We are gradually approaching the end of a busy Jordanian summer abounding with events including the return of students to school amid the new name of “the Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development”. As this “summer season” comes to an end, we pause to say in the first place, thank God for the blessing of security, stability, and peace. May God protect Jordan! These are not merely rhetorical words but rather a reality we experienced during a summer packed with occasions and events, and with large crowds of people that required exceptional organizational and security efforts.
This summer began with unprecedented football excitement, with Jordan’s first-ever participation in the football world cup, accompanied by extensive media and public interest as well as large gatherings at various locations to watch and cheer our “national team.” This was followed by the Tawjihi secondary-school examinations and their results, which were associated with joy, anxiety, and anticipation to thousands of Jordanian households.
This was contaminant with graduation ceremonies at our universities that are still underway. These ceremonies mean more than simply receiving a degree, as they represent the infusion of new human energy into our society. From this premise, we congratulate the graduates and pray that every one of them will find dignified employment worthy of one’s education and hard work.
In light of my work in the media, I took part this summer in a number of cultural and media conferences and forums. We also followed our national, cultural, and artistic festivals attracting thousands of people extending from Jerash Festival to the Fuheis Festival, and from major concerts in Amman and the Dead Sea to the numerous activities with crowds turning out in large numbers to listen, celebrate, and engage with stars of Arab music, at a time when some participants and visitors also came from abroad.
Furthermore, as for my priestly ministry at the Sacred Heart Church in Amman, the summer had another very beautiful impression. I took part in and blessed many baptisms and wedding celebrations, and witnessed the joy of families packing churches, homes, and halls. There were also engagement celebrations, and marriage proposals, culminating in the relatively new tradition that has entered our society known as the “proposal,” in which a young man kneels before a young woman and presents her with a ring, sometimes in a beautiful touristic or archaeological setting!
To all these celebrations, we convey blessings upon every home that has welcomed joy, and upon every young man and woman who have begun together the journey of building a new family. Marriage is not a celebration lasting just one day; it is the building of a home, the creation of a future, and a responsibility founded on love and faithfulness.
Amid all of this, we cannot overlook the fact that the region around us has been experiencing harsh and painful circumstances that have affected us economically, psychologically, and in terms of tourism. Nevertheless, these numerous and successive events took place safely and smoothly, despite the congestion and traffic problems that accompanied some of them. For this reason, whoever stayed awake to ensure people’s safety and organize these events deserves our thanks and appreciation—especially our security apparatuses which tirelessly remain vigilant to safeguard citizens and ensure peace of mind in our homes.
As summer comes to an end, we consider not only at what has passed but also at what lies ahead. The new academic year begins as Jordan also enters the first stage of preparations for a major national and historic milestone, namely the year 2030, marking the 2,000th anniversary of the baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan River. This occasion will turn Jordan into a major national project, in preparation for a year in which religious tourism will have an exceptional significance.
I hope in this regard that this occasion will soon find its way into our schools, universities, and educational culture. We must introduce our sons and daughters to the sacredness of their land, to the Baptism Site, and to the unique religious and historical heritage that Jordan possesses. The year 2030 is not merely a tourism or ecclesiastical matter; it is rather a national matter that concerns us all.
After a summer marked by celebrations, festivals, graduation ceremonies, weddings, and successes, we return to our schools and universities, and work and to nation-building, carrying one heartfelt message: Thank God for Jordan.
