MTAKATIFU YOHANE PAULO II: BABA WA UHAI
1. Utangulizi

• Aprilli 27, ni siku kubwa kwa Kanisa Katoliki ulimwenguni – ndiyo siku ya kutangazwa kuwa watakatifu Mababa Watakatifu wawili: Yohane 23 na Yohane Paulo II
• Mababa Watakatifu hao ni zawadi kwa wanakanisa wote duniani
• Yohane 23 ndiye aliyeitisha Mtaguso Mkuu wa Pili wa Vatikani; mtaguso ulioleta mabadiliko makubwa katika kulifahamu kanisa na wajibu wetu katika uinjilishaji; hali kadhalika jinsi kanisa linavyohusiana na makanisa na imani nyingine duniani; vilevile lilitufahamisha kwa undani mwenendo wa liturjia.
• Yohane Paulo II anajulikana kama Papa wa watu wote, mwenye kuvuka mipaka ya nchi na imani, aliyevunja kuta za Ukomunisti na kuusambaratisha, na aliyefanya ziara za kichungaji nyingi kuliko mapapa wote [alietembelea nchi 91 katika ziara 104 alizofanya katika uhai wake]. Kwetu sisi watetezi uhai tunamwona Baba Mtakatifu Yohane Paulo II kama Baba na mwalimu mkuu wa Utetezi Uhai.
• Mchango wake katika, siyo tu kufafanua utume wa uhai, lakini kwa yeye mwenyewe kuishi maisha halisi ya utetezi uhai ametuachia hazina kubwa isiyo na kipimo. Haikuwa rahisi kumsamehe mtu aliyempiga risasi, yaani aliyedhamiria kuondoa uhai wake, katika hali yake ya ugonjwa kuelekea kifo chake, Baba Mtakatifu Yohane Paulo II alitufundisha maana na thamani ya uhai katika hali ya mateso.
• Kutokana na mchango huu wa Baba Mtakatifu Yohane Paulo II leo tunaanza kuangalia mafundisho yake katika utetezi uhai na tunataka kutoa mwaliko kwa kila mmoja kuugeukia uhai kama wito mtakatifu katika maisha yake mwenyewe na ya wengine.

2. Maana ya utetezi uhai

• Ukichunguza neno lenyewe kwa lugha ya kiingereza: pro-life; linaunganisha maneno mawili: pro – likiwa na maana ya kwa ajili ya, kusimama upande wa, au kuunga mkono jambo fulani; na life – lenye kuwa na maana ya kupumua, kuishi, kujimudu, kuwa hai.
• Tunatafsiri neno pro-life kama utetezi uhai, kuwa kwa ajili ya uhai, kuwa upande wa uhai, kuunga mkono wafanyayo watetezi uhai.
• Mtetezi uhai ni mtu ambaye akili yake, msimamo wake, falsafa yake, maisha yake yote ameyatoa kwa ajili ya kuhudumia uhai. Akiungana na wenzake wenye mtazamo, mawazo na matendo kama ya kwake, kwa pamoja wanaunda kundi la watu wa “utamaduni wa uhai” wenye kuhubiri “Injili ya Uhai”
• Utamaduni wa uhai kwa hiyo ni mtazamo, matendo, falsafa ya kulinda, kutetea na kudumisha uhai
• Wengine wametafsiri utetezi uhai kama: kupingana na kifo; aina yoyote ya utoaji mimba; yutanasia, kujinyonga, kuua, au hata mauaji ya watoto wachanga

• Baba Mtakatifu Yohane Paulo II katika Waraka wake wa Kichungaji ujulikanao kama Injili ya Uhai anatueleza maana ya utetezi uhai kama ‘kuulinda uhai ni kumjali na kumpenda kila mtu, ni kuujali na kuupenda uhai wa kila mtu, (EV41)

• Utetezi uhai unahusu kuupenda, kuudumisha na kuonyesha heshima kwa uhai wa kila binadamu. Kila mtu, kwa akili ya kawaida, anaweza kuitambua thamani ya uhai. Tunatakiwa kuwa watu wa uhai na kwa ajili ya uhai. Kila mmoja auheshimu haki ya kuishi ya kila mtu bila masharti kutoka kutungwa mimba hadi kifo chake cha kawaida

• Watetezi uhai ni watangazaji wa Injili ya Uhai ambayo haipo kwa ajili ya waumini tu bali kwa ajili ya kila mtu. Suala kuhusu uhai, kuulinda na kuudumisha haliwahusu waamini wakristo peke yao. Hili ni suala linalowahusu watu wote. Kwa hiyo jitihada zetu sisi kama “watu hai kwa ajili ya uhai” zinapaswa kueleweka vizuri na kuungwa mkono kwa dhati. Injili ya Uhai ni kwa ajili ya jamii nzima ya wanadamu. Kuwa kwa ajili ya uhai ni kuipa jamii nguvu mpya kwa kuyastawisha mafao ya pamoja (EV101)

Katika maana yake pana zaidi, mtetezi uhai ni yule anayeiheshimu taasisi ya ndoa, kwani kwa njia yake wana-ndoa wanashirikiana na Mungu katika uumbaji wa binadamu mpya; mwendelezo wa kizazi cha mwanadamu; na kwa asili yake, ndoa ni taasisi takatifu iliyowekwa na Mungu Mwenyewe

• Mtetezi uhai vilevile ni yule anayeipenda na kuithamini familia ambayo ni taasisi ya msingi kwa jamii yoyote ile. Mtetezi uhai hali kadhalika ni yule anayeheshimu na kuthamini mchango wa kila mwanafamilia, kila mmoja kwa jinsi yake na kwa kulingana na umri na uwezo wake.
• Kwa hiyo nataka kumwalika kila mmoja wenu leo kuwa mtetezi uhai, yaani pro-life. Ni wito wa kila mmoja wetu kwa mujibu wa ubinadamu wetu. Ni wajibu usiokwepeka kwa mujibu wa kuumbwa kwetu, kwani kila mmoja wetu ameumbwa kwa sura na mfano wa Mungu. Kwa hiyo kuwa mtetezi uhai ni kuwa mshirika na Mungu katika kudumisha sura na mfano wa Mungu hapa duniani

3. Kwa nini ni jambo la lazima kuutetea uhai?
Maandiko Matakatifu yanatuonyesha kuwa uhai una asili yake katika utakatifu wa pumzi ya kimungu ambayo binadamu anapuliziwa ili apate kuwa na uhai,
“Bwana Mungu akamfanya mtu kwa mavumbi ya ardhi, akampulizia puani pumzi ya uhai; mtu akawa nafsi hai” (Mwa.2:7). Kutokana na kuumbwa na Mungu, binadamu anayo alama (mhuri) isiyofutika ndani mwake na anayo silika ya kuvutwa na Mungu [EV35].
Uhai wa mwanadamu unatoka kwa Mungu; ni kipawa chake, ni zawadi yake kwa kila binadamu aliyemwumba, ni mfano wa chapa yake. Uhai wa mwanadamu ni kuishiriki pumzi ya uhai wa Mungu. Hali kadhalika, binadamu hana uwezo wa kuumiliki uhai kwani si yeye aliyeuumba, bali Mungu pekee. Kwa hiyo Mungu ndiye pekee Bwana wa uhai huu. Hivyo basi, mwanadamu hawezi kufanya mambo atakavyo. Ndiyo Mungu mwenyewe anavyodhihirisha hilo kwa Nuhu;
“Hakika damu yenu ya uhai wenu nitaitaka…kwa mkono wa ndugu ya mtu nitataka uhai wa mwandamu (Mwa.9:5).
Hali kadhalika tunasoma katika kitabu cha Mwanzo,
“Maana kwa mfano wake Mungu alimfanya mwanadamu ” [Mwa.9:6]
Kila binadamu ameumbwa kwa sufa na mfano wa Mungu; yaani ni chapa yake Mungu mwenyewe. Ndiyo maana kila mmoja wetu anaalikwa kuulinda, kuutetea, kuupenda na kuuthamini uhai. Sote tuna asili moja na kila mmoja anamwia mwenzake thamani ya uhai wake. Binadamu haruhusiwi kuutendea uhai apendavyo yeye. Kumwua mwanzako ni kuondoa sura na mfano wa Mungu katika binadamu huyo, haidhuru ni mdogo au mkubwa kiasi gani.

4. UTETEZI-UHAI NI WITO

• Baba Mtakatifu Yohane Paulo II katika barua yake ya kitume, Injili ya Uhai anadhihirisha kuwa sio kila mmoja anaweza kuwa mtetezi uhai. Kuwa mwana-uhai ni wito. Ni Mungu anayetuita kutokana na upendo wake usio na mipaka katika utume huu wa kuhudumia uhai na kuwa watu wa uhai. Kila mmoja anaitwa, lakini wale tu wanaokubali wito huo wanakuwa wana-uhai
• Kila aliyeitwa na kukubali anakabidhiwa Injili ya Uhai na kila mmoja anaalikwa kuihubiri na kuidhihirisha kwa vitendo.
• Baada ya kuitwa na kukubali, sisi tuliokubali wito huo tunatumwa, na tunakabidhiwa wajibu. Na katika utendaji wetu tunatiwa nguvu na kuongozwa na sheria ya upendo. Kila mmoja anao wajibu wa kutoa mchango wake kwa ajili ya uhai kwa njia ya programu na mifumo mbalimbali inayosaidia kustawisha uhai [EV.79]

5. WITO WETU KIFAMILIA

• Familia ina wajibu mahususi ambao unatokana na wito wake wa msingi kama jumuiya ya uhai na mapendo, iliyojengwa katika ndoa. Katika familia kila mwanafamilia anampokea na kumjali kila mmoja kwa sababu hasa ya utu wake. Familia ina wajibu mahususi katika maisha yote ya wanafamilia tangu kuzaliwa hadi kufa.
• Familia ni kweli hifadhi ya uhai, ni mahali ambapo uhai kama zawadi itokayo kwa Mungu hupata karibu ya kweli na kukingwa dhidi ya mashambulizi mengi inayokabiliana nayo na hivi kuwezesha kukua katika misingi halisi ya kiutu. Ndiyo kusema, familia ni muhimu sana kiasi kwamba nafasi yake katika kuujenga utamaduni wa uhai haiwezi kuchukuliwa na kitu kingine.
• Kama kanisa la nyumbani, familia imeitwa kuitangaza, kuiadhimisha na kuihudumia Injili ya Uhai.
• Watu wa ndoa wanaitwa kuwa watoaji wa uhai kwa msingi kwamba wanatambua kwa dhati zaidi maana ya uzazi kama tukio la kipekee linalotambulisha kwamba uhai ni zawadi ambayo inapaswa kupokelewa na kutolewa kama zawadi.
• Wanapomzaa mtoto, wazazi wanatambua kuwa binadamu huyu mpya ambaye ni tunda la upendo wao ni zawadi kwao wote wawili na ambayo inachanua kutoka kwao [EV.92]

6. KUWA MWANA-UHAI NI KINYUME CHA KUWA MWANA-KIFO
Yeyote anayetekeleza sera zinazopingana na utetezi uhai, ni mwana-kifo na mwasisi wake ni Ibilisi au Shetani. Mtetezi kifo anapoungana na wenzake wananaunda kundi la watu wanaotambulikana kama watu wa utamaduni wa kifo na wanahubiri Injili ya Kifo ambayo mwasisi wake ni Ibilisi au Shetani.

• Kuwa mwana-kifo maana yake kuwa mtu mwenye falsafa na matendo yanayohamasisha vitendo vya utoaji mimba au wewe mwenyewe kuwa mtoaji mimba, au kusaidia mwingine kutoa mimba; mwenye mawazo na itikadi za kupenda kuua watu wengine. Hii ni kinyume na Injili ya Uhai ambayo inautazama uhai kama kitu kitakatifu na usiopaswa kuharibiwa [EV.81]
• Hali kadhalika mtetezi kifo ni yule anayeshabikia yutanasia, yaani kifo cha huruma. Badala ya kumhudumia mgonjwa, badala ya kuwatunza kwa uangalifu walemavu na wazee, watu wa utamaduni wa kifo wanatengeneza sera na sheria zinazopelekea watu hao kuuawa kwa njia za huruma au kwa kuwashawishi kujiua wenyewe. Ibilisi ndiye mwanzilishi wa magonjwa na vifo na yeyote amfuataye hupata kuonja [Hekima 2:23-24].
• Utetezi uhai unapingana na matumizi ya vidhibiti mimba na viua uhai kwa sababu vinapingana na amri ya Mungu ya “zaeni mkaongezeke, mkaijaze nchi na kuitiisha” [Mwa.1:28], yaani vinazuia uzao na kuharibu mfumo wa uzazi na mwili wa mtumiaji. Vidhibiti mimba na viua mimba vinaharibu mwili wa mwanadamu ulio ‘hekalu la Roho Mtakatifu”
• Utetezi uhai unapingana na vitendo vya kuwafunga watu kizazi kwa sababu ni vitengo vya ukatili dhidi ya binadamu na viungo vya uzazi ambavyo vimeumbwa kwa ajili ya kudumisha upendo na uzao; ni kuharibu mwili wa mwanadamu ambavyo ni vitendo vya kinyama vinavyovuka mipaka ya ubinadamu hasa vitendo hivyo vinapofanyika kwa ajili ya kuzuia uzazi na uzao
• Utetezi uhai unapingana na sayansi zinazokijita katika kutengeneza binadamu katika maabara kwani vitendo hivyo vinadhalilisha uhai wa binadamu na kusababisha mauaji ya idadi kubwa isiyojulikana ya vitoto vichanga vinavyowekwa kwenye majokofu kwa ajili ya majaribio au kupandikizwa kwa wanawake wenye matatizo ya kizazi
• Utetezi uhai unapingana na nadharia na vitendo vya ushoga na ndoa za watu wa jinsi moja kwa sababu vinakinzana na uasili wa tendo la ndoa lililowekwa kwa ajili ya upendo na uzao; ni vitendo vinavyokataa uumbaji na kuongezeka kwa binadamu; ni tabia kengeushi na matendo maovu dhidi ya ubinadamu wetu
• Utetezi uhai unapinga na aina zozote za vurugu zinazosababisha umwagikaji damu na mapigano ya kivita kwa sababu sio tu vinavuruga amani, lakini zaidi sana vinasababisha vifo vya watu wengi, hasa wale wasiokuwa na hatia

• With time the threats against life have grown stronger – they are scientifically and systematically programmed
• Involve international institutions, engaged in encouraging and carrying out actual campaigns to make contraception, sterilization and abortion widely available.
• The mass media is involved by lending credit to that culture which presents recourse to contraception, sterilization and abortion and even euthanasia as a mark of progress and a victory of freedom, while depicting as enemies of freedom and progress those positions which are unreservedly pro-life

(EV.17)

• Ancient threats to life: poverty, hunger, diseases, violence and wars
• New threats - whatever is opposed to life itself – murder, genocide, abortion, euthanasia; willful self destruction; whatever violates the integrity of the human person – mutilation, torments inflicted on body or mind, attempts to coerce the will itself; whatever insults human dignity, such as subhuman living conditions, arbitrary imprisonment, deportation, slavery, prostitution, the selling of women and children; as well as disgraceful working conditions, where people are treated as mere instruments of gain rather than as free and responsible persons… (EV.4)

• God in his unconditional love has chosen us to become people for life and we have been sent to be at the service of life – as an obligation. It requires concerted and generous action by all the members and by all sectors of the Christian community
• Together we find it our duty to preach the Gospel of life, to celebrate it in Liturgy and in our whole existence, and to serve it with the various programs and structures which support and promote life

(EV.79)

• Has a decisive responsibility which flows from its very nature as a community of life and love, founded upon marriage, and from its mission to “guard, reveal and communicate love”.
• Within the family each member is accepted, respected and honored precisely because he or she is a person
• Has a special role to play throughout the life of its members, from birth to death. It is truly the sanctuary of life: the place in which life – the gift of God – can be properly welcomed and protected against the many attacks to which it is exposed, and can develop in accordance to what constitutes authentic human growth
• As the domestic church, is summoned to proclaim, celebrate and serve the Gospel of life.
• Married couples are called to be givers of life, on the basis of an ever greater awareness of the meaning of procreation as a unique event which clearly reveals that human life is a gift received in order then to be given as gift
• In giving origin to a new life, parents recognize that the child, “as the fruit of their mutual gift of love, is, in turn, a gift for both of them, a gift which flows from them. (EV.92)

• In our present social context marked by a dramatic struggle between the “culture of life” and the “culture of death,” there is need to develop a deep critical sense, capable of discerning true values and authentic needs
• What is urgently called for is a general mobilization of consciences and a united ethical effort to activate a great campaign in support of life. All together, we must build a new culture of life. (EV.95)
• We need to begin with the renewal of a culture of life within Christian communities themselves (EV.95)
• We must aim at forming consciences with regard to the incomparable and inviolable worth of every human life (EV.96)
• Work of education which helps and instills in them growing respect for life and trains them in right interpersonal relationships (EV.97)
• Need for education about the value of life from its very origins (EV.97)
• Also an authentic education in sexuality and in love to adolescents and young adults – which involves training in chastity as a virtue which fosters personal maturity and makes one capable of respecting the “spousal” meaning of the body.(EV.97)
• Education in the service of life involves the training of married couples in responsible procreation which requires couples to obedient to the Lord’s call and to act as faithful interpreters of his plan. This happens when the family is generously open to new lives, and when couples maintain an attitude of openness and service to life, even if, for serious reasons and in respect for the moral law, they choose to avoid a new birth for the time being or indefinitely
• It is precisely this respect which makes legitimate, at the service of responsible procreation, the use of natural methods of regulating fertility. (EV.97)
• From the scientific point of view, these methods are becoming more and more accurate and make it possible in practice to make choices in harmony with moral values (EV.97)
• In this mobilization for a new culture of life no one must be excluded: everyone has an important role to play.
• Together with the family, teachers and educators have a particularly valuable contribution to make
• Intellectuals can also do much to build a new culture of human life
• An important and serious responsibility belongs to those involved in the mass media, who are called to ensure that the messages which they so effectively transmit will support the culture of life (EV.98)