Who is this Jesus?

I do not like to discuss religion or politics.  Inevitably, someone gets hurt or offended.  Sometimes me.  I think religion is a very personal thing.  But with Christmas coming, I just want to say "what Jesus means to me."

I went to Catholic school for 13 years, but I am not a biblical scholar or theologian by any means.  I have come to think of God/ Jesus as more of a concept than distinct beings, but that's just me.  Here are some quotes, some from the bible, some from pop culture, that represent what I think are the most important & basic teachings of Jesus.  Things have gotten so distorted in our society.  People have been (and continue to be every day) persecuted, ridiculed, killed, and tortured over their differences - in faith, politics, race, etc - forever.  Too many horrible things are done in the name of religion.  I don't believe these things are what Jesus had in mind for us.  He tried to do the exact opposite.  He tried to make us embrace each other.  Accept each other.  Love each other without judgment.  Regardless of who we are or what we have done or how we live our lives.  I think that the birth of Christ represents peace, love, tolerance, acceptance, generosity, and kindness.

All that being said, here are my snippets of scripture & literature that epitomize the essence of spirituality & Christianity to me:

"Truly he taught us to love one another.  His law is love & his gospel is peace.  Chains shall he break, for the slave is our brother.  And in his name, all oppression shall cease."  - O Holy Night by Adolphe Adam

"His kindness, His tolerance... Listen, here's what I think. I think that we can't go around measuring our goodness by what we don't do. By what we deny ourselves, what we resist, and who we exclude. I think we've got to measure goodness by what we embrace, what we create... and who we include."  - Chocolat (book & movie) by Joanne Harris

Beatitudes (Gospel of Matthew):
"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn,
for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the meek,
for they shall possess the earth.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for justice,
for they shall be satisfied.

Blessed are the merciful,
for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure of heart,
for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they shall be called sons of God.
Blessed are they who suffer persecution for justice sake,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

Book of Corinthians: 
"Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."

Matthew 25:
"For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me."