Servant Mentality Follows Us for Centuries

I thought that the 21st century brings new challenges, but unfortunately, some cannot escape from what they are.

I was thinking what to give you for Christmas.. In the consumer society in which we live, I wanted the gift to be something special, something that cannot be bought and which will bring you sincere joy. I wanted it to be related to ecology and Croatian production – something that you will feel as your own.

I know! This Christmas I would like to give you fish and clams from our sea, so I demand that the EFPZ (Ecological and Fisheries Protection Zone) be activated immediately. I, thus, raise my voice so those in authority hear me: “Activate the EFPZ immediately!” But, they just bow their heads, tell me that I do not have a boat anyway to sail with, nor a net to throw, so they make a decision that this Christmas, or the next one, there will be no fish or clams for you.

For the n-teenth time, the servant mentality of “our governors” has come into effect. This is not surprising. This mentality has followed us for centuries. I thought that the 21^st century will bring new challenges, but, unfortunately, some cannot escape from what they are. This generation of “spent” politicians has a hard time understanding that it is possible to be a European without losing your sovereignty. So, here we are, Croatians, again “small beneath the stars”.

The “people’s wisemen” say  that every nation has a government it deserves. And this government has interests that surpass party differences and are the exclusive result of personal interests. They “write laws” and “deal out justice” protecting themselves instead of those who truly need protecting. The care for general good, thus, remains in the shadows, even thought it should be the backbone of every politician’s actions.

In such power relations only some stay “true and different” and resist imposed patterns of behaviour and a Christian, notwithstanding his job, should not evade his responsibility for others.

When Christ came upon this world, he became solidary with every man. To be solidary means to be responsible and sensitive to others, in a nutshell, to be human to others. Life greatly differs from novels; in life, one really cries, suffers, dies and is abandoned.

We should ask ourselves what Christmas means to us, because Christmas raised us Croatians not only in Christian faith, but also to appreciate basic human values. A Croatian learnt from Christmas that it is not a calamity if a child is born in a manger on straw if it can count on love from its parents.

Instead of hurtling through sales, stuffing ourselves with food and drink, hurling firecrackers into our neighbour’s yard, we should find a place for Jesus this time, not in a manger like 2,000 years ago, but in our hearts, and show Him to our loved ones.

To all of you celebrating the birth of our Saviour, as well as all people of good will, I forward best wishes, with hope that Christmas be a new incentive for us to primarily be humane towards each other.