I-Times Square Parade, ngu-Alexander Chen
WE baphila ezikhathini eziyingozi. Kodwa bambalwa abakubonayo. Engikhuluma ngakho akukona usongo lobuphekula, ukushintsha kwesimo sezulu, noma impi yenuzi, kodwa into ecashile futhi enobuqili. Kuwukuqhubekela phambili kwesitha esesivele sazuza umhlabathi ezindlini nasezinhliziyweni eziningi futhi esikwazi ukubangela ukucekelwa phansi okubi njengoba sibhebhetheka emhlabeni wonke:
Noise.
Ngikhuluma ngomsindo womoya. Umsindo ozwakale kakhulu emphefumulweni, ovala izindlebe enhliziyweni, kuthi uma nje usungena, ufiphaze izwi likaNkulunkulu, ushaye unembeza unembeza, futhi uphuphuthekise amehlo ukuze abone okungokoqobo. Ingesinye sezitha eziyingozi kakhulu zesikhathi sethu ngoba, ngenkathi impi nodlame zilimaza umzimba, umsindo ungumbulali womphefumulo. Futhi umphefumulo ovale izwi likaNkulunkulu uzibeka engcupheni yokungaphinde umuzwe ingunaphakade.
umsindo
Lesi sitha besilokhu siqamekela, kepha mhlawumbe hhayi ngaphezulu kwanamuhla. UMphostoli uSt John wakuxwayisa lokho umsindo kungukubika komoya womphikukristu:
Ungawuthandi umhlaba noma izinto zomhlaba. Uma umuntu ethanda umhlaba, uthando lukaYise alukho kuye. Ngoba konke okusezweni, inkanuko yenyama, ukuheha kwamehlo, nokuphila kokuzenzisa, akuveli kuBaba kepha kuvela ezweni. Nokho umhlaba nokuyenga kwawo kuyadlula. Kepha owenza intando kaNkulunkulu uhlala kuze kube phakade. Bantwana, yihora lokugcina leli; futhi njengoba nje nizwile ukuthi umphikukristu uyeza, ngakho manje sekuvele abaphikukristu abaningi. (1 Johane 2: 15-18)
Inkanuko yenyama, ukuheha amehlo, impilo yokuzidla. Lezi yizindlela lapho ubunikazi namandla kuqondisa ukuqhuma komsindo esintwini esingaqaphile.
UMSINDO WENKANUKO
Umuntu akakwazi ukungena ku-inthanethi, ahambe esikhumulweni sezindiza, noma avele athenge igrosa ngaphandle kokuhlaselwa umsindo wenkanuko. Abesilisa, ngaphezu kwabesifazane, bayathinteka kulokhu ngoba kukhona ukusabela okunamandla kwamakhemikhali emadodeni. Kungumsindo omubi, ngoba awudonseli amehlo kuphela, kodwa nomzimba womuntu uqobo endleleni yawo. Ukusikisela namuhla ukuthi owesifazane ogqoke uhhafu akanasizotha noma akafanelekile kuzodonsa ukudideka uma kungenjalo ukudelela. Sekwamukelekile emphakathini, nasebancane nabasebancane, ukwenza ucansi nokungahloniphi umzimba. Akusesona isitsha sokudlulisa, ngesizotha kanye nesisa, iqiniso lokuthi umuntu ungubani ngempela, kodwa sekwaba isikhulisa-zwi esizwakalisa umlayezo ohlanekezelwe: lokho kugcwaliseka kuvela ekugcineni ngobulili nobulili, kunoMdali. Lo msindo uwodwa, manje osakazwa ngezithombe ezingcolile nolimi cishe kuzo zonke izingxenye zomphakathi wanamuhla, wenza okukhulu ukucekela phansi imiphefumulo kunanoma iyiphi enye.
UMSINDO WOKUTHANDA
Ezizweni zaseNtshonalanga ikakhulukazi, umsindo wokuthanda izinto ezibonakalayo—ukuyenga kwezinto ezintsha—ufinyelele ezingeni elivala izindlebe, kodwa bambalwa abamelana nawo. Ama-Ipad, ipods, ibooks, ama-iphone, ama-ifashions, izinhlelo zokuthatha umhlalaphansi…. Ngisho neziqu ngokwazo zembula okuthile ngengozi engaba khona ecashe ngemuva kwesidingo sokunethezeka komuntu siqu, ukunethezeka nokuzithokozisa. Konke kumayelana “mina”, hhayi umfowethu oswele. Ukuthunyelwa kokukhiqiza emhlabeni wesithathu 
amazwe (okuvame ukuletha ukungabi nabulungisa ngokwawo ngeholo elibuhlungu) alethe i-tsunami yezimpahla eziphansi, ezandulelwa amagagasi okukhangisa okungapheli okuzibeka wena, hhayi umakhelwane womuntu, phezu kwe-totem yezinto eziza kuqala.
Kodwa lo msindo usuthathe iphimbo elihlukile nelicashile osukwini lwethu. I-inthanethi nobuchwepheshe obungenawaya buhlala buhlinzeka ngemibala eminingi, izindaba, inhlebo, izithombe, amavidiyo, izimpahla, amasevisi—konke ngomzuzwana owodwa. Kuyinhlanganisela ephelele ye-glitz kanye nobukhazikhazi bokugcina imiphefumulo ikhangayo-futhi ngokuvamile izithulu ekulambeni nokomela emiphefumulweni yabo kwabadlulayo, kuNkulunkulu.
Ngeke sikuphike ukuthi izinguquko ezisheshayo ezenzeka emhlabeni wethu zibuye ziveze izimpawu eziphazamisayo zokuhlukana kanye nokuhlehla kumuntu ngamunye. Ukusetshenziswa okwandayo kokuxhumana ngogesi kwezinye izimo kubangele ukuhlukaniswa okukhulu… —UPOPE BENEDICT XVI, inkulumo eSontweni i-St Joseph's, ngo-Ephreli 8, 2008, Yorkville, eNew York; I-Catholic News Agency
UMSINDO WOKUQHUBEKA
John uxwayisa ngesilingo “sokuzidla ngokuphila.” Lokhu akugcini nje ngokufuna ukuceba noma ukuduma. Namuhla, isithathe isilingo esinobuqili ngokwengeziwe, futhi, ngokusebenzisa ubuchwepheshe. “Ezomphakathi 
inethiwekhi”, ngenkathi ijwayele ukuxhuma abangani nomndeni wakudala, iphinde ingene ebuntwini obusha. Ngezinsizakalo zokuxhumana ezifana ne-Facebook noma i-Twitter, inkambiso iwukubeka yonke imicabango nezenzo zomuntu ukuze izwe likubone, okugqugquzela umkhuba okhulayo we-narcissism (self-absorption). Lokhu ngempela kuphambene nefa elicebile likamoya labaNgcwele lapho inkulumo-ze eyize kanye nezinto ezingenangqondo okufanele zigwenywe, njengoba behlakulela umoya wezwe nokunganaki.
ISIKO LENHLIZIYO
Vele, wonke lo msindo akumele uthathwe njengobubi ngokuphelele. Umzimba womuntu kanye nezocansi kuyizipho ezivela kuNkulunkulu, akusona isithiyo esiyihlazo noma esingcolile. Izinto ezibonakalayo azilungile futhi azimbi, zimane nje… size sizibeke e-altare lezinhliziyo zethu sizenze izithombe. Futhi i-intanethi ingasetshenziselwa okuhle.
Endlini yaseNazaretha nasenkonzweni kaJesu, kwakukhona 
njalo umsindo wangemuva wezwe. UJesu waze wangena ‘emphandwini wezingonyama,’ edla nabathelisi nezifebe. Kodwa wakwenza lokho ngoba Wayehlale enakekela ukugcinwa kwenhliziyo. St. Paul wabhala,
Ningalingisi leli banga, kodwa niguqulwe isimo ngokwenziwa ibe ntsha ingqondo yenu… (Rom 12: 2)
Ukugcinwa kwenhliziyo kusho ukuthi angigxilile ezintweni zomhlaba, ekuzivumelaniseni nezindlela zalo zokungamhloniphi uNkulunkulu, kodwa eMbusweni, izindlela zikaNkulunkulu. Kusho ukuthola kabusha injongo yokuphila nokuvumelanisa izinhloso zami nakho…
… Masisuse yonke imithwalo nezono ezisinamathele futhi siphikelele ekugijimeni umjaho ophambi kwethu ngenkathi sigcine amehlo ethu ethe njo kuJesu, umholi nomphelelisi wokholo. (Heb 12: 1-2)
Ezifungweni zethu zobhapathizo, sithembisa “ukulahla ubukhazikhazi bobubi, futhi senqabe ukubuswa isono.” Ukugcina inhliziyo kusho ukugwema leso sinyathelo sokuqala esibulalayo: ukungenwa ebukhazikhazini bobubi, okuthi, uma sithatha isiyengo, kuholele ekuphathweni yikho.
… Wonke umuntu owenza isono uyisigqila sesono. (Johane 8:34)
UJesu wahamba phakathi kwabantu abayizoni, kodwa wagcina inhliziyo Yakhe ingenabala ngokuqhubeka efuna kuqala intando kaBaba. Wahamba eqinisweni lokuthi abesifazane babengezona izinto, kodwa babeyimifanekiso yomfanekiso Wakhe; eqinisweni lokuthi izinto ezibonakalayo kufanele zisetshenziselwe inkazimulo kaNkulunkulu kanye nokuhle kwabanye; futhi ngokuba mncane, ukuthobeka, nokucasha, ubumnene nenhliziyo emnene, uJesu wagwema amandla ezwe nodumo abanye ababengamnika lona.
UKUGCINA IMIZWA
EMthethweni Wokuzisola ongokwesiko othandazelwa kuSivumo Sesakramente, umuntu unquma 'ukungabe esona futhi agweme isenzakalo esiseduze sokona.' Ukugcina inhliziyo kusho ukugwema hhayi nje isono ngokwaso, kodwa lezo zicupho ezaziwa kakhulu ezingangenza ngiwele esonweni. “Yenza akukho ukuhlinzekelwa kwenyama,” kusho uSt. Paul (bheka Ingwe Esibayeni.) Umngane wami omkhulu uthi sekuyiminyaka engawadli amaswidi noma aphuze utshwala. Wathi: “Ngingumuntu omluthayo. "Uma ngidla ikhekhe elilodwa, ngifuna isikhwama sonke." Ukwethembeka okuqabulayo. Umuntu ogwema ngisho nesenzakalo esiseduze sesono—futhi ungabona inkululeko emehlweni akhe.
Ukufisa
Eminyakeni eminingi edlule, isisebenzi esishadile esikanye naye sasikhanukela abesifazane ababedlula. Ibona ukuntula kwami ukuhlanganyela, yahona, “Umuntu usengabheka imenyu ngaphandle koku-oda!” Kodwa uJesu washo okuhlukile:
… Wonke umuntu obuka owesifazane ngokumkhanuka usephingile naye enhliziyweni yakhe. (Math.5: 28)
Ngokwesiko lethu lezithombe zocansi, umuntu wesilisa angagcina kanjani angaweli esonweni sokuphinga ngamehlo akhe? Impendulo ukubeka imenyu kude 
bonke ndawonye. Okokuqala, abesifazane abazona izinto, impahla okufanele ibe ngabanikazi. Ziyimifanekiso emihle yoMdali oNgcwele: ubulili babo, obuvezwa njengesitsha sembewu enikeza ukuphila, buwumfanekiso weBandla, eliwumthombo weZwi likaNkulunkulu elinikeza ukuphila. Ngakho, ngisho nokugqoka ngendlela engenasizotha noma ukubukeka okungokobulili kuwugibe; wumthambeka oshelelayo oholela ekufuneni okwengeziwe. Okudingekayo-ke ukugcina ukugcinwa kwamehlo:
Isibani somzimba iso. Uma iso lakho liphilile, umzimba wakho wonke uyakugcwala ukukhanya; kepha uma iso lakho lilibi, uzakuba semzimbeni wakho wonke ebumnyameni. (Math 6: 22-23)
Iso “libi” uma silivumela ukuba likhanyiswe “ubuhle bobubi”: uma silivumela ukuba lizulazule ekamelweni, uma sihlola amakhava omagazini, izithombe ze-inthanethi yebha eseceleni, noma sibuka amamuvi noma izinhlelo ezingcolile. .
Susa amehlo akho kowesifazane omuhle; ungabuki ubuhle bomfazi womunye—ngobuhle bowesifazane abaningi bayabhubha, ngokuba ukukhanuka kuvutha njengomlilo. (Funda iSirawu 9:8.)
Khona-ke akuyona indaba yokugwema nje izithombe zobulili ezingcolile, kodwa zonke izinhlobo zokuziphatha okubi. Kusho-kwamanye amadoda afunda lokhu-ukuguqulwa okuphelele kwengqondo mayelana nendlela abesifazane ababhekwa ngayo kanye nendlela esizibona ngayo-izinto ezihlukile esizithethelelayo ukuthi, empeleni, ziyasicupha, futhi zisidonsele osizini lwesono.
Ukuthanda izinto ezibonakalayo
Umuntu angabhala incwadi ekhuluma ngobuphofu. Kepha uSt.Paul mhlawumbe ukufingqa kahle kakhulu:
Uma sinokudla nezambatho, masaneliswe yikho. Abafuna ukuceba bawela esilingweni, nasogibeni, nasezinkanukweni eziningi zobuwula ezilimazayo, ezibaphonsa encithakalweni nasekubhujisweni. ( 1 Thimothewu 6:8-9 )
Silahlekelwa ilungelo lokugcina inhliziyo ngokuhlala sithenga okuthile okungcono, kokuhle kakhulu okulandelayo. 
Omunye weMiyalo ukungafisi izinto zomakhelwane wami. Isizathu, uJesu waxwayisa, ukuthi umuntu akakwazi ukwahlukanisa inhliziyo yakhe phakathi kukaNkulunkulu nemamon (impahla).
Akekho ongakhonza amakhosi amabili. Uyozonda enye athande enye, noma azinikele kokunye adelele enye. (Math 6:24)
Ukugcina inhliziyo kushiwo ukuthola, ikakhulukazi, lokho esikutholayo kudingeka kunalokho thina ufuna, hhayi ukuziqongelela kepha kwabelana nabanye, ikakhulukazi abampofu.
Ingcebo enkulu oyibekele futhi wavumela ukuthi ibole lapho bekufanele ubanike izipho abampofu, izingubo ezingadingekile obenazo futhi uncamela ukuzibona zidliwa amabhu kunokugqoka abampofu, negolide nesiliva ukhethe ukubona ukulala ungasebenzi kunokuthi uchithe ukudla kwabampofu, zonke lezi zinto, ngithi, zizofakaza ngokumelene nawe ngoSuku Lokwahlulela. —USt. URobert Bellarmine, Ukuhlakanipha Kwabangcwele, UJill Haakadels, k. 166
Ukuzenzela
Ukugcinwa kwenhliziyo futhi kusho ukuqapha amazwi ethu, ukuba nawo ukugcina ulimi lwethu. Ngoba ulimi lunamandla okwakha noma okubhidliza, okucupha noma ukukhulula. Kaningi, sisebenzisa ulimi ngenxa yokuqhosha, sithi (noma sithayipha) lokhu noma lokhuya ngethemba lokuzenza sibonakale sibalulekile kunathi, noma ukuze sijabulise abanye, sithole ukuvunyelwa kwabo. Kwesinye isikhathi, sivele sikhiphe udonga lwamagama ukuze sizijabulise ngengxoxo engenzi lutho.
Kunegama elingokomoya lamaKatolika elibizwa ngokuthi “inkumbulo.” Kusho ukumane ngikhumbule ukuthi ngihlala ngiphambi kukaNkulunkulu, nokuthi uhlala engumgomo wami kanye nokugcwaliseka kwazo zonke izifiso zami. Kusho ukuqaphela ukuthi intando Yakhe ingukudla kwami, nokuthi, njengenceku Yakhe, ngibizelwe ukuba ngiMlandele endleleni yesisa. Ukukhumbula-ke, kusho ukuthi “ngiyaziqoqa” lapho ngilahlekelwe igunya lokulawula inhliziyo yami, ngithembele emseni Wakhe kanye nentethelelo Yakhe, futhi ngiphinde ngizinikele ekuMthandeni nasekuMkhonzeni umzuzu wamanje ngayo yonke inhliziyo yami, umphefumulo, ingqondo namandla.
Uma kuziwa ezingosini zokuxhumana, kudingeka siqaphele. Ingabe kuthobekile ukunamathisela izithombe zami ezishaya ubuze bami? Lapho “ngibhalela” abanye, ingabe ngikhuluma okuthile okudingekayo noma cha? Ingabe ngikhuthaza inhlebo noma ngimoshela abanye isikhathi?
Ngiyakutshela, ngosuku lokwahlulelwa abantu bayolandisa ngawo wonke amagama abawanakayo abawakhulumayo. (Math 12:36)
Cabanga ngenhliziyo yakho njengesithando somlilo. Umlomo wakho umnyango. Njalo lapho uvula umnyango, uvumela ukushisa kuphume. Uma uvala umnyango, ugcina ukhunjulwa ebukhoneni bukaNkulunkulu, umlilo wothando lwaKhe olungcwele uzokhula uvuthe kakhulu ukuze kuthi, uma isikhathi silungile, amazwi akho asebenze ukwakha, ukukhulula, kanye nokwenza lula ukuphulukiswa kwabanye — ukuze Efudumele abanye ngothando lukaNkulunkulu. Ngalezo zikhathi, noma sikhuluma, ngoba sisezwini Lothando, sisebenzela ukubhula umlilo ngaphakathi. Kungenjalo, umphefumulo wethu, nowabanye, uyabanda lapho sigcina umnyango uvuliwe ngenkulumo engasho lutho noma yangaphakathi.
Ukuziphatha okubi noma yikuphi ukungcola noma ukuhaha akumele kukhulunywe ngisho naphakathi kwenu, njengoba kufanelekile phakathi kwabangcwele, kungabi namanyala noma inkulumo eyisilima noma eyinhlamba, engafanelekile, kodwa kunalokho, ukubonga. (Efe 5: 3-4)
Abezizwe nabahambi
Ukugcina ukugcinwa kwenhliziyo kuwumsindo wangaphandle futhi kuphambene namasiko. Siphila ezweni elikhuthaza abantu ukuthi bazame izenzo zocansi nezindlela zokuphila eziningi, bazinamekele kuyo yonke i-YouTube, bafune ukuba “Izithixo” eziculayo noma ezidansayo, futhi “babekezelele” noma yini nanoma ubani (ngaphandle kwamaKhatholika akhuthele) . Enqabeni lolu hlobo lomsindo, uJesu wathi siyobukeka siyinqaba emehlweni omhlaba; ukuthi bazoshushisa, bahlekise, basivalele ngaphandle futhi basizonde ngoba ukukhanya kwabakholwayo kwakuyogwema ubumnyama kwabanye.
Ngoba wonke umuntu owenza izinto ezimbi uzonda ukukhanya futhi akezi ekukhanyeni, ukuze imisebenzi yakhe ingadalulwa. (Johane 3:20)
Ngakho-ke, ukugcina inhliziyo, akuwona umkhuba ophelelwe yisikhathi wezikhathi zakudala, kodwa umgwaqo oqhubekayo, weqiniso, futhi omncane oholela eZulwini. Ukuthi nje bambalwa abazimisele ukukuthatha, ukumelana nomsindo ukuze bezwe izwi likaNkulunkulu eliholela ekuphileni okuphakade.
Ngoba lapho kukhona ingcebo yakho, lapho iyakuba khona nenhliziyo yakho… Ngenani ngesango elincane; ngokuba isango libanzi nendlela ibanzi eyisa ekubhujisweni, baningi abangena ngalo. Yeka ukuthi lincane kangakanani isango nendlela eyingcingo eyisa ekuphileni. Futhi abayitholayo bayingcosana. ( Mathewu 6:21; 7:13-14 )
Uthando lwezinto zomhlaba luhlobo lwesikhathi sezinyoni, esibamba umphefumulo futhi sikuvimbele ukundizela kuNkulunkulu. —U-Augustine weMvubu, Ukuhlakanipha Kwabangcwele, UJill Haakadels, k. 164
UKUFUNDA OKUFANELEKILE:
Siyabonga ngokusekela kwakho!
