Imigenzo ya Noheli​—Mbese, ni iya gikristo?

IGIHE cyo kwizihiza Noheli kirageze. Mbese, ibyo bisobanura iki kuri wowe, ku bagize umuryango wawe no ku ncuti zawe? Mbese, ni igihe cyo kwita ku bintu by’umwuka, cyangwa ni igihe cy’ibirori gusa no kwishimisha? Mbese, ni igihe cyo gutekereza ku ivuka rya Yesu Kristo, cyangwa ni igihe cyo kutita ku mahame ya Gikristo?

Mu gihe usuzuma ibyo bibazo, zirikana ko imigenzo ya Noheli ishobora kuba itandukanye bitewe n’aho utuye. Urugero, nko muri Megizike no mu bindi bihugu byo muri Amerika y’Amajyepfo, izina ryayo ritandukanye n’irikoreshwa ahandi. Igitabo kimwe kivuga ko izina ry’Icyongereza Christmas “rikomoka ku Cyogereza cyo mu Gihe Rwagati Christes Masse, Misa ya Kristo.” Nyamara, La Navidad, cyangwa Ivuka nk’uko yitwa muri ibyo bihugu byo muri Amerika y’Amajyepfo, yerekeza ku ivuka rya Kristo. Reka dufate igihe cyo gusuzuma bimwe mu bintu bigize imigenzo yo muri Megizike. Ibyo bishobora kugufasha kugira igitekerezo cyawe bwite ku bihereranye n’ibihe by’uwo munsi mukuru.

Posadas, “abanyabwenge batatu,” na Nacimiento

Ibirori bitangira ku itariki ya 16 Ukuboza, bigatangirana n’iminsi mikuru ya posadas. Igitabo cyitwa Mexico’s Feasts of Life kigira kiti “igihe cya posadas, ni ukuvuga iminsi icyenda ya mbere y’umugoroba ubanziriza Noheli igihe abantu baba basabagijwe n’ibyishimo, ni bwo bibuka igihe Yozefu na Mariya bazereraga mu mujyi wa Betelehemu basa n’abari bonyine, n’igihe amaherezo bagirirwaga neza bakabona n’icumbi. Abagize imiryango n’incuti bahurira hamwe buri joro kugira ngo bongere biyibutse iminsi yabanjirije ivuka rya Kristo.”

Hari umugenzo karande w’uko itsinda ry’abantu rijyana amashusho ya Mariya na Yozefu mu rugo rw’umuntu maze rigasaba icumbi cyangwa posada mu ndirimbo. Abari mu nzu bikiriza iyo ndirimbo kugeza igihe amaherezo abo bashyitsi baherewe ikaze. Hanyuma hatangira ibirori, aho abantu bapfutse ibitambaro mu maso bafite n’inkoni mu ntoki—bagenda bakuranwa bagerageza kumena piñata, ni ukuvuga ikibindi kinini gitatswe, kiba gitendetse ku mugozi. Iyo kimaze kumeneka, ibintu byari birimo (bombo, imbuto n’ibindi nk’ibyo) bitoragurwa n’abari muri ibyo birori. Ibyo bikurikirwa n’ibyokurya, ibinyobwa, umuzika no kubyina. Iminsi umunani y’ibirori bya posada yizihizwa kuva ku itariki ya 16 kugeza ku itariki ya 23 Ukuboza. Ku itariki ya 24, hizihizwa Nochebuena (ijoro ribanziriza Noheli), kandi abagize imiryango bashyiraho imihati kugira ngo bazabe bari kumwe kugira ngo basangire ifunguro ryihariye.

Nyuma y’igihe gito, hakurikiraho Ubunani, bwizihizwa mu birori birimo urusaku rwinshi. Ku mugoroba wo ku itariki ya 5 Mutarama, Tres Reyes Magos (“abanyabwenge batatu”) bavugwaho ko bazanira abana ibikinisho. Ibirori bigera ku ndunduro ku itariki ya 6 Mutarama, mu gihe barya icyo bita rosca de Reyes, (gato y’uruziga). Mu gihe barya iyo gato, hari umuntu usanga agace ka gato bamuhaye karimo agapupe gato gashushanya umwana Yesu. Ukabonye aba agomba gutegura ibirori bya nyuma kandi bikabera iwe ku itariki ya 2 Gashyantare. (Mu turere tumwe na tumwe, haba hari udupupe dutatu, dushushanya “abanyabwenge batatu.”) Nk’uko ushobora kubyibonera, ibirori bifitanye isano na Noheli birakomeza bikamara igihe kirekire.

Muri icyo gihe, nacimiento (Ikirugu) kiba kiri  ahagaragara cyane. Kiba gikubiyemo iki? Ahantu hahurira abantu benshi kimwe no mu nsengero no mu ngo, ibitatswe biba bigizwe n’amashusho (manini cyangwa mato) akozwe mu idongo, ibiti cyangwa ibumba. Biba bishushanya Yozefu na Mariya bapfukamye imbere y’umuvure urimo uruhinja ruvutse vuba. Akenshi haba hari n’abashumba hamwe na Los Reyes Magos (“abanyabwenge”). Biba biteretse mu kiraro, kandi n’amatungo amwe n’amwe ashobora kuba ari mu bitatswe. Ariko kandi, ishusho y’ingenzi iba ihari ni iy’uruhinja rwavutse, rwitwa mu Gihisipaniya el Niño Dios (Umwana Mana). Iyo shusho y’ingenzi, ishobora gushyirwamo ku mugoroba ubanziriza Noheli.

Reka dusuzume imigenzo ikorwa mu gihe cy’ivuka rya Yesu

Igitabo cyitwa The Encyclopedia Americana cyerekeza ku birori byo kwizihiza Noheli, nk’uko bizwi hirya no hino ku isi, kigira kiti “imyinshi mu migenzo ubu ikorwa mu gihe cya Noheli, mbere na mbere ntiyari imigenzo ya Noheli, ahubwo yari imigenzo yabayeho mbere y’Ubukristo kandi itari iya Gikristo, yaje gutorwa n’idini rya Gikristo. Umunsi mukuru w’Abaroma wa Saturnalia wizihizwaga mu kwezi k’Ukuboza rwagati, ni wo wabaye icyitegererezo cy’imigenzo myinshi ikorwa mu birori bya Noheli. Urugero, uwo munsi ni wo wakomotseho ibirori birimo ifunguro rihambaye, gutanga impano no gucana za buji.”

Muri Amerika y’Amajyepfo, iyo migenzo y’ingenzi hamwe n’indi y’inyongera ishobora gukurikizwa mu gihe cy’ivuka rya Yesu . Ushobora kwibaza aho ikomoka. Mu by’ukuri, abantu benshi bifuza gukurikiza Bibiliya, babona ko imigenzo imwe n’imwe ari imihango y’abo mu bwoko bwa Aziteki gusa. Ikinyamakuru cyo mu mujyi wa Mexico City cyitwa El Universal cyagize kiti “abihaye Imana bo mu madini atandukanye buririye ku kuba ibirori byo kuri kalendari y’imihango y’Abaziteki byarahuriranye na kalendari ya liturujiya y’Abagatolika, bityo ibyo babikoresha kugira ngo bashyigikire umurimo wabo wo kubwiriza ubutumwa n’uw’ubumisiyonari. Iminsi mikuru y’imana zo mu gihe cya mbere yizihizwaga n’Abanyahisipaniya bayisimbuje ibirori by’iminsi mikuru y’imana za Gikristo; bazana ibirori by’iminsi mikuru y’i Burayi n’ibikorwa byaho, kandi nanone bashyiramo ibirori by’Abaziteki, bituma imico yivanga, ari na ho  imico nyakuri iranga Abanyamegizike yakomotse.”

Igitabo The Encyclopedia Americana kigira kiti “imikino yerekana ibyari bihari igihe cy’ivuka rya Yesu, yabaye kimwe mu bigize ibirori byo kwizihiza Noheli mu mizo ya mbere . . . Gushyira ikirugu [ibintu biba biri mu muvure] mu kiliziya, bivugwaho kuba byaratangijwe na Mutagatifu François.” Iyo mikino igaragaza ivuka rya Kristo yakinirwaga muri za kiliziya igihe Megizike yatangiraga gukoronizwa. Yategurwaga n’abihaye Imana b’abayoboke b’umuryango wa kidini w’abitwa Franciscains kugira ngo bigishe abasangwabutaka b’Abahindi ibyerekeranye n’ivuka rya Yesu. Nyuma y’aho, posadas yaje gukundwa n’abantu benshi cyane. Uko icyo bari bagamije batangiza posadas bwa mbere cyaba kiri kose, ukuntu yizihizwa muri iki gihe ubwabyo birivugira. Iyo uri muri Megizike muri icyo gihe, ushobora kwibonera cyangwa ugasobanukirwa icyo umwanditsi wa El Universal yatsindagirizaga mu magambo ye agira ati “posadas, yari uburyo bwo kutwibutsa urugendo ababyeyi ba Yesu bakoze bashaka icumbi ry’aho Umwana Mana yashoboraga kuvukira, ariko muri iki gihe usanga ari iminsi yo gusinda gusa, kurenza urugero, kurya cyane, gukora ibitagira umumaro n’ubugizi bwa nabi bwinshi cyane.”

Igitekerezo cya nacimiento (ikirugu) cyadutse mu gihe cy’Ubukoroni giturutse ku bantu nyabantu mbere babaga bashyizwe muri za kiliziya. N’ubwo hari bamwe babona ko ari byiza, mbese bigaragaza ibyo Bibiliya ivuga nk’uko biri? Icyo ni ikibazo cyumvikana. Mu gihe abagabo batatu bitwaga ko ari abanyabwenge—mu by’ukuri bakaba bari abapfumu baraguzaga inyenyeri—bahageraga, Yesu n’umuryango we ntibari bakiba mu kiraro. Hari hashize igihe runaka kandi icyo gihe uwo muryango wabaga mu nzu. Uzibonera ko bishishikaje kwirebera ibyo bintu mu nkuru yahumetswe yanditswe muri Matayo 2:1, 11. Nanone kandi, ushobora kwibonera ko Bibiliya itavuga umubare w’abo bapfumu baraguzaga inyenyeri. *

Muri Amerika y’Amajyepfo, abanyabwenge batatu basimbura igitekerezo cya Saint Nicholas. Icyakora, nk’uko bikorwa mu bindi bihugu, ababyeyi benshi bahisha ibikinisho mu nzu. Hanyuma, mu gitondo cyo ku itariki ya 6 Mutarama, abana bakabishakisha, nk’aho ari abo banyabwenge batatu babizanye. Icyo ni igihe abacuruzi b’ibikinisho babonamo amafaranga menshi, kandi hari bamwe bagiye bungukira amafaranga menshi cyane mu byo abantu benshi bafite imitima itaryarya babona ko ari ibintu by’ibihimbano bisa. Abantu benshi, ndetse n’abana bato, baragenda batakariza icyizere umugani w’umuhimbano w’abanyabwenge batatu. N’ubwo hari bamwe bababajwe n’uko uwo mugani ugenda utakaza abawemera, ni iki umuntu uwo ari we wese yakwitega ku bihimbano byashyigikiwe gusa ku bw’imigenzo no ku bw’inyungu z’ubucuruzi?

Abakristo ba mbere ntibizihizaga Noheli cyangwa Ivuka rya Yesu. Igitabo kimwe kigira icyo kivuga kuri ibyo kigira kiti “uwo munsi mukuru ntiwizihizwaga mu binyejana bya mbere by’itorero rya Gikristo, kubera ko umuhango wa Gikristo muri rusange wari wemewe wari uwo kwibuka urupfu rw’abantu bakomeye aho kwizihiza iminsi bavukiyeho.” Bibiliya igaragaza ko kwizihiza iminsi mikuru y’ivuka bifitanye isano n’abapagani, aho kuba byarakorwaga n’abasenga Imana by’ukuri.—Matayo 14:6-10.

Birumvikana ariko ko ibyo bidashaka kuvuga ko kumenya no kwibuka ibintu by’ukuri byabaye  igihe Umwana w’Imana yavukaga nta cyo bimaze. Inkuru zivuga ukuri zo muri Bibiliya zitanga ubumenyi bwimbitse bw’ingenzi hamwe n’amasomo ku bantu bose bifuza gukora ibyo Imana ishaka.

Ivuka rya Yesu dukurikije Bibiliya

Uzibonera inkuru ziringirwa ku byerekeranye n’ivuka rya Yesu mu Mavanjiri ya Matayo na Luka. Agaragaza ko marayika Gaburiyeli yasuye umukobwa wari utarashaka witwaga Mariya, wo mu mudugudu wa Galilaya h’i Nazareti. Ni ubuhe butumwa yamubwiye? “Kandi dore, uzasama inda, uzabyara umuhungu, uzamwite Yesu. Azaba mukuru, azitwa Umwana w’Isumbabyose, kandi Umwami Imana izamuha intebe y’ubwami ya sekuruza Dawidi, azima mu nzu ya Yakobo iteka ryose, ubwami bwe ntibuzashira.”—Luka 1:31-33.

Ubwo butumwa bwatunguye Mariya cyane. Kubera ko atari yarashyingiwe, yagize ati “ibyo bizabaho bite, ko ntararyamana n’umugabo?” Umumarayika yarashubije ati ‘umwuka wera uzakuzaho, n’imbaraga z’Isumbabyose zizagukingiriza: ni cyo gituma Uwera uzavuka azitwa Umwana w’Imana.’ Mariya amaze kubona ko ibyo ari byo Imana ishaka, yagize ati “dore, ndi umuja w’Umwami Imana; bimbere uko uvuze.”—Luka 1:34-38.

Umumarayika yabwiye Yozefu ibihereranye n’iryo vuka ry’igitangaza kugira ngo adatana na Mariya, nk’uko yateganyaga kugenza igihe yari amaze kumva ko atwite. Icyo gihe noneho yari yiteguye n’umutima ukunze gusohoza inshingano yo kwita ku Mwana w’Imana.—Matayo 1:18-25.

Hanyuma, itegeko ryatanzwe na Kayisari Awugusito ryatumye Yozefu na Mariya bava i Nazareti muri Galilaya bajya i Betelehemu muri Yudaya, mu mudugudu wa ba sekuruza babo, bagiye kwandikwa. “Bakiri iyo, igihe cye cyo kubyara kirasohora, abyara umuhungu w’imfura, amworosa imyenda y’impinja, amuryamisha mu muvure w’inka, kuko bari babuze umwanya mu icumbi.”—Luka 2:1-7.

Muri Luka 2:8-14 hasobanura ibyakurikiyeho hagira hati “muri icyo gihugu harimo abungeri bararaga ku gikumba, bahindana kurinda umukumbi wabo. Nuko marayika w’Umwami Imana abahagarara iruhande, ubwiza bw’Umwami burabagirana bubagota impande zose, bagira ubwoba bwinshi. Marayika arababwira ati ‘mwitinya, dore ndababwira ubutumwa bwiza bw’umunezero mwinshi uzaba ku bantu bose, kuko uyu munsi Umukiza abavukiye mu murwa wa Dawidi, uzaba Kristo Umwami. Iki ni cyo kiri bubabere ikimenyetso ni uko muri busange umwana w’uruhinja yoroshwe imyenda y’impinja, aryamishijwe mu muvure w’inka.’ Muri ako kanya haboneka ingabo zo mu ijuru nyinshi ziri kumwe na marayika uwo, zisingiza Imana ziti ‘mu ijuru icyubahiro kibe icy’Imana, no mu isi amahoro abe mu bo yishimira.’ ”

Abapfumu baraguza inyenyeri

Inkuru ya Matayo ivuga ko abapfumu baraguza inyenyeri baturutse i Burasirazuba bakaza i Yerusalemu gushaka aho Umwami w’Abayahudi yari yavukiye. Ibyo byashishikaje umwami Herode—ariko atabitewe n’impamvu nziza. ‘Yabatumye i Betelehemu ati “nimugende, musobanuze neza iby’uwo mwana. Nimumubona, muze mubimbwire, nanjye njye kumuramya.” ’ Abo bapfumu baraguza inyenyeri babonye uwo mwana wari ukiri muto, “maze bahambura imitwaro yabo, bamutura amaturo y’izahabu n’icyome n’ishangi.” Ariko kandi, ntibasubiye kwa Herode. “Baburizwa n’Imana mu nzozi gusubira kwa Herode.” Imana yakoresheje umumarayika kugira ngo aburire Yozefu iby’imigambi ya Herode. Yozefu na Mariya bahungiye mu Misiri bari kumwe n’umuhungu wabo. Hanyuma, kugira ngo Umwami w’umugome Herode agerageze gutsembaho uwo Mwami wari wavutse, yategetse ko abana bose b’abahungu bo mu karere ka Betelehemu bicwa. Abahe bahungu? Abari bafite imyaka ibiri n’abari batarayigezaho.—Matayo 2:1-16.

Ni irihe somo twavana kuri iyo nkuru?

Abapfumu baraguza inyenyeri baje gusura uwo mwana—uko baba baranganaga kose—ntibasengaga Imana y’ukuri. Ubuhinduzi bwa Bibiliya bwitwa La Nueva Biblia Latinoamérica (Icapwa ryo mu wa 1989) mu bisobanuro biri ahagana hasi ku ipaji, bugira buti “abo bapfumu ntibari abami, ahubwo bari abantu bahanurira abandi ibizababaho bakaba n’abatambyi b’idini rya gipagani.” Baje basunitswe n’ubumenyi bari bafite mu by’inyenyeri, izo bari bariyeguriye. Iyo Imana iba yarashatse kubayobora aho uwo mwana yari ari, baba barahise bajyanwa aho yari ari bitabaye ngombwa ko  babanza kujya i Yerusalemu no mu ngoro ya Herode. Nyuma y’aho, Imana yagize icyo ikora ihindura inzira yabo kugira ngo irinde uwo mwana.

Mu gihe cya Noheli, akenshi iyi nkuru iba ikikijwe n’imigani y’imihimbano n’umwuka wo gukabiriza ibintu, ku buryo bipfukirana ikintu cy’ingenzi kurusha ibindi: ko uwo mwana yari yavutse kugira ngo azabe Umwami uhebuje, nk’uko Mariya n’abashumba babibwiwe. Oya, Yesu ntakiri uruhinja cyangwa umwana. Ni Umwami uganje w’Ubwami bw’Imana, vuba aha cyane buzakuraho ubutegetsi bwose burwanya ibyo Imana ishaka, kandi azakemura ibibazo byose by’abantu. Ubwo ni bwo Bwami dusaba ko bwaza mu Isengesho ry’Umwami.—Daniyeli 2:44; Matayo 6:9, 10.

Binyuriye ku byo umumarayika yatangarije abashumba, tumenya ko irembo ry’agakiza ryuguruwe ku bantu bose biteguye kumva ubutumwa bwiza. Abantu Imana yemera bahinduka abo “yishimira.” Hari ibyiringiro bihebuje by’amahoro mu isi yose mu gihe cy’Ubwami bwa Yesu Kristo, ariko abantu bagomba kuba biteguye gukora ibyo Imana ishaka babigiranye umutima ukunze. Mbese, igihe cya Noheli giteza imbere ibyo byiringiro kandi kikagaragaza icyo cyifuzo? Abantu benshi b’imitima itaryarya bifuza gukurikiza Bibiliya bumva ko igisubizo cyigaragaza.—Luka 2:10, 11, 14.

[Ibisobanuro ahagana hasi ku ipaji]

[Agasanduku ko ku ipaji ya 4]

HARI BAMWE BATANGARA

Mu gitabo cye cyitwa The Trouble With Christmas, umwanditsi witwaga Tom Flynn yagaragaje imyanzuro yagezweho nyuma y’imyaka myinshi bamaze bagenzura ibya Noheli:

“Umubare munini cyane w’imigenzo ubu tuvuga ko ari iya Noheli, ikomoka mu migenzo y’idini rya gipagani rya mbere y’Ubukristo. Imwe muri yo yumvikanisha ibitekerezo bifitanye isano n’imibereho y’abaturage, n’ibitsina cyangwa inkomoko y’isanzure ry’ikirere bishobora gutuma abantu bo muri iki gihe bize kandi bajijutse mu by’umuco baca ukubiri n’iyo migenzo, igihe baba bamaze gusobanukirwa neza inkomoko yayo.”—Ipaji ya 19.

Flynn amaze gutanga ibintu byinshi cyane bishyigikira umwanzuro we, yagarutse ku ngingo z’ibanze agira ati “kimwe mu bintu bitangaje kuri Noheli, ni ukuntu bike cyane mu biyigize ari byo bya Gikristo by’ukuri. Iyo tuvanyemo ibintu byose bya mbere y’Ubukristo, ibisigara hafi ya byose ni ibya nyuma y’Ubukristo, aho kuba ibyo mu nkomoko y’Ubukristo by’ukuri.”—Ipaji ya 155.

[Ifoto yo ku ipaji ya 7]

Itangazo ry’uko Yesu yavutse ryatumye abantu bamenya ko mu gihe kizaza yari kuzaba Umwami watoranyijwe n’Imana