20 December 2024
Bilbao Campus
Rector Juan José Etxeberria has taken advantage of this Christmas season to give thanks for all that we are and share, a gratitude that “in Ignatian spirituality is much more than a gesture; it is a way of recognizing all the good that we have received and discovering in it the action of God in our lives”. And in the specific case of Deusto, it is the opportunity to recognize the value of what “we have built together and to be grateful for the bond that unites us”.
To illustrate this message, the university leader recalled a story he recently heard and which, in his opinion, reflects very well the spirit of Christmas. It is about a small village where, every year at this time of year, its inhabitants gather to light a large bonfire in the center of the square. The beauty is not only the fire that illuminates the night, but also the fact that each person participates by bringing a piece of firewood. Some bring large logs; others bring small branches. The important thing is that everyone contributes something. And when the fire burns, it makes no difference how big or small each contribution is: together they create a light and warmth that embraces the whole community.
Christmas also calls for “hope and commitment”. According to the rector, the story of the birth of Jesus, which inspires these dates, reminds us that even from the most humble things, such as a manger, hope for a new world can be born. “This narrative invites us to reflect on the arrival of peace and hope, and to recognize that our work, though sometimes imperfect, is part of a much larger project, of a bonfire that sizzles at the heart of our mission: to serve society and build a future that is more just and full of possibilities.”
Likewise, Juan José Etxeberria appeals to “generosity and closeness” because Christmas invites us to look around us with attentive and generous eyes, ready to recognize the needs of those around us. And it is also a time to welcome the displaced, those who have no home, the families who walk in the open, like that family of Bethlehem formed by Mary and Joseph. In this regard, he recalls that in Bizkaia alone there are more than two thousand homeless people, 80% of them migrants. Therefore, it is “a time to be attentive to the needs of these people and to be generous with what we have, to have a compassionate heart”.
This spirit of welcome and generosity has, according to the rector, “the capacity to enlighten and warm our lives. It allows the university that we are to expand its mission beyond our immediate circle. He adds that Christmas invites us to illuminate the shadows of those who need it most and assures that “we can transform this time of celebration into a real opportunity to share and build a more united, compassionate and hope-filled community”. He hopes, in this sense, “that this Christmas will be an occasion to continue contributing our wood with gratitude, hope and generosity because together, we are more light and more warmth”.
