Ko e Kilisimasí ko e ʻOfa
Palesiteni Thomas S. Monson
Kāinga, ʻoku mou hā fakaʻofoʻofa. Ko ha faingamālie ʻi he taʻu kotoa pē ke kamata e faʻahitaʻu Kilisimasí ʻaki e Fakataha Lotu Faka-Kilisimasi ko ʻeni mo e Kau Palesitenisī ʻUluakí. ʻOku fakahoko atu ʻeku ʻofa kiate kimoutolu kātoa, tatau ai pē pe ʻokú ke ʻi heni pe fanongo mai ʻi ha founga ʻe taha.
ʻOku faʻa ueʻi ʻe he faʻahitaʻu Kilisimasí, mo hono ʻuhingá pea mo hono fakaʻofoʻofá ke tō ha loʻimata, ueʻi ke fai ha toe tukupā ki he ʻOtuá, pea mo ʻomi—ʻi haʻatau fakaʻaongaʻi ha ngaahi foʻi lea mei he hiva mālie ko e “Kālevalé (Calvary)”—“ha mālōlō ki he ongosiá mo ha nonga ki he moʻuí.”
Neongo ia, ʻoku faingofua ke femoʻuekina ʻi he ngaahi meʻa ʻo e faʻahitaʻú pea mahalo ʻo mole ai e tefitoʻi laumālie heʻetau moʻuí ʻoku tau feinga ke maʻú. ʻOku angamaheni ʻaki hono ʻai ʻo fuʻu tōtuʻá ʻi hatau tokolahi he taimi ko ʻeni ʻo e taʻú. ʻOku ala kau ʻi hono tupuʻangá ʻa e fuʻu lahi ʻo e ngaahi ʻekitivitī ke tau kau aí, lahi e maʻu meʻatokoní, lahi e fakamolé, lahi e fakaʻamú, pea lahi mo e fefūsiakí. ʻOku faʻa lahi ʻo iku ʻetau meʻa ʻoku fai he Kilisimasí ke tau ongoʻi mafasia, taʻe-fiemālie, pea mo ongosia ʻi ha taimi ʻoku totonu ke tau fiefia pē ai mo fakamanatua hono aloʻi hotau Fakamoʻuí.
ʻOku ʻikai maʻu e fiefia totonu ʻo e Kilisimasí ia ʻi he fakavavevavé mo e felēleaki ke fai ha meʻa lahi angé, pe ʻe maʻu ʻi hono fakatau ʻo e ngaahi meʻaʻofá. ʻOku tau maʻu ʻa e fiefia moʻoní ʻi heʻetau fakamuʻomuʻa ʻa e Fakamoʻuí kae ʻikai ko e faʻahitaʻú. Te tau lava ʻo tauhi Ia ʻi heʻetau fakakaukaú mo ʻetau moʻuí ʻi heʻetau fakahoko e ngāue naʻá Ne mei ʻai ke tau fai heni ʻi he māmaní. ʻI he taimi ko ʻení, tau muimui muʻa ʻi Heʻene faʻifaʻitakiʻangá ʻi heʻetau ʻofa mo tokoni ki hotau kāingá.
ʻOku ʻi ai ha konga hotau sōsaietí ʻoku fakaānaua ki hano fakahaaʻi ange siʻa ʻofa ʻoku maʻu ʻiate kinautolu ʻoku fakaʻau ke motuʻa angé, pea tautautefito ʻi he taimi ʻoku nau tofanga ai ʻi he taʻelatá. ʻOku māʻiliʻili ʻa e matangi momoko ʻo e ʻamanaki tōnoá mo e fakaʻamu taʻe-hokó ʻi he kau toulekeleka ʻoku fākaofi ki he ngataʻanga ʻo e moʻuí.
Naʻe hiki ʻe ʻEletā Richard L. Evans he ngaahi taʻu kuo hilí: “[Ko e konga ʻo e meʻa ʻoku nau fie maʻu he fakanonoa honau taʻu motuʻá, ko e meʻa ne tau fie maʻu ʻi heʻetau kei tupú: ko ha ongoʻi ʻoku nau kau, ke fakapapauʻi ʻoku fiemaʻua, pea mo ha tokoni ʻi he loto mo e nima ʻofa—ʻo ʻikai ʻi he fai fakafatongia pē, ʻo ʻikai ko ha loki pē ʻi he falé, ka ko ha potu ʻi ha loto mo e moʻui ʻa ha taha. …
“He ʻikai ke tau lava ʻo toe fakafoki mai ʻa e taimi ʻo e kei talavoú. Ka te tau lava ʻo tokoni ke nau moʻui ʻi he huelo māfana ʻo e tāitō ʻa e laʻaá ʻaki ʻetau mohu fakakaukaú, ʻaki ʻetau tokoní, pea ʻaki ʻetau ʻofa moʻoni mo taʻe-mālualoí.”1
Siʻi kāinga ʻofeina, ko e ʻofa moʻoní ko e ʻata ia ʻo e ʻofa ʻa e Fakamoʻuí. ʻOku tau lau ia ʻi he Tīsema ʻo e taʻu kotoa pē ko e laumālie ʻo e Kilisimasí. Te ke lava ʻo fanongo ki ai. Te ke lava ʻo mamata ai. Te ke lava ʻo ongoʻi loto.
Naʻá ku fakakaukau ki muí ni mai ki haʻaku aʻusia ʻi heʻeku kei siʻí—ko ha meʻa ne u ʻosi lava tuʻo taha pe tuʻo ua ki ai. Naʻá ku kei taʻu 11. Ko ʻemau palesiteni Palaimelí ko Melissa, naʻe kiʻi motuʻa ange mo ʻulu hiná. Naʻe kole mai ʻa Melissa ʻi ha ʻaho ʻe taha he Palaimelí ke u nofo ange ke ma talanoa. Naʻá ma tangutu ai ʻi ha falelotu lōngonoa. Naʻe hili pē hono nimá ʻi hoku umá peá ne kamata tangi. ʻI heʻeku ʻohovalé, naʻá ku ʻeke ange pe ko e hā ʻoku tangi aí.
Talamai ʻe ia, “ʻOku ʻikai ke u lava ʻo ʻai ʻa e tamaiki tangatá ke nau ʻapasia he lolotonga ʻo e fakaava ʻo e Palaimelí. Tommy, te ke fie tokoni mai kiate au?”
Naʻá ku palōmesi ange kia Melissa te u fai ia. Naʻe faikehe kiate au, kae ʻikai kia Melissa, he ko e ngata ia e palopalema ʻo e taʻe-ʻapasiá ʻi he Palaimelí. Naʻá ne ʻalu ki he tupuʻanga ʻo e palopalemá—ko au. Ko hono fakaleleiʻí ko e ʻofa.
Kuo fakaʻau atu ʻa e ngaahi taʻú. ʻOku nofo he taimí ni ʻa e tokotaha Fakaofo ko Melissa, kuo taʻu 90 tupu, ʻi ha fale tauhiʻanga ʻo e kau toulekeleká ʻi he tafaʻaki fakatokelau hihifo ʻo Sōleki Sití. Naʻá ku fakakaukau ki muʻa ʻi he Kilisimasí ke u ʻaʻahi ki heʻeku palesiteni Palaimeli ʻofeiná. Naʻá ku fanongo he letiō ʻo e kaá, ki he hiva “Kau ʻāngelo ne hiva! Kolōlia ki he Tuʻí!”2 Naʻá ku fakakaukau ki he ʻaʻahi naʻe fai ʻe he kau potó ʻi he ngaahi taʻu lahi kuo hilí. Naʻa nau ʻomi ʻa e meʻaʻofa ʻo e koula, laipeno, pea mo e mula. Naʻá ku haʻu pē mo e meʻaʻofa ʻo e ʻofá pea mo ha loto holi ke fai ha fakamālō.
Naʻá ku ʻilo ʻa Melissa ʻi he loki kaí. Naʻe siosionoa pē ki he peleti meʻakaí, ʻo toutou hokaʻi ʻaki e huhu naʻe ʻi siʻono nima toulekeleká. Naʻe ʻikai ke ne uʻu ha meʻa ʻe taha. ʻI heʻeku fakalea ki aí, naʻe tali ʻeku leá ʻaki ha sio fakamamaʻu pē. Naʻá ku toʻo leva e huhu ʻi hono nimá ʻo kamata fafanga ʻa Melissa, pea mo fakamatala kau ki heʻene tokoni ki he tamaiki tangata mo e tamaiki fefine ʻi heʻene kei ngāue he Palaimelí. Naʻe ʻikai ke toe fuʻu ʻi ai ha manatu, pe ko ha lea. Naʻe siofi au ʻe ha ongo meʻa naʻe nofo pē he falé ʻi ha fofonga ʻohovale. Fāifai pea pehē mai ha taha ʻiate kinaua, “ʻOua te ke lea ki ai. ʻOku ʻikai ke ne toe ʻilo ha taha—ʻo aʻu ki hono fāmili tonú. Kuo teʻeki ke ne puʻaki ha foʻi lea talu ʻene haʻu ki heni.”
Hili e maʻu-meʻatokoni hoʻataá. Fakaʻosiʻosi mo ʻeku talanoa tokotahá. Peá u tuʻu leva ke ʻalu. Naʻá ku puke mai siʻono nima vaivaí, vakai ki siʻono fofonga toulekeleká, peá u pehē ange, “ʻOfa ke tāpuakiʻi koe ʻe he ʻOtuá, Melissa. Maʻu ha Kilisimasi fiefia.” Naʻe taʻeʻamanekina ʻene pehē mai, “ʻOku ou ʻiloʻi koe. Ko Tommy Monson koe, ko ʻeku tamasiʻi Palaimelí. ʻOku ou ʻofa lahi atu.” Naʻá ne puke huku nimá ki hono loungutú peá ne ʻuma ki ai ʻi he ʻofa. Ne tafe loʻimatá ʻi hono ongo kouʻahé pea ki homa ongo nima kei fepukeakí. Naʻe fakamāʻoniʻoniʻi ʻa e ongo nima ko iá ʻe he langí he ʻaho ko iá, pea mo ʻofaʻi ʻe he ʻOtuá. Naʻe hiva mo e kau ʻāngeló. Naʻe hangē naʻe ʻuhinga mālie fakafoʻituitui ange e ngaahi folofola ʻa e ʻEikí ʻo mālohi ange ʻi ha toe ongo ki muʻa: “Fefine, vakai ki hoʻo tamá!” Pea ki Heʻene ākongá, “Vakai ki hoʻo faʻeé!”3
Hangē ne toe vanavanaiki mei Pētelihema ʻa e lea:
[Hono ʻikai malū, malū-toka
Hono foaki ʻo e meʻaʻofa fakaʻofoʻofa!
Hono tuku ʻe he ʻOtuá ki he loto ʻo e tangatá
ʻA e ngaahi tāpuaki hono ʻafioʻangá.
He ʻikai ongona ʻe ha telinga ʻEne hāʻele maí;
Ka ʻi he māmani angahala ní,
Ko e angamaluú te nau talí.
ʻA e hāʻele mai ʻa Kalaisí.4
Naʻe pehē ʻe Palesiteni David O. McKay: “ʻOku toki maʻu pē fiefia moʻoní ʻi heʻetau ʻai ke fiefia ʻa e niʻihi kehé. … ʻOku hanga ʻe he [laumālie ʻo e Kilisimasí … ʻo ʻai hotau lotó ke ulo ʻi he ofa mo e anga fakakaungāmeʻá pea mo ueʻi kitautolu ki ha ngaahi ngaāue. Ko e laumālie ia ʻo e ongoongolelei ʻo Sīsū Kalaisí.”5
ʻOku ʻikai ha taimi ʻe toe mahuluange ʻi he faʻahitaʻu Kilisimasi ko ʻení, ke tau toe fakatapui kotoa ai kitautolu ki he ngaahi tefitoʻi moʻoni naʻe akoʻi ʻe Sīsū Kalaisí. Ko e taimi ia ke ʻofa ai ki he ʻEiki, ko hotau ʻOtuá, ʻaki hotau lotó kotoá—pea ki hotau kaungāʻapí ʻo hangē pē ko kitautolú. ʻOku lelei ke manatuʻi ko ia ʻokú ne foaki ʻa e paʻangá ʻokú ne foaki ha meʻa lahi; ko ia ʻokú ne foaki hono taimí ʻokú ne foaki lahi ange; ka ko ia ʻokú ne foaki iá ʻokú ne foaki kotoa.
Tau ʻai muʻa ʻa e Kilisimasí ke moʻoni. ʻOku ʻikai ko e meʻa ngingilá pē mo e līpiné, tukukehe kapau ʻoku tau ʻai ia ke pehē ʻi heʻetau moʻuí. Ko e Kilisimasí ko e laumālie ia ʻo e foaki ʻo ʻikai ha toe fakakaukau ke maʻu ai ha meʻá. Ko e fiefiá ia he ʻoku tau mamata ki he fiefiá ʻi he kakaí. Ko e taimi ia ʻo e fakangaloʻi kitá ka te kumi ha taimi moʻó e kakai kehé. Ko hono liʻaki ia ʻo e meʻa muná kae fakamamafaʻi ʻa e meʻa mahuʻinga moʻoní. ʻOku ongo he kuo tau maʻu ha nonga ʻi he ngaahi akonaki ʻa e Fakamoʻuí. Ko e taimi ia ʻo e ʻiloʻi moʻoni ko e taimi ʻoku lahi ange ai hono fakahaaʻi ʻo e ʻofá, ko ʻene lahi ange ia ʻete foaki ki he kakai kehé.
ʻOku ʻi ai ha Kilisimasi ʻi he ʻapí mo e Siasí,
ʻOku ʻi ai ha Kilisimasi ʻi he fale koloá;
Ka he ʻikai ke ke ʻilo ʻe koe ai hono mahuʻinga ʻo e Kilisimasí
Tuku kehe kapau ʻe ʻi ho lotó.
Mahalo ʻe vanavanaiki atu e leʻo ʻo e fafangú ʻi he sinoú,
Pea maheʻa ʻa e ngaahi hivá ʻi he ʻeá,
Ka, ʻe mole mei he lotó ʻa e fiefiá
Tuku kehe ka ʻi ai ʻa e Kilisimasí.6
ʻI hono ʻākilotoa kitautolu ʻe he faʻahitaʻu Kilisimasí ʻaki hono nāunaú, ʻofa te tau fai ʻo hangē ko ia naʻe fai ʻe he kau Tangata Potó, ʻo kumi ha foʻi feutuʻu ngingila ke ne tataki kitautolu ki hotau faingamālie he Kilisimasí ʻo tokoni ki hotau kāingá. ʻOfa te tau fakahoko kātoa ʻa e fononga ki Pētelihemá ʻi he laumālié, ʻo ʻave mo kitautolu ha meʻaʻofa ongoongofua mo tokanga ko ʻetau meʻaʻofa ki he Fakamoʻuí. Pea ʻofa ke maʻu ʻe ha taha kotoa ha Kilisimasi fiefia. ʻI he huafa toputapu ʻo Sīsū Kalaisí, ʻēmeni.