Ko e Meʻaʻofa ʻo e Melinó ʻa e Fakamoʻuí
Fai ʻe ʻEletā L. Whitney Clayton
ʻO e Kau Palesitenisī ʻo e Kau Fitungofulú
Mei ha Fakataha Lotu Faka-Kilisimasi ʻa e Kau Palesitenisī ʻUluakí “ʻOua ʻe Manavahē,” ʻi he ʻaho 6 ʻo Tīsema 2015 ʻi he Senitā Konifelenisí.
Naʻa mo ha māmani ʻoku ngali taʻemalava ai e melinó, ʻe lava ke nofoʻia hotau lotó ʻe he meʻafoaki ‘o e melino ʻa e Fakamoʻuí neongo pe ko e hā hotau tūkungá.
Nativity in Copper and Umber, fai ʻe J. Kirk Richards
ʻOku ʻi ai nai ha meʻa ʻe fungani ange he ngaahi hiva fakaʻofoʻofa ʻo e Kilisimasí, fakataha faka-Kilisimasi mai e fāmilí mo e ngaahi kaungāmeʻá, ngaahi fofonga malimalí pea mo e fiefia ʻa e fānaú? ʻOku ʻi ai ha malava fakalangi ʻa e Kilisimasí ke fakatahatahaʻi kitautolu ko ha ngaahi fāmili, kaungāmeʻa mo e tūkui kolo. ʻOku tau hanganaki fiefia atu ki he fakafetongi meʻaʻofá mo e kai lelei ʻo e ʻaho mālōloó.
ʻI he talanoa Ko ha Hiva Kilisimasi, ne faʻu ʻe he tangata Pilitānia ko Sālesi Tikeni, naʻe maʻu ai ʻe ha fakafotu ʻo ʻEpenisa Sikuasi e fakaofo ʻo e taimi toputapu ko ʻeni ʻo e taʻú. ʻOkú ne manatu ʻo pehē, “Ne u fakakaukau ki he taimi Kilisimasí ko ha taimi fakafiefia: ko ha taimi … ʻo e angaʻofa, faʻa fakamolemole, ʻofa, mo fiemālie: ko e taimi pē ia ʻoku ou ʻiloʻi he taʻú kakato, ʻoku loto fiemālie ai e kakaí ke fakaava honau … lotó pea fakakaukau ki he niʻihi kehé. Ko ia ai … neongo kuo teʻeki ke u maʻu ha koula pe siliva mei ai, ka ʻoku ou tui kuó ne fai ha lelei maʻaku, pea ʻe ʻaonga ia kiate au; pea te u pehē, ʻoku faitāpuekina ia ʻe he ʻOtuá!”1
ʻI heʻeku hoko ko ha mātuʻa mo ha kui he taimi ní, kuó u manatu maʻu pē ki he fakaofo ʻo e Kilisimasí ʻi heʻeku vakai ki heʻeku fānaú mo ʻenau fānaú, ʻoku nau fakamanatu e ʻaloʻi ʻo e Fakamoʻuí pea mo fiefia heʻemau feohi fakafāmili he taimi ʻoku mau fakatahataha mai aí. Pau pē kuó ke mātā, hangē kuó u aʻusiá, ʻa e fiefia mo e lotomaʻa e fānaú ʻi heʻenau hanganaki atu ki he faʻahitaʻu mālōlō makehe ko ʻení. ʻI heʻeku sio ki heʻenau fiefiá, ʻoku fakamanatu mai ai e ngaahi Kilisimasi fakafiefia ʻo e kuohilí. Naʻe toe pehē ʻe Tīkeni, “Taimi ʻe niʻihi ʻoku lelei ke tau toe hangē ko e fānaú, kae tautefito ki he Kilisimasí, he naʻe hoko hono Tupuʻanga māfimafí ko ha tamasiʻi foki.”2
Ne u tupu hake ʻo ofi ki Losi ʻEniselesi, Kalefōnia, USA, ʻa ia ne takatakaiʻi ai homau ʻapí ʻe ha ʻulu moli. ʻI he efiafi he Kilisimasi kotoa pē, ʻoku fakaafeʻi ai ʻe heʻeku ongomātuʻá ʻa e fāmilí, ngaahi kaungāmeʻá mo e kaungāʻapí ki homau ʻapí ke nau hivaʻi e ngaahi hiva Kilisimasí mo maʻu ha meʻatokoni fakaneifua pē. Ko ha tukufakaholo fakaʻofoʻofa ia kiate kimautolu kotoa pea hangē ne laulau houa ʻemau hivá. Te mau hiva kimautolu fānaú ki he lōloa taha ne mau lavá pea mau toki hola leva ki he ʻulu molí ʻo vaʻinga ai.
Ne u ohi hake mo hoku uaifi ko Kefí ʻa homa fāmilí ʻi he Faka-Tonga ʻo Kalefōniá, ofi ki he matāfangá. ʻOku ʻilo ai e Kilisimasí he sēlue ʻa e ʻulu niú ʻi he havilí. ʻI he taʻu kotoa pē, ʻoku fakatuʻamelie ʻema fānaú ke nau ō ki he taulangá ʻo sio he fakatētē fakataʻu ʻa e ʻū vaká he Kilisimasí. ʻOku folau takatakai ai he uafú ha fanga kiʻi vaka ʻe laungeau kuo teuteuʻi ʻaki ha fanga kiʻi maama lanu kehekehe, ka mau sio pē.
Ko ʻeni ʻokú ma nofo mo Kefi ʻi Sōleki Siti, kuó ma fokotuʻu ai ha tukufakaholo ko hono ʻave ʻema fānaú mo e makapuná ki hono faivaʻi fakalotofonua ʻo e Ko ha Hiva Kilisimasí. ʻI heʻemau sio he taʻu kotoa pē ki hono fai ʻe Sikuasi ha liliu fakaofo mei heʻene hoko ko ha taha taʻeʻofá ki ha kaungāʻapi fonu he fiefia ʻo e Kilisimasí, ʻoku ueʻi ai kimautolu ke mau tukuange e ngaahi tōʻonga kovi ko iá mei heʻemau moʻuí. ʻOku ueʻi kimautolu ke mau toe fai lelei ange pea muimui he sīpinga manavaʻofa ʻa e Fakamoʻuí ki he kakai kotoa pē.
Ko e Mālohi e Huhuʻi ʻo Sīsū Kalaisí
ʻOku aka e laumālie liliu moʻui ʻo e faʻahitaʻu Kilisimasí ʻi he mālohi huhuʻi ʻo Sīsū Kalaisi ke liliu ʻetau moʻuí ke lelei angé. ʻOku hiki he tohi ʻa Luké ʻa e talanoa ki hono ʻaloʻi e ʻAlo ʻo e ʻOtuá he taʻu ʻe 2,000 tupu kuohilí ʻi Pētelihemá:
“Pea pehē, naʻe fai ʻa e fono ʻe Sisa ʻAokositusi, ʻi he ngaahi ʻaho ko iá, ke tohi ʻa e kakai kotoa pē ʻo e puleʻangá …
“Pea naʻe takitaha ʻalu ʻa e kakai kotoa pē ki hono potu, ke tohi ai ia.
“Pea ʻalu hake foki ʻa Siosefa mei Kāleli, mei he kolo ko Nāsaletí, ki Siutea, ki he kolo ʻo Tēvitá, ʻoku ui ko Pētelihema …
“Ke tohi ia mo hono ʻunoho ko Mele, naʻe fakanofo, kuo feitama ia.
“Pea naʻe lolotonga ʻena ʻi aí, pea pehē, kuo kakato hono ngaahi ʻaho ke fāʻele ai iá.
“Pea fāʻeleʻi ʻe ia ʻa e tama ko hono ʻolopoʻoú, peá ne takatakai ʻaki ia ʻa e kofu, ʻo fakatokoto ia ʻi he ʻaiʻanga kai ʻo e manú; koeʻuhí naʻe ʻikai te nau hao ʻi he fale tali-fonongá.
“Pea naʻe ʻi he fonua ko iá ʻa e kau tauhi sipi ʻoku nofo ʻi he ngoué, ʻo leʻohi ʻenau fanga sipí ʻi he poʻulí.
“Pea ʻiloange, naʻe tuʻu mai kiate kinautolu ʻa e ʻāngelo ʻa e ʻEikí, pea malama ʻa e nāunau ʻo e ʻEikí ʻo takatakai ʻa kinautolu: pea naʻa nau manavahē ʻaupito.
“Pea pehē ʻe he ʻāngeló kiate kinautolu, ʻOua ʻe manavahē: vakai, he ʻoku ou ʻomi kiate kimoutolu ʻa e ongoongolelei ʻo e fiefia lahi, ʻa ia ʻe hoko ki he kakai fulipē.
“He kuo ʻaloʻi kiate kimoutolu ʻi he ʻahó ni, ʻi he kolo ʻo Tēvitá, ʻa e Fakamoʻui ʻa ia ko Kalaisi ko e ʻEikí.
“Pea ko e fakaʻilongá ʻeni kiate kimoutolu; te mou ʻilo ʻa e tamasiʻí kuo takatakai ʻaki ia ʻa e kofu, pea tokoto ia ʻi he ʻaiʻanga kai ʻo e manú.
“Pea fakafokifā pē kuo ʻi he ʻāngeló ʻa e tokolahi ʻo e kau ʻāngelo mei he langí, ʻo nau fakamālō ki he ʻOtuá ʻo pehē,
“Fakafetaʻi ki he ʻOtua ʻi ʻolungá, pea ʻi māmani ʻa e melinó, ko e ʻofa ki he kakaí” (Luke 2:1, 3–14).
ʻOua ʻe Manavahē
The Shepherds Made Known Abroad, fai ʻe J. Kirk Richards
Naʻe ongoʻi ʻe he ʻāngeló e manavasiʻi ʻa e kau tauhisipí heʻene hā kiate kinautolu ʻo fakahā ange ke “ʻoua ʻe manavahē.” Kuo hanga ʻe he nāunau fakaofo ʻo e ʻOtuá, ne hā mei he talafekau fakalangi taʻeʻamanekiná, ʻo ʻai ke nau ongoʻi manavahē. Ka ko e ongoongo ne haʻu mo e ʻāngeló ne ʻikai ko ha meʻa ia ke nau ilifia ai. Naʻá ne haʻu ke talaki ha mana, ke ʻomi ʻa e ongoongo lelei fungani tahá, ke fakahā ange kuo kamata moʻoni ʻa hono huhuʻi e faʻahinga ʻo e tangatá. Kuo teʻeki ai ha talafekau kimuʻa pe talu mei ai kuó ne ʻomi ha ongoongo fakafiefia pehē.
Naʻe kamata ʻe he ʻAlo pē Taha ʻo e Tamaí ne Fakatupú, ʻa ʻEne fononga ʻi he maama fakamatelié: “He kuo ʻaloʻi kiate kimoutolu ʻi he ʻahó ni ʻi he kolo ʻo Tēvitá ha Fakamoʻui, ʻa ia ko Kalaisi ko e ʻEikí.” Ko e ngaahi ongoongo moʻoni ʻeni ʻo e fiefia lahi.
ʻOku tau takitaha fehangahangai mo ha ngaahi mōmeniti ʻi heʻetau moʻuí ʻe ngali taʻe-hoko pe taumamaʻo ai e fiefia lahi ne talaʻofa mai ʻe he ʻāngeló. ʻOku tau moʻulaloa kotoa ki he ngaahi tūkiaʻanga mo e faingataʻa ʻo e moʻuí—ʻa e mahamahakí, tōnounoú, palopalemá, loto foʻí, pea, ʻi he ngataʻangá, ko e maté. Neongo ʻoku monūʻia ha kakai tokolahi ke nofo malu, ka ʻoku ʻi ai siʻa niʻihi he ʻahó ni ʻoku ʻikai pehē. ʻOku fehangahangai ha tokolahi mo e faingataʻa ke feau e ngaahi fie maʻu ʻo e moʻuí kae pehē ki he haʻahaʻa fakatuʻasino mo fakaeloto ʻoku fononga fakataha mo iá.
Pea neongo e ngaahi faingataʻa ʻo e moʻuí, ka ʻoku kei tatau pē e pōpoaki ʻa e ʻEikí kiate kitautolu he ʻahó ni ʻo hangē ko ia ne fai ki he kau tauhisipí he taʻu ʻe 2,000 tupu kuohilí: “Oua ʻe manavahē.” Mahalo ʻoku toe kaungatonu ange kiate kitautolu e ʻuhinga ʻa e ʻāngeló ke ʻoua ʻe manavaheé he ʻahó ni, ʻi heʻene fakanonga e manavahē ʻa e kau tauhisipí ʻi he fuofua pō Kilisimasi ko iá. ʻOkú ke pehē ko ʻene ʻuhingá ke mahino kiate kitautolu koeʻuhí ko e Fakamoʻuí, he ʻikai teitei ikuna ʻa e manavaheé? ʻOkú ke pehē ko ʻene ʻuhingá ke fakapapauʻi ʻa e moʻoniʻi meʻa ko ia ʻoku ʻikai teitei totonu ke tau manavahē, he ʻikai tolonga ha palopalema fakaemāmani, pea ʻoku ʻikai hatau taha ʻe taʻelava ʻo huhuʻi?
Ko e meʻaʻofa fungani taha ʻoku foaki maʻu mai pē ʻe he Kilisimasí, ʻa e meʻaʻofa naʻe foaki tonu mai ʻe hotau Fakamoʻuí: Ko ʻEne melino haohaoá. Naʻá Ne folofola: “ʻOku ou tuku ʻa e melinó kiate kimoutolu, ko ʻeku melinó ʻoku ou foaki kiate kimoutolu: ʻoku ʻikai hangē ko e foaki ʻa māmaní, ʻa ʻeku foaki kiate kimoutolú. ʻOua naʻa mamahi homou lotó, pea ʻoua naʻa manavahē ia” (Sione 14:27).
Naʻa mo ha māmani ʻoku ngali taʻemalava ai e melinó, ʻe lava ke nofoʻia hotau lotó ʻe he meʻafoaki ‘o e melino ʻa e Fakamoʻuí neongo pe ko e hā hotau tūkungá. Kapau te tau tali e fakaafe ʻa e Fakamoʻuí ke muimui ʻiate Iá, ʻe mōlia fakaʻaufuli atu ʻa e ongoʻi manavaheé. Kuo pau hotau kahaʻú. Ko ʻeni ʻa e ngaahi “ongoongolelei ʻo e fiefia lahi, ʻa ia ʻe hoko ki he kakai fulipē.”
Naʻe fakamanatu mai ʻe he palōfita ko ʻĪsaiá, “ʻOua naʻá ke manavahē, he ʻoku ou ʻiate koe: ʻoua ʻe loto vaivai; he ko au ko ho ʻOtua: te u fakamālohi koe; ʻio, te u tokoniʻi koe; ʻio, te u poupou hake koe ʻaki ʻa e nima toʻomataʻu ʻo ʻeku angatonú” (ʻĪsaia 41:10).
Ko e ʻAmanaki Lelei ʻi he Fakamoʻuí
Koeʻuhí naʻe ʻaloʻi e Fakamoʻuí he taʻu ʻe 2,000 kuohilí ʻi Pētelihema, ʻoku ʻi ai ha ʻamanaki lelei—pea toe mahulu hake ai. ʻOku ʻi ai e huhuʻí, tauʻatāiná, ikuná mo e lavameʻá. “[ʻE ʻulungia ʻa e halá, pea tuʻuloa ʻa e totonú].”3
ʻOku ʻikai ha ofo he ʻasi fakafokifā ha kau ʻāngelo tokolahi ko ha kalanga fakalangi ʻo ʻuhinga ki he fanongonongo ʻe he ʻāngeló hono ʻaloʻi ʻo e Fakamoʻuí, mo hiva, “Fakafetaʻi ki he ʻOtua ʻi ʻolungá, pea ʻi māmani ʻa e melinó, mo e ʻofa ki he kakai.” ʻOku ʻikai ha pōpoaki ia ʻe toe fakafiemālie ange ai. ʻOku ʻikai ha pōpoaki ia ʻe toe fonu ange ʻi he ʻofa ki he faʻahinga ʻo e tangatá.
ʻOfa ke hoko e faʻahitaʻú ni ko ha faʻahitaʻu melino mo fiefia maʻatautolu kotoa he “[naʻe] aloʻi kiate kitautolu he [ʻaho ko iá] ʻi he kolo ʻo Tēvitá ha Fakamoʻui, ko Kalaisi ko e ʻEikí.”