekana nobuhlungu bokufelwa? Njengoba sifunda ngokuphila kukaMariya kusukela ekuqaleni kwenkonzo kaJesu kuze kube sekufeni kwakhe nangalé kwalokho, sizofunda okuningi ngokholo olwasiza uMariya ukuba asinde enkembeni yosizi.

Ake sibuyele emuva eminyakeni emithathu nesigamu: UMariya wabona ukuthi kunezinguquko ezazizokwenzeka. Ngisho nasemzaneni waseNazaretha, abantu babekhuluma ngoJohane uMbhapathizi nangesigijimi sakhe esishukumisayo sokuphenduka. Kungenzeka uMariya wabona ukuthi indodana yakhe eyizibulo yayibheka lezo zindaba njengophawu; kwase kuyisikhathi sokuba iqale inkonzo yayo. (Mathewu 3:1, 13) KuMariya nabendlu yakhe, ukungabikho kukaJesu kwakuzophazamisa izinto eziningi. Kungani?

Kubonakala sengathi uJosefa, umyeni kaMariya, wayeseshonile. Uma kunjalo, uMariya wayekwazi kahle ukushonelwa. * UJesu manje wayengasabizwa nje kuphela ngokuthi “indodana yombazi” kodwa nangokuthi “umbazi.” Cishe uJesu wayesenakekela ibhizinisi likayise nomkhaya wakubo, okungenani owawunezingane eziyisithupha ezimelamayo. (Mathewu 13:55, 56; Marku 6:3) Ngisho noma kungenzeka ukuthi uJesu wayemqeqesha uJakobe—okungenzeka uyena owayemelama—ukuba aqhubeke nebhizinisi, ukungabikho kwakhe kwakuyowulethela ubunzima umkhaya wakubo. Kakade uMariya wayesenomthwalo osindayo ayewuthwele; ingabe lolu shintsho lwalumkhathaza? Asazi. Kodwa nawu umbuzo obalulekile: Wayeyosabela kanjani lapho uJesu waseNazaretha eba uJesu Kristu, uMesiya okwase kunesikhathi eside abikezelwa? Okunye ukulandisa kweBhayibheli kuveza okuthile ngalokhu.—Johane 2:1-12.

UJesu waya kuJohane ukuze abhapathizwe, wabe  eseba ngoGcotshiweyo kaNkulunkulu, noma uMesiya. (Luka 3:21, 22) Wabe eseqala ukukhetha abafundi bakhe. Nakuba umsebenzi wakhe wawuphuthuma, wazinika isikhathi sokuzijabulisa nomndeni wakubo nabangane. Ekanye nonina, abafundi bakhe, nabafowabo, waya edilini lomshado eKhana, cishe elalisegqumeni eliqhele ngamakhilomitha angu-13 ukusuka eNazaretha. Phakathi nedili, uMariya waphawula ukuthi kunenkinga. Kungenzeka wayebona abathile emndenini walaba abashadayo bejeqezana ngokukhathazeka futhi behlebelana. Iwayini lase liphelile! Ngokwesiko labo, ukuphela kwewayini ngaleyo ndlela kwakungahlazisa umndeni, kone nedili. UMariya wabazwela, waya kuJesu.

Watshela indodana yakhe, “Abanalo iwayini.” Wayelindele ukuba uJesu enzeni? Asazi, kodwa wayazi ukuthi indodana yakhe ingumuntu omkhulu owayezokwenza izinto ezinkulu. Mhlawumbe wayenethemba lokuthi izoqala manje ukuzenza. Kwakunjengokungathi uthi, “Ndodana, ngicela usisize!” Kumelwe ukuba impendulo kaJesu yammangaza. Wathi: “Ngihlangene ngani nawe, sifazane?” Amazwi kaJesu ayengeyona indelelo, ngisho noma ayengase azwakale sengathi uyadelela. Nokho, amazwi akhe ayenesiyalo esinomusa. UJesu wayekhumbuza unina ukuthi wayengenalo ilungelo lokuqondisa indlela ayezoyifeza ngayo inkonzo yakhe; lokho kwakuzokwenziwa uYise, uJehova.

UMariya wasamukela leso siyalo, ngoba wayelalela futhi ethobekile. Waya kulabo ababekhonza edilini wathi: “Noma yini anitshela yona, yenzeni.” UMariya wabona ukuthi kwakungewona umsebenzi wakhe ukuqondisa indodana yakhe; kunalokho, yena kanye nabanye kwakufanele balalele isiqondiso sikaJesu. UJesu naye wabonisa ukuthi ukhathazekile ngedili lalaba ababesanda kushada. Wenza isimangaliso sakhe sokuqala ngqa, washintsha amanzi aba iwayini. Waba yini umphumela? “Abafundi bakhe baba nokholo kuye.” UMariya naye waba nokholo kuJesu. Wambheka njengeNkosi noMsindisi wakhe, hhayi njengendodana yakhe kuphela.

Abazali namuhla bangafunda okuningi okholweni lukaMariya. Kuyavunywa, akekho omunye umuntu oke wakhulisa ingane enjengoJesu. Kodwa lapho noma iyiphi ingane, noma ingaphelele, iba umuntu omdala, leyo nguquko ingaletha izinselele. Umzali angase aqhubeke ephatha indodana noma indodakazi yakhe njengengane encane, nakuba impatho enjalo kungaba engasafaneleki. (1 Korinte 13:11) Umzali angayisiza kanjani ingane yakhe esikhulile? Enye indlela iwukuyibonisa ngobuqotho le ndodana noma le ndodakazi ethembekile ukuthi unethemba lokuthi izoqhubeka isebenzisa izimfundiso zeBhayibheli futhi ithole isibusiso sikaJehova. Amazwi aqotho omzali azwakalisa ukuyethemba ingane esikhulile angafeza lukhulu. Akungabazeki ukuthi uJesu wayekwazisa ukusekelwa uMariya phakathi neminyaka enezigigaba eyalandela.

AmaVangeli asitshela okuncane ngoMariya phakathi neminyaka emithathu nengxenye yenkonzo kaJesu. Nokho, khumbula ukuthi cishe wayengumfelokazi—engumzali ongayedwa, mhlawumbe enabantwana abancane ayesahlala nabo. Kuyaqondakala ukuthi wayengase angakwazi ukulandela uJesu njengoba ayeshumayela endaweni yakubo. (1 Thimothewu 5:8) Noma kunjalo, waqhubeka ezindla ngezinto ezingokomoya ayezifundile ngoMesiya futhi eya emihlanganweni yasesinagogeni njengoba kwakuyinqubo yomndeni.—Luka 2:19, 51; 4:16.

Akunakwenzeka yini-ke ukuthi wayehlezi nezilaleli lapho uJesu ekhuluma esinagogeni eNazaretha? Yeka ukuthi kwamjabulisa kanjani ukuzwa indodana yakhe imemezela ukuthi isiprofetho sikaMesiya  esasibikezelwe emakhulwini eminyaka ngaphambili sasigcwaliseka kuyo! Nokho, kumelwe ukuba kwakucindezela ukubona ukuthi abanye abantu baseNazaretha babengayamukeli. Bazama ngisho nokuyibulala!—Luka 4:17-30.

Okunye okwakumcindezela kwakuyindlela amanye amadodana akhe ayembheka ngayo uJesu. KuJohane 7:5 sifunda ukuthi abafowabo abane babengenalo ukholo olufana nolukanina. Siyafunda: “Abafowabo babengenalo ukholo kuye.” IBhayibheli alisho lutho ngodadewabo ababili. * Kunoma ikuphi, uMariya wabuzwa ubuhlungu bokuhlala ekhaya elihlukene ngokwenkolo. Kwadingeka alwele ukulinganisela phakathi kokuhlala eqotho eqinisweni elingokomoya nokuzuza izinhliziyo zamalungu omkhaya wakhe ngaphandle kokuwaphoqa nokuwabelesela.

Ngesinye isikhathi, ezinye izihlobo zakhe—cishe kuhlanganise nabafowabo bakaJesu—zanquma ukuhamba “ziyombamba.” Empeleni zazithi: “Uyahlanya.” (Marku 3:21, 31) Yiqiniso, uMariya wayengazizwa ngaleyo ndlela, kodwa wahamba namadodana akhe, mhlawumbe enethemba lokuthi bazofunda okuthile okungabasiza bakhule okholweni. Ingabe lwakhula ukholo lwabo? Nakuba uJesu ayelokhu enza izimangaliso ezinkulu futhi efundisa amaqiniso amahle, amanye amadodana kaMariya ayelokhu engenalo ukholo. Ingabe ngokucasuka wayelokhu ezibuza ukuthi kazi yini eyoze ifinyelele izinhliziyo zawo?

Ingabe uhlala ekhaya elihlukene ngokwenkolo? Ukholo lukaMariya lungakufundisa lukhulu. Akazange alilahle ithemba ngezihlobo zakhe ezingakholwa. Kunalokho, wakhetha ukuziyeka zizibonele zona ukuthi ukholo lwakhe lwalumlethela injabulo nokuthula kwengqondo. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, waqhubeka eyisekela indodana yakhe ethembekile. Ingabe wayemkhumbula uJesu? Ingabe ngezinye izikhathi wayefisa sengathi ngabe usahlala ekhaya naye kanye nomndeni wakhe? Uma kunjalo, wakwazi ukuyilawula leyo mizwa. Wayekubheka njengelungelo ukusekela nokukhuthaza uJesu. Ungakwazi yini nawe ukusiza izingane zakho zibeke uNkulunkulu kuqala ekuphileni kwazo?

Ingabe ukholo lukaMariya kuJesu lwavuzwa? UJehova akalokothi ahluleke ukuvuza labo ababonisa ukholo, futhi ngokuqinisekile wamvuza noMariya. (Hebheru 11:6) Cabanga ukuthi kwakunjani kuye ukuzwa indodana yakhe ikhuluma noma ukuzwa imibiko yezintshumayelo zayo kwabanye ababezizwele zona mathupha.

Emifanekisweni yendodana yakhe, ingabe uMariya wayekhumbula izinto ezazenzeka ngesikhathi uJesu eseyingane eNazaretha? Lapho uJesu ekhuluma ngowesifazane oshanela endlini ukuze athole uhlamvu olulahlekile, ogaya ufulawa wokubhaka isinkwa noma okhanyisa isibani futhi asibeke othini, ingabe uMariya wayecabanga ngomfanyana owayehlale eseceleni kwakhe njengoba ayenza imisebenzi yansuku zonke? (Luka 11:33; 15:8, 9; 17:35) Lapho uJesu ethi ijoka lakhe ngelomusa futhi umthwalo wakhe ulula, kungenzeka yini ukuthi uMariya wakhumbula usuku olujabulisayo lapho ayebuka khona uJosefa efundisa uJesu osemncane indlela yokukhanda nokulungisa kahle ijoka ukuze isilwane silithwale kalula? (Mathewu 11:30) Ngokuqinisekile uMariya wathola ukwaneliseka okukhulu ngokucabanga ngelungelo uJehova ayemnike lona—lokusiza ekukhuliseni nasekuqeqesheni indodana eyayizoba uMesiya. Kumelwe ukuba wathola injabulo engenakuqhathaniswa ngokulalela uJesu, umfundisi  omkhulu kunabo bonke, owayesebenzisa izinto nezimo ezivamile ukuze afundise izifundo ezibaluleke kakhulu!

Noma kunjalo, uMariya waqhubeka ethobekile. Indodana yakhe ayizange imenze ukuba adunyiswe noma yenze abantu bamkhulekele. Phakathi nenkonzo yakhe, owesifazane owayesesixukwini wamemeza ethi kumelwe ukuba unina kaJesu uyajabula ngempela ngokuba umzali wakhe. UJesu waphendula: “Cha, kunalokho, bayajabula abezwa izwi likaNkulunkulu baligcine!” (Luka 11:27, 28) Futhi lapho abanye esixukwini bebonisa uJesu unina nabafowabo, wathi yilabo abanokholo abangonina nabafowabo bangempela. UMariya akazange aphatheke kabi, kunalokho waliqonda iphuzu likaJesu—izihlobo ezingokomoya yizona ezibaluleke ukwedlula ezingokwenyama.—Marku 3:32-35.

Noma kunjalo, imaphi amazwi angabuchaza kahle ubuhlungu obabuzwiwa uMariya njengoba ayebuka indodana yakhe ifa kabuhlungu esigxotsheni sokuhlushwa? Umphostoli uJohane, owayekhona lapho uJesu ebulawa, kamuva wakhuluma ngalokhu encwadini yakhe: Lapho lokhu kwenzeka, uMariya wayemi “ngasesigxotsheni sokuhlushwa sikaJesu.” Akukho okwakungavimbela lo mama oqotho nonothando ukuba ame eceleni kwendodana yakhe kuze kube sekugcineni. UJesu wambona, futhi nakuba ayephefumula kabuhlungu futhi kunzima nokuba akhulume, wakhuluma. Wacela uJohane, umphostoli ayemthanda, ukuba anakekele unina. Njengoba abafowabo bakaJesu babengakabi amakholwa, uJesu akazange atshele bona ukuba banakekele unina kodwa wacela umlandeli wakhe oqotho. Ngaleyo ndlela uJesu wabonisa ukuthi kubaluleke kangakanani ukuba indoda enokholo inakekele umndeni wayo, ikakhulu izidingo zawo ezingokomoya.—Johane 19:25-27.

Lapho ekugcineni uJesu efa, uMariya wabuzwa ubuhlungu obabubikezelwe, usizi olunjengolwenkemba ende lumdabula emphefumulweni. Uma sikuthola kunzima ukucabanga usizi ayebhekene nalo, yeka ukuthi kunzima kangakanani ukuqonda injabulo aba nayo ngemva kwezinsuku ezintathu! UMariya wabona isimangaliso esikhulu kunazo zonke—uJesu wayevusiwe! Futhi injabulo yakhe yaba nkulu kakhulu, ngoba kamuva uJesu wabonakala ngasese kuJakobe ongumfowabo ngamzali munye. (1 Korinte 15:7) Lokho kuhlangana kwathinta uJakobe nabanye abafowabo bakaJesu ngamzali munye. Kamuva sifunda ukuthi bakholwa ukuthi uJesu unguKristu. Ngemva nje kwalokho, babeya nonina emihlanganweni yobuKristu, ‘bephikelela emthandazweni.’ (IzEnzo 1:14) Kamuva, ababili kubo, uJakobe noJude, babhala izincwadi zeBhayibheli.

Kukhulunywa ngoMariya okokugcina esemhlanganweni namadodana akhe, bethandaza. Yeka isiphetho esifanelekayo somlando kaMariya, futhi yeka isibonelo esihle asishiyela sona! Ngenxa yokholo lwakhe, wabhekana ngokuphumelelayo nosizi olunjengolokudatshulwa yinkemba futhi ekugcineni wathola umvuzo okhazimulayo. Uma silingisa ukholo lwakhe, nathi siyobhekana nanoma ibuphi ubuhlungu obulethwa yileli zwe futhi siyojabulela imivuzo engaphezu kwalokho esingakucabanga.