Text of address delivered by Fr. Bader marking eve on “Spiritual Inspirations from the Land of Baptism

 

Following is the text of the address by Fr. Dr. Rif’at Bader during the eve on “Spiritual Inspirations from the Land of Baptism,” at the Roman Theater, on Thursday 22 September 2026:

 

Dear brothers and sisters,

With great pride and admiration, I welcome you on behalf of the Catholic Center for Studies and Media, and its longstanding civilizational partner, namely  the Royal Institute for Inter-Faith Studies, to this blessed evening,  titled: “Spiritual Inspirations from the Land of Baptism.”

 

Warm greetings are extended to the patron of our celebration, His Royal Highness Prince El Hassan Ibn Talal, and I welcome his representative, His Excellency Dr. Imad Hijazin, minister of tourism and antiquities. I also welcome His Eminence Bishop Iyad Twal, the esteemed bishops, the representatives of the Churches, His Excellency the Apostolic Nuncio to Jordan, their excellencies the ambassadors, the officials, and the dignitaries, as well as the priests, pastors, nuns, and Muslim religious leaders, and everyone who came from near and far to join us on this beautiful Jordanian evening.

 

Dear friends,

On the land of Jordan, in the blessed Jordan River, the baptism of Lord Jesus Christ took place nearly 2,000 years ago. And from this premise, from the Land of Baptism, Lord Jesus Christ began His mission bringing good news to the poor, hope to the grieved as well as to the weary and the burdened, in addition to a message of love, peace, and fraternity. O world, this is Jordan, the dawn of Christianity and the Land of Baptism.  To Christ Whom we have earlier sung in Mukawir--where John the Baptist was martyred as a witness to the truth--we sing today from the stage of the Roman Theatre in Amman, in Philadelphia, the city of brotherly love since ancient times.

 

We sing for love and human fraternity in a homeland whose air has been perfumed by the Hashemites with their culture, wisdom, as well as the message of peace and moderation. Furthermore, when we refer to the Hashemites, we recall Jordan's enduring message to the world, that weapons should fall silent, while the voices of justice, love, fraternity, and peace should rise. All greetings are conveyed to His Majesty King Abdullah II, who has delivered a historic speech at the United Nations, in which he said: “We are protecting Christianity, its communities, and heritage in its native and historic land, while promoting the true image of Islam against the voices of hate.”

 

Greetings are also conveyed to His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein ibn Abdullah II.

 

This is our beautiful Jordanian narrative that we wish to extend to the generations to come, namely to Muslims and Christians in Jordan who lived together, ate together, worked together, studied together, and learned together in the school of life, the school of humanity, and the school of the Hashemites.

 

It is the narrative that His Majesty our King summarized on Independence Day when he said: “Jordan has never played a marginal role  in the story of humanity. It has rather been a home to nations and a land of harmony. On the banks of its river, Christ was baptized, and throughout its lands lived the companions of the Prophet and their associates.”

 

That is why, this evening, you will hear mellifluous Christian hymns calling for love and harmony, alongside Islamic devotional songs calling for the same values, in a unique harmony that expresses the spirit of the extended Jordanian family.

 

It is an image of the great Jordan that embraces us with two arms resembling those of this ancient Roman Theatre. Blessed are we, and blessed are you, with this brilliance , this fraternity, this prayer, and this hope.

 

Our bountiful thanks are conveyed to the Royal Institute for Inter-Faith Studies for its enduring partnership with the Catholic Center for Studies and Media. Our thanks are also extended to everyone who contributed to preparations relevant to this evening, and to everyone who came to share with us this gleaming celebration.

 

On this occasion, we also recall the spirit of Assisi, where Saint Pope John Paul II, on 27 October 1986, namely 40 years ago invited religious leaders from around the world to gather and pray for peace. Today, we come together in that same spirit… the spirit of sincere sonship before God, love of God and neighbor, and shared prayer for a world of greater peace and fraternity.

 

From this premise, we express our gratitude to every Jordanian effort being exerted in the preparation for the year 2030, when we will commemorate the 2,000th anniversary of the baptism of  Lord Jesus Christ. We are also grateful to every effort devoted to shaping Jordan's noble and historic narrative, and sharing it with the entire world, so that all may know that ours is a homeland of security and stability; the homeland of the Hashemites, makers of peace; the homeland of the Hashemite custodianship of the holy sites in Jordan and Palestine; and the homeland of the natural, beautiful, and harmonious common living between the Muslims and Christians of this beloved country.

 

A special greeting is conveyed to His Excellency the Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, to the Ministry of Tourism, to the Jordan Tourism Board, to Jordan Television, to all media outlets, and to everyone working day and night to ensure that this great national, religious, and humanitarian occasion is presented in a manner worthy of Jordan and the Land of Baptism.

 

Our thanks are also extended to the musicians, chanters, and singers, as well as to every hand, heart, and voice that contributed to launching this evening. Greetings are also conveyed to our extended Jordanian family, which always forms the most beautiful music of common living, reflecting the image of the great Jordan of which we are proud, which protects us, and which we safeguard.

 

To the sound of church bells and to the voices of the minarets, we say: We are the authors of a magnificent mosaic symphony. May Jordan always prosper, namely its King and its people, its strong army and security forces, its land and soil, and its blessed river, which witnessed the baptism of the messenger of peace, love, and harmony.

 

May God bless you all, and may you have a blessed evening.