UMARIYA uwa phantsi ngamadolo kuba intlungu akuyo ayithetheki. Ezindlebeni zakhe kusankenteza isikhalo sonyana wakhe njengoko esifa emva kokungcungcuthekiswa. Ngesiquphe kuba mnyama nangona kusemin’ emaqanda. (Mateyu 27:45, 51) Ngoku umhlaba uyanyikima. Mhlawumbi kuMariya kubonakala ngathi uYehova wazisa ihlabathi ukuba ungoyena ubuhlungu ngenxa yokufa kukaYesu Kristu.

Njengoko ilanga litshona eGolgotha, uMariya uyagcuma yintlungu yokufa konyana wakhe. (Yohane 19:17, 25) Kusenokwenzeka ukuba zibuye zonke iinkumbulo anazo ngaye. Eyona ekusenokuba ithe qatha yeyangokuya uYesu wayesengumntwana. Xa uMariya noYosefu babesandul’ ukusa usana lwabo etempileni eYerusalem, uSimeyon osel’ ekhulile waphefumlelwa ukuba aprofete. Uprofeta izinto ezintle ngoYesu, kodwa uphinde athi kuMariya, kuza imini aya kuba buhlungu ngayo ngokungathi ikrele elibinzayo lityhutyha umphefumlo wakhe. (Luka 2:25-35) Kungesi sihlandlo sokufa kukaYesu apho uMariya awaqondayo la mazwi esiprofeto.

Kuthiwa ukufelwa komzali ngumntwana yeyona ntlungu ibindayo kwezakha zakho. Ukufa lutshaba olushiya inxeba kuthi sonke. (Roma 5:12; 1 Korinte 15:26) Ngaba unokukwazi ukunyamezela intlungu yokufelwa? Njengoko siza kuhlolisisa ubomi bukaMariya ukususela ekuqaliseni kukaYesu ukushumayela de ibe kukufa kwakhe nasemva koko, siza kufunda ngendlela ukholo olwamnceda ngayo uMariya wakwazi ukunyamezela intlungu.

Makhe sibuyele umva kwiminyaka emithathu enesiqingatha. UMariya warhanela ukuba kuza kubakho utshintsho. NaseNazarete isixeko esincinane, abantu babethetha ngoYohane umBhaptizi nangesigidimi sakhe. UMariya wayiqaphela into yokuba kunyana wakhe, oku kungumqondiso wokuba lifikile ixesha lokuba ashumayele. (Mateyu 3:1, 13) Ukushiya kukaYesu ikhaya kwakuza kubangela iingxaki kuMariya nakubantwana bakowabo. Ngoba?

Kubonakala ngathi uYosefu umyeni kaMariya wayesele efile. Ukuba kunjalo, uMariya wayengazukuba uyaqala ukulahlekelwa. * UYesu ngoku wayengasabizwa ngokuba ‘ngunyana womchweli’ kodwa ‘wayengumchweli’ ngenkqu. Ngokuqinisekileyo, uYesu wangena ezihlangwini zikayise ibe wayenyamekela intsapho enabantwana abathandathu abazalwa emva kwakhe. (Mateyu 13:55, 56; Marko 6:3) Nakuba uYesu esenokuba wayemfundisile umsebenzi uYakobi, mhlawumbi owayemlekela, ukuhamba kwezibulo kwakungazukuba lula ekhayeni. UMariya wayesele ethwele ubunzima kakade. Ngaba ukuhamba kukaYesu kwakuza kumenz’ ixhala uMariya? Mhlawumbi. Kodwa nank’ umbuzo obalulekileyo: UMariya wayeza kuthini xa uYesu waseNazarete esiba nguYesu Kristu, uMesiya ekwakukudala exeliwe?  Elinye ibali leBhayibhile lisithela thsuphe.​—Yohane 2:1-12.

UYesu waya kuYohane ukuze abhaptizwe, waza waba nguMthanjiswa kaThixo okanye uMesiya. (Luka 3:21, 22) Emva koko, waye wakhetha abafundi bakhe. Nangona umsebenzi wakhe wawungxamisekile, wayekhe azonwabise nabahlobo nentsapho yakhe. Ehamba nonina, abafundi bakhe nabantwana bakowabo, uYesu waya emtshatweni eKana, isixeko ekubonakala ngathi sasithe ngcu phezu kwenduli, kumgama weekhilomitha eziyi-13 ukusuka eNazarete. Kwelo theko, uMariya wabona ingxaki. Mhlawumbi waqaphela ukuba abanye kwizalamane zabatshati bamane besiyana ngamehlo. Kanti iwayini iphelile! KumaYuda ukuphela kwewayini phakathi kwakulihlazo elibhoxa ubumnandi. UMariya wabasizela waza waya kuYesu.

UMariya wathi kunyana wakhe “abanawayini.” Wayefuna enze ntoni? Asinakuqiniseka, kodwa wayesazi ukuba unyana wakhe unentliziyo entle yaye useza kwenza izinto zamehlo. Mhlawumbi wayecinga ukuba uza kuqala apho emtshatweni. Kwakungathi uMariya uthi, “Nyana ndiyakucela torho, khawubancede!” Imele ukuba yamothusa impendulo kaYesu. Kaloku wathi: “Ndinantoni yakwenza nawe, mfazi?” Amazwi kaYesu ayengenandelelo, nangona abantu becinga njalo. Kodwa ke, wayemluleka ngobuchule. UYesu wayekhumbuza unina ukuba wayengasangeni ndawo kwizinto awayezenza, kunoko nguYehova ngoku owayefanele ukwenza oko.

UMariya wavuma ukulungiswa ngunyana wakhe, kuba wayengumfazi othobekileyo. Ngoko waphindela kwabo bantu waza wathi: “Nakuphi na anixelela kona, kwenzeni.” UMariya wabona ukuba wayengasamele axelele unyana wakhe into amakayenze, kunoko wonke umntu, kuquka naye, wayemele eve ngaye. NoYesu wabasizela aba bantu babetshata. Ngoko wenza ummangaliso wakhe wokuqala, wokujika amanzi abe yiwayini. Waba yintoni umphumo? “Abafundi bakhe bakholwa kuye.” Naye uMariya wakholwa kuYesu. Zange amjonge njengonyana kuphela, kodwa njengeNkosi noMsindisi wakhe.

Abazali namhlanje banokufunda lukhulu kukholo lukaMariya. Kakade ke, akakho umzali owakha wakhulisa umntwana ofana noYesu. Kodwa ngenxa yokungafezeki, xa abantwana befikisa, kubakho iingxaki. Umzali usenokuqhubeka ebaphatha njengabantwana nangona sebekhulile. (1 Korinte 13:11) Umzali unokumnceda njani umntwana wakhe okhulileyo? Enye indlela anokumnceda ngayo, kukumqinisekisa ukuba uyamthemba umntwana wakhe ukuba uza kuqhubeka ephila ngemigaqo yeBhayibhile aze asikelelwe nguYehova. Umntwana okhulileyo unokuvuyiswa kukubona ukuba umzali wakhe uyamthemba. Ngokungathandabuzekiyo, uYesu wayekuvuyela ukuxhaswa kwakhe nguMariya ekukhuleni kwakhe.

Iincwadi zeVangeli azithethi kangako ngoMariya ngexesha lobulungiseleli bukaYesu beminyaka emithathu enesiqingatha. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba wayengumhlolokazi onabantwana abahlala ekhaya. Ngoko ke, siyavakala isizathu sokuba wayengakwazi ukuhamba noYesu njengoko wayeshumayela. (1 Timoti 5:8) Kodwa wayeqhubeka  ecingisisa ngezinto awayezifundile ngoMesiya yaye wayesiya kwindlu yesikhungu apho babenqulela khona.​—Luka 2:19, 51; 4:16.

Kumele ukuba uMariya wayekhona ngexesha uYesu wayefundisa kwindlu yesikhungu eNazarete. Ngokuqinisekileyo waba nemincili akuva unyana wakhe echaza ukuba isiprofeto seminyaka esingoMesiya sasizaliseka kuye! Kodwa inokuba yayimkhathaza into yokubona abanye abantu baseNazarete bengamamkeli unyana wakhe. Bade bazama nokumbulala!​—Luka 4:17-30.

Enye into eyayimkhathaza kukubona ukuba abanye oonyana bakhe abakholelwa kuYesu. KuYohane 7:5 sifunda ukuba abantakwabo Yesu abane babengenalo ukholo olunjengolukanina. Le vesi ithi: “Abantakwabo . . . babengalubonisi ukholo kuye.” IBhayibhile ayithethi ngoodade boYesu, ekusenokwenzeka ukuba babebabini. * Kuyabonakala ukuba uMariya wayeyazi intlungu yokuba kwikhaya elahluleleneyo ngonqulo. Kwakufuneka abonise ukholo kuYesu, kwangaxeshanye azame ukunceda nabantwana bakhe ngaphandle kokubanyanzela.

Ngasihlandlo sithile, izizalwane zikaYesu​—ngokuqinisekileyo ekwakukho nabantakwabo phakathi kwazo—​zagqiba ekubeni ziye “kumbamba.” Zazisithi: “Ushiywe ziingqondo.” (Marko 3:21, 31) UMariya wayesazi ukuba akuyonyaniso oko, kodwa wahamba noonyana bakhe ngethemba lokuba mhlawumbi baza kufunda okuthile baze babe nokholo. Bakholwa ke? Abazange bakholwe, nangona uYesu wayesenza imimangaliso yaye efundisa inyaniso. Ngaba uMariya wakruquka ezibuza ukuba yintoni anokuyenza ukuze bakholwe?

Ngaba nawe ukwikhaya elahluleleneyo ngonqulo? Ungafunda okuninzi kukholo lukaMariya. Akazange azincame izalamane zakhe ezingakholwayo. Kunoko wazibonisa ngendlela aphila ngayo ukuba ukholo lwakhe lumenza onwabe yaye abe noxolo lwengqondo. Kwangaxeshanye wayemxhasa unyana wakhe uYesu. Ngaba wayemkhumbula uYesu? Ngaba ngamany’ amaxesha wayenqwenela ukuba unyana wakhe wayesahlala nabo? Ukuba kunjalo, wakwazi ukuziqinisa. UMariya wakuthatha njengelungelo ukuxhasa uYesu. Ngaba nawe unganceda abantwana bakho ukuba bamenze uThixo eze kuqala ebomini babo?

Ngaba uMariya wavuzwa ngokuba nokholo kuYesu? UYehova usoloko ebavuza abantu abanokholo, yaye kwaba njalo nakuMariya. (Hebhere 11:6) Khawucinge indlela amele ukuba wayevuya ngayo xa emamele unyana wakhe okanye ebaliselwa ngabantu ngeemfundiso zakhe.

Ngaba imizekelo kaYesu yayikhumbuza uMariya ngexesha lo nyana wakhe wayesengumntwana eNazarete? Xa uYesu wayefundisa wakha wathetha ngomfazi otshayelayo ukuze afumane ingqekembe elahlekileyo, umfazi osila umgubo wokwenza isonka, kunye nolumeka isibane aze asibeke phezu kwesiphatho. Ngaba bethu le mizekelo yakhumbuza uMariya ngalo nyana wakhe eseyinkwenkwana eyayisecaleni kwakhe njengoko esenza imisebenzi yekhaya? (Luka 11:33; 15:8, 9; 17:35) Xa uYesu wathi idyokhwe yakhe ayityabuli yaye nomthwalo wakhe ukhaphukhaphu, ngaba uMariya waba nenimba ecinga ngenjikalanga ethile ebukele uYosefu efundisa uYesu ukwenza  idyokhwe ngocoselelo ukuze ingazityabuli izilwanyana? (Mateyu 11:30) Ngokuqinisekileyo uMariya wavuyiswa liwonga awalinikwa nguYehova lokuba akhulise lo nyana owaba nguMesiya kamva. Kumele ukuba kwakumchwayitisa ukuphulaphula uYesu, oyena mfundisi ubalaseleyo kwabakhe bakho, owazekelisa ngezinto eziqhelekileyo ukuze adlulisele ezona mfundiso zibalulekileyo!

Sekunjalo, uMariya zange aziphakamise. Zange azukiswe ngunyana wakhe okanye amnqule. Ngoxa wayeshumayela, umfazi othile wadanduluka esithi unoyolo umfazi ozele uYesu. Kodwa uYesu waphendula wathi: “Hayi, kunoko, banoyolo abo balivayo ilizwi likaThixo baze baligcine!” (Luka 11:27, 28) Xa abanye kwisihlwele bakhombisa uYesu unina nabantakwabo, yena wathi unina nabantakwabo ngabo bakholwayo. UMariya akazange akhubeke, kuba wayeyiqonda eyona nto wayeyithetha uYesu​—eyokuba abantu okhonza nabo babaluleke ngaphezu kozalwa nabo.​—Marko 3:32-35.

Awekho amazwi anokuchaza intlungu uMariya awayekuyo njengoko ebona unyana wakhe esifa kabuhlungu esibondeni sentuthumbo. Umpostile uYohane owakubonayo oku, wabhala wathi: Ebudeni beso sihlandlo uMariya wayemi ‘ngakwisibonda sentuthumbo sikaYesu.’ Ayikho into eyayinokumnqanda lo mama uthembekileyo nonothando ukuba angemi ecaleni konyana wakhe de ibe ngumzuzu wokugqibela. UYesu wambona, ibe nangona wayephefumla kabuhlungu kunzima nokuthetha, wazinyanzela wathetha eyaleza unina koyena mpostile wayemthanda uYohane. Isizathu soko, kukuba abantakwabo babengekakholwa. Ngokwenza oko, uYesu wayebonisa indlela ekubaluleke ngayo ngomntu okholwayo ukuba ancede intsapho yakhe, ingakumbi ekukhonzeni uThixo.​—Yohane 19:25-27.

Xa uYesu wafayo ekugqibeleni, uMariya weva intlungu ebinzayo eyayixelwe kwangaphambili. Ukuba asiyiqondi intlungu awayenayo, asinakuluqonda ngokupheleleyo uvuyo awaba nalo kwiintsuku ezintathu kamva! UMariya wavuyiswa kukubona owona mmangaliso mkhulu​—owokuvuswa kukaYesu! Wayenaso nesinye isizathu sokuvuya, kuba kamva uYesu wabonakala ngasese kuYakobi umntakwabo. (1 Korinte 15:7) Oku kwamchukumisa uYakobi kunye nabanye abantakwaboYesu. Kamva sifunda ukuba baye bakholelwa ukuba uYesu unguKristu. Kungekudala baqalisa ukukhonza uThixo kunye nonina, ‘bezingisa emthandazweni.’ (IZenzo 1:14) Kamva, ababini kubo uYakobi noYude babhala iincwadi zeBhayibhile.

Ingxelo yokugqibela esiyivayo ngoMariya kuxa wayesenkonzweni noonyana bakhe bethandaza. Eli bali likaMariya liphela kamnandi, yaye sifunde lukhulu kuye. Kuba wayenokholo, wakwazi ukuyinyamezela intlungu ebinzayo ibe ekugqibeleni wavuzwa kakhulu. Ukuba nathi siba nokholo njengaye, siya kukwazi ukuwanyamezela amanzithinzithi obu bomi, size nathi sivuzwe ngeyona ndlela.