The Culprit in All This...

Jorge Bruno

These words are written during Christmas time. A unique event. So special that it can only be compared in its singularity. These days represent the great mystery of life: birth. Each of us is taken back to the beginning, to hope, and to the new. Is Christmas for children? Perhaps, in the way it is presented in the idea of consumerism that fills shopping centres. Christmas belongs to all of us who should take advantage of these days to reflect on birth, reconciliation, and renewal. This is the time that concentrates the moment of reconciliation and harmony. The rest of the year should not serve as an excuse for acts of petty pride. The reflection these days deserve should not be nullified by the laziness and comfort of what is easiest.

The great culprit of all this is called Jesus Christ, also known as Jesus of Nazareth. I met Him a few years ago. Someone introduced us and warned me that He is not here for you to shake His hand, but there are those who say and believe that He is everywhere.

It is about Him that I share some thoughts…

The hypotheses credited by faith remain at the discretion of each individual in harmony with their religious convictions. The audacity of this text is to reflect on Jesus Christ as a leader and as a Man. He is the most impactful figure in humanity. In Him lies the hope of life and new beginnings. Everything that is life is represented in Jesus Christ’s passage on Earth, even animals are not innocent and are depicted in the testimony of this child’s birth. Finitude is presented to us as the hope of a new tomorrow. Looking at life through Jesus Christ is thinking about the innocence of children and the intelligence of men. It is interpreting justice in doing good. More than transforming, Jesus Christ revolutionised. He created a moment of no return in the history of humanity. In His doubts, we understand that rebellion does not turn into hatred or war. Rebellion can be peace and purity. Even time itself changed into a before and after, which has now lasted for approximately two thousand and twenty-four years. His birth, celebrated in these days, is one of the most enigmatic events in human history. At that moment, two poles emerge: the legend, created in the imagination of those who had the power to shape narratives at the time, or a real event that, being unique and extraordinary, is called a Miracle. It is from this duality that the importance of this figure is interpreted and substantiated.

Without YouTube, TikTok, or Facebook, but with His words, actions, and silences, Jesus Christ was the greatest influencer to ever exist. Today, many brands would want to stand beside Him and support His mission. Even the waters of the Jordan would be coveted by some natural spring water brand. No mobile phone brand would miss the opportunity to be present when Jesus distanced Himself from His disciples at what became the Last Supper. Even the Mount of Olives would have an olive oil brand proposing a naming contract. For Christians, who have Jesus as the central figure of Christianity, God was the greatest sponsor of this figure.

Setting religiosity aside, Jesus Christ was a Political Man. Like all others, He suffered, cried, laughed, and felt frustration. He was wronged, mistreated, and humiliated. He was a Man who was praised, applauded, and idolised. But being just a Man, He can never be seen as merely a Man. We would never be capable of thinking with such kindness and beauty.

Christmas is always a new beginning, a birth, and therefore it should be thought of every day… That is why Christmas is every day, not because of shopping centre opening hours. For every day, A Merry Christmas.

Jorge Bruno Ventura
University Professor
Director of the Bachelor’s in Communication Sciences – School of Communication, Architecture, Arts and Information Technologies at Lusófona University - Lisbon University Centre.

Source: SOL