UMARIYA wayesebuhlungwini obukhulu kakhulu njalo basebumqede amandla. Ezindlebeni zakhe wayelokhu ekuzwa ukukhala kokucina kwendodana yakhe njalo elokhu eyibona engqondweni yakhe isifa ngemva kokuhlutshwa okwesikhathi eside. Ngalesosikhathi kwasekumnyama lanxa kwakusemini enkulu njalo kwaba lokuzamazama komhlaba okukhulu. (UMathewu 27:45, 51) Mhlawumbe kuMariya kwakukhanya angani uJehova wenza lokhu ukuze abantu babone ukuthi laye ukufa kukaJesu Khristu kumzwise ubuhlungu obukhulu ukwedlula loba ngubani.

Kwathi ubumnyama obabembese iGoligotha kumbe iNdawo yoKhakhayi buphela, uMariya wayililela indodana yakhe. (UJohane 19:17, 25) Kumele ukuthi wayecabanga izinto ezinengi ezazike zenzakala. Okunye angabe wakucabanga yisikhathi lapho yena loJosefa behambisa umntanabo ababemthanda kakhulu ethempelini laseJerusalema eminyakeni engu-33 eyayisidlulile. Befika lapho bathola uSimiyoni, indoda eyayisiluphele eyayiphefumulelwe ukuthi itsho isiphrofetho. Yakhuluma ngezinto ezinkulu ezazizakwenziwa nguJesu, kodwa yaphinda yathi ngelinye ilanga uMariya wayezakuzwa angani ugwazwe ngenkemba. (ULukha 2:25-35) UMariya wasizwisisa ngokugcweleyo isiphrofetho lesi ngesikhathi indodana yakhe isifa.

Sonke singavuma ukuthi ukufelwa ngumntwana kubuhlungu ukudlula loba kuyini. Ukufelwa kubuhlungu kakhulu njalo sonke kusizwisa ubuhlungu ngezindlela ezitshiyeneyo. (KwabaseRoma 5:12; 1 KwabaseKhorinte 15:26) Kodwa singalwisana njani lobuhlungu lobu? Njengoba sizaxoxa ngempilo kaMariya kusukela ekuqaliseni kwenkonzo kaJesu kusiya ekufeni lasekuvusweni kwakhe, sizafunda okunengi mayelana lokuthi ukholo lwamnceda njani ukuthi alwisane lezehlakalo ezibuhlungu ezazisenzakala emulini yakhe.

Ake sibuyele eminyakeni emithathu lengxenye kungakenzakali lokhu: UMariya wananzelela ukuthi kulokuthile okwakuzakwenzakala. Lasedolobheni elincane laseNazaretha, abantu babekhuluma ngoJohane uMbhaphathizi langentshumayelo yakhe eyayikhuthaza ukuthi abantu baphenduke ezonweni zabo. UMariya wayengabe ebona lokuthi indodana yakhe elizibulo yayinanzelela ukuthi okwakukhulunywa ngabantu kwakuyisibonakaliso. Kwakutshengisa ukuthi isikhathi sokuthi iqalise inkonzo yayo sasesifikile. (UMathewu 3:1, 13) Yikho-ke ukusuka kukaJesu ngekhaya kwakuzakwenza njani ukuthi izinto zingasahambi kuhle emulini kaMariya?

Kukhanya angani uJosefa wayesefile ngesikhathi leso. Yikho-ke nxa uJesu wayesesuka ngekhaya, uMariya wayezabe eselahlekelwa futhi. * Kulokuthi bathi uJesu ‘yindodana yombazi’ kuphela, abantu basebembiza langokuthi ‘ngumbazi.’ Kusegcekeni ukuthi uJesu nguye owayesekhangele ibhizimusi likayise njalo nguye owayesegcina unina kanye labanawakhe abayisithupha. (UMathewu 13:55, 56; UMakho 6:3) Kumele ukuthi uJakhobe nguye owayengabe eselama uJesu. Lanxa kungenzeka ukuthi uJesu wayesemfundisa ukubaza ukuze ibhizimusi liqhubekele phambili, kwakungasoze kube lula ukusuka kwezibulo ekhaya. Kodwa lokhu kwamesabisa yini uMariya njengoba wayevele elomthwalo onzima? Kasingeke sitsho. Kodwa nanku umbuzo oqakathekileyo: UMariya wayezathini  nxa indodana yakhe, uJesu waseNazaretha isisiba nguJesu Khristu, uMesiya owayeselesikhathi eside ethenjisiwe? Enye indaba eseBhayibhilini iveza okuthile ngalokhu.​—UJohane 2:1-12.

UJesu waba nguMesiya kumbe oGcotshiweyo kaNkulunkulu ngemva kokubhaphathizwa nguJohane. (ULukha 3:21, 22) Ngemva kwalokho waqalisa ukukhetha abafundi bakhe. Lanxa kwakumele awuphutshe masinyane umsebenzi wakhe, wayezinika isikhathi sokuthi ayethokoza labangakibo kanye labangane bakhe. Ngelinye ilanga wahamba lonina labafundi bakhe kanye labafowabo emtshadweni owawuseKhana, idolobho elalingabe liseqaqeni njalo lingamakhilomitha angu-13 ukusuka eNazaretha. Idili lisaqhubeka, uMariya wabona ukuthi kulokunye okwakungasahambi kuhle. Mhlawumbe wananzelela ukuthi abanye emulini yababetshada babengasahlalisekanga belokhu bekhangelana njalo benyenyezelana. Basebephelelwe liwayini. Esikweni labo, kwakuyangisa ukuthi imuli iphelelwe liwayini edilini elinjengaleli njalo kwakusenza abantu bakhulume kubi ngalo. Yikho uMariya wabazwela kakhulu wasesiyakhuluma loJesu.

UMariya watshela indodana yakhe wathi: “Sebephelelwe liwayini.” Wayefuna indodana yakhe yenzeni? Kasingeke sitsho sibili, kodwa wayekwazi ukuthi yayilamandla njalo yayizakwenza izimanga ezinkulu kakhulu. Mhlawumbe wayecabanga ukuthi kwasekuyisikhathi sokuthi iqalise ukwenza izimangaliso. Ngesikhathi ekhuluma loJesu, kwakungani uMariya uthi, “Ngicela ubancede mntanami.” UJesu wamphendula wathi: “Mama, mina lawe singena njani kulokho na?” Kumele ukuthi kwammangalisa lokhu uMariya. Kakusikho ukuthi uJesu wayengamhloniphi unina lanxa abanye becabanga njalo. Wayekhuluma laye kuhle ukuze amtshengise umcijo othile. Wayemkhumbuza ukuthi kwakungamelanga amtshele ukuthi kumele enze njani inkonzo yakhe. Lokho kwakungumsebenzi kaYise, uJehova.

UMariya walalela lapho indodana yakhe ikhuluma laye ngenxa yokuthi wayengumama owayezwisisa futhi owayethobekile. Waya kulabo ababesipha abantu ukudla edilini wathi: “Libokwenza loba kuyini azalitshela khona.” UMariya wabona ukuthi kwakungasamelanga atshele indodana yakhe lokho okumele ikwenze kodwa yena labanye kwasekumele balandele lokho ebatshela khona. Lanxa kunjalo, uJesu watshengisa ukuthi laye wayebazwela kakhulu abanikazi bomtshado. Yikho-ke, wenza isimangaliso sokuqala ngokuntshintsha amanzi esiba liwayini elimnandi. Kwenzakalani ngemva kwalokho? ‘Abafundi bakhe babeka ukholo lwabo kuye.’ UMariya laye wamkholwa uJesu. Wayengasamboni njengendodana yakhe kodwa wayesembona njengeNkosi yakhe loMsindisi.

Ukukholwa kukaMariya kungabafundisa okunengi abazali. Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi kakho umzali owake wondla umntwana onjengoJesu. Kodwa kungabanzima emzalini nxa umntwana esesiba ngumuntu omdala. Umzali angaqhubeka emphatha njengomntwana omncane lanxa kuyabe kungasela sidingo sokuthi enze njalo. (1 KwabaseKhorinte 13:11) Umzali angamphatha njani umntwana osekhulile? Okuhle kakhulu yikuthi amthembe umntwana ukuthi uzaqhubeka ethembekile njalo esebenzisa lokho akufunda eBhayibhilini abesebusiswa nguJehova ngokwenza njalo. Kuyamnceda kakhulu umntwana osekhulile nxa umzali etshengisa ukuthi uyamthemba njalo uyakholwa ukuthi uzaqhubeka esenza kuhle. Yikho-ke kumele ukuthi uJesu wathokoza kakhulu ngenxa yokuthi uMariya wayemsekela kukho konke okwakusenzakala empilweni yakhe.

AmaVangeli awasitsheli okunengi ngoMariya ngesikhathi uJesu esenza inkonzo yakhe okweminyaka emithathu lengxenye. Mhlawumbe wayesengumfelokazi, esondla yedwa abantwabakhe ababesasebancane. Yikho-ke lokhu kwenza sizwisise ukuthi kungani uMariya wayengahambi nxa uJesu esiyatshumayela ezindaweni ezikhatshana. (1 KuThimothi 5:8) Lanxa kunjalo, wayeqhubeka ecabangisisa ngezinto eziphathelane  lokukhonza ayezifundile ngoMesiya kanye lokungena imihlangano esinagogeni elaliseduze lalapho ayehlala khona njengoba babejayele ukwenza njalo beyimuli.​—ULukha 2:19, 51; 4:16.

Yikho-ke kumele ukuthi uMariya wayengomunye walabo ababelalele lapho uJesu etshumayela esinagogeni laseNazaretha. Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi wathokoza kakhulu lapho esizwa indodana yakhe ikhuluma ngokuthi isiphrofetho esasiphathelane loMesiya, esasikhulunywe kuseseleminyaka eminengi sasesigcwaliseka kuyo. Kodwa kumele ukuthi uMariya wadana kakhulu lapho ebona abantu baseNazaretha bengayamukeli indodana yakhe. Baze bazama lokuyibulala.​—ULukha 4:17-30.

Okunye okwakumdanisa yikuthi kayisiwo wonke amadodana akhe ayelalela uJesu. IBhayibhili lisitshela ukuthi abafowabo bakaJesu abane kabazange balingisele ukukholwa kukanina. UJohane 7:⁠5 uthi: ‘Abafowabo babengakholwa kuye.’ Kungenzakala ukuthi uJesu wayelabodadewabo ababili kodwa iBhayibhili alisitsheli lutho ngabo. * Kuyacaca-ke ukuthi uMariya wabuzwa ubuhlungu obukhulu bokuba semulini elabantu abalemibono etshiyeneyo endabeni zokukhonza. Kwakumele asebenze gadalala ukuze abambelele eqinisweni ayelifundile ngoNkulunkulu ngapha ezama ukubanceda kuhle abantwabakhe ukuthi bamukele iqiniso kulokuthi ababambe ngenkani.

Ngelinye ilanga izihlobo zikaJesu zaphuma “ukuyambamba” ngoba zazicabanga ukuthi ‘usehlanya.’ (UMakho 3:21, 31, The Holy Bible in Ndebele) Kumele ukuthi labafowabo babeseqenjini leli. Lanxa uMariya wayengacabangi njengabo, wahamba lamadodana akhe, mhlawumbe elethemba lokuthi ayezafika afunde okuthile okwakuzawanceda ukuthi akholwe. Kodwa akholwa yini? Amadodana kaMariya kawazange akholwe kungelani lokuthi uJesu wayesenza imisebenzi eminengi emangalisayo futhi efundisa iqiniso elalizabanceda. Kungenzakala ukuthi lokhu kwamdanisa uMariya, mhlawumbe wayesezibuza lokuthi kuyini kambe okwakungenza amadodana akhe akholwe.

Emulini yakho bakhona abangasibo boFakazi yini? Ukukholwa kukaMariya kungakufundisa okunengi kakhulu. Kazange azikhalale izihlobo zakhe ezazingakholwa. Kodwa wenza ukuthi zibone ngezenzo zakhe ukuthi ukukholwa kwakumenza athokoze njalo angakhathazeki ngezinto ezinengi. Kanti njalo uMariya kazange ayekele ukusekela indodana yakhe ethembekileyo. Wayeke ayikhanuke yini? Kambe wayengafisi yini ukuthi ngabe izibulo lakhe likhona ngekhaya? Lokhu kwakungamkhathazi kakhulu uMariya ngoba wayekubona kuyisibusiso ukusekela uJesu kanye lokumkhuthaza. Lawe ungenza njengoMariya yini ukuze uncedise abantwabakho ukuthi baqakathekise ukukhonza uNkulunkulu ukwedlula zonke izinto?

UMariya wabusiswa yini ngokukholwa kwakhe kuJesu? Ye, ngoba uJehova kayekeli ukubabusisa abantu abalokholo. (KumaHebheru 11:6) Ubona angani uMariya wayezizwa njani nxa elalele indodana yakhe ifundisa, loba exoxelwa ngabantu ababeyizwa itshumayela?

Kumele ukuthi imizekeliso kaJesu yayikhumbuza uMariya ngokwakusenzakala ngesikhathi uJesu esakhula eNazaretha. Ngokwesibonelo uJesu wakhuluma ngowesifazana othanyela indlu yakhe ukuze adingisise uhlamvu lwemali olulahlekileyo, langokulumathisa isibane asifake phezu koluthi lwaso kanye lokuchola elitsheni. Konke lokhu kungabe kwakumkhumbuza ngomfana wakhe omncane owayehlala eseduze kwakhe lapho esenza imisebenzi yakhe yansuku zonke. (ULukha 11:33; 15:8, 9; 17:35) Lapho uJesu esithi ijogwe lakhe lilula lomthwalo wakhe awusindi, mhlawumbe uMariya wacabanga ngelinye ilanga ebukele uJosefa efundisa uJesu ukuthi abaze kuhle ijogwe lakhe ukuze lingalimazi izifuyo. (UMathewu 11:30) Kusegcekeni ukuthi  uMariya wayethokoza enhliziyweni yakhe nxa ecabanga ngesibusiso ayesinikwe nguJehova empilweni yakhe, ukuthi ancedise ukondla lokufundisa indodana eyayizakuba nguMesiya. Ubona angani wayesizwa njani lapho elalela uJesu, umfundisi omkhulu kulabo bonke owayefundisa abantu esebenzisa imizekeliso yezinto ezijayelekileyo ayezibona kanye lokwakusenzakala emphakathini?

Konke lokhu akuzange kwenze ukuthi uMariya azikhukhumeze. Indodana yakhe kayizange immise phambi kwabantu ukuthi bambuke kumbe bamkhonze. Kwelinye ilanga uJesu etshumayela kwasukuma owesifazana othile wamemeza wathi kumele ukuthi ubusisiwe umama owamzalayo. UJesu waphendula wathi: “Kungenani, ababusisiweyo yilabo abalizwayo ilizwi likaNkulunkulu balilalele.” (ULukha 11:27, 28) Kanti njalo lapho abanye exukwini ayelitshumayeza betshela uJesu ukuthi unina labafowabo bayamdinga, wabaphendula wathi unina labafowabo yilabo abakholwayo. UMariya kazange azonde kodwa kumele ukuthi wakuzwisisa okwakutshiwo nguJesu, ukuthi abazalwane esikhonza labo baqakatheke kakhulu.​—UMakho 3:32-35.

Kodwa-ke ngubani ongama laphana athi yena uyabuzwisisa ubuhlungu uMariya abuzwayo lapho ebona indodana yakhe isifa kabuhlungu ngemva kokuhlukuluzwa okukhulu? Umphostoli uJohane wakhuluma ngalokho akubonayo ngesikhathi uJesu ebethelwa. Wabhala wathi ngesikhathi kusenzakala lokhu, uMariya “wayeseduze lesigodo sikaJesu sokuhlutshwa, NW.” UMariya kazange ayitshiye indodana yakhe yaze yayakufa ngenxa yokuthi wayengumama olothando njalo oqotho. UJesu wayemkhangele unina. Yikho-ke lanxa wayefuthelwa kakhulu njalo kunzima ukuthi aphefumule waqinisela wakhuluma. Watshela umphostoli ayemthanda kakhulu, uJohane ukuthi asale enakekela unina. Wanika uJohane, umlandeli wakhe owayethembekile umsebenzi lo ngenxa yokuthi abafowabo bakaJesu babelokhu bengakholwa. Ngokwenza lokhu, uJesu watshengisa ukuthi kuqakatheke kakhulu ukuthi indoda elokholo inakekele abendlu yakwabo ikakhulu ezintweni eziphathelane lokukhonza.​—UJohane 19:25-27.

Ngesikhathi uJesu esesifa, uMariya wabuzwa ubuhlungu okwakuphrofethwe ngabo kudala obabunjengokugwaza kwenkemba. Kunzima ukuzwisisa ukuthi uMariya walwisana njani lobuhlungu lobo. Kodwa ubona angani wezwa njani ngemva kwamalanga amathathu esezwe ngesimanga esikhulu kakhulu sokuvuswa kukaJesu? Kanti njalo intokozo yakhe ayiphelelanga khonapho ngoba ngokuhamba kwesikhathi uJesu wabonakala kuJakhobe umfowabo njalo kumele ukuthi babebabili kuphela. (1 KwabaseKhorinte 15:7) Lokhu kwabangela ukuthi uJakhobe kanye labanye abafowabo bakaJesu bantshintshe ingqondo. IMibhalo isitshela ukuthi bacina sebekholwa ukuthi uJesu unguKhristu. SebengamaKhristu, bona kanye lonina ‘babehlangana kokuphela bekhuleka.’ (ImiSebenzi 1:14) Ngemva kwesikhathi, uJakhobe loJuda babhala amabhuku athile aseBhayibhilini.

IBhayibhili licina ukukhuluma ngoMariya ngesikhathi ekhuleka lamadodana akhe emhlanganweni. Indaba kaMariya iphela kamnandi njalo wasitshiyela isibonelo esihle kakhulu. Walwisana lobuhlungu obabunjengokugwaza kwenkemba ngenxa yokuthi wayelokholo njalo ekucineni wathola umvuzo omkhulu. Nxa lathi silingisela ukukholwa kwakhe, singenelisa ukulwisana lazo zonke izinto ezibuhlungu ezisemhlabeni lo njalo sizathola izibusiso ezinkulu kakhulu.