Pope Benedict XVI on "the Church's one foundation"

The foundation stone of a church is a symbol of Christ. The Church rests on Christ, is sustained by him and cannot be separated from him. He is the one foundation of every Christian community, the living stone, rejected by the builders but chosen and precious in God’s sight as the cornerstone (cf. 1 Pet 2:4-5, 7). With him, we too are living stones built into a spiritual house, a dwelling place for God (cf. Eph 2:20-22; 1 Pet 2:5). Saint Augustine loved to refer to the mystery of the Church as the Christus totus, the whole Christ, the full or complete Body of Christ, Head and members. This is the reality of the Church; it is Christ and us, Christ with us. He is with us as the vine is with its own branches (cf. Jn 15:1-8). The Church is in Christ a community of new life, a dynamic reality of grace that flows from him. Through the Church Christ purifies our hearts, enlightens our minds, unites us with the Father and, in the one Spirit, moves us to a daily exercise of Christian love. We confess this joyful reality as the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.

Pope Benedict XVI (L) stands next to Jordan's King Abdullah II (C) and his wife Queen Rania after unveiling the foundation stone for a new church in Wadi Kharar on the Banks of the River Jordan. Source: Getty Images

We enter the Church through baptism. The memory of Christ’s own baptism is brought vividly before us in this place. Jesus stood in line with sinners and accepted John’s baptism of penance as a prophetic sign of his own passion, death and resurrection for the forgiveness of sins. Down through the centuries, many pilgrims have come to the Jordan to seek purification, renew their faith and draw closer to the Lord. Such was the pilgrim Egeria, who left a written account of her visit during the late fourth century. The Sacrament of Baptism, drawing its power from Christ’s death and resurrection, will be cherished especially by the Christian communities that gather in the new church buildings. May the Jordan always remind you that you have been washed in the waters of baptism and have become members of the family of Jesus. Your lives, in obedience to his word, are being transformed into his image and likeness. As you strive to be faithful to your baptismal commitment of conversion, witness and mission, know that you are being strengthened by the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Excerpts from Pope Benedict's blessing of the foundation stones of the Latin and Greek Melkite churches at Bethany beyond the Jordan (May 10, 2009)

Day 3 - Pope Benedict in Amman, Jordan - Holy Mass at Amman Int'l Stadium; visit to the site of the Baptism of Christ

On the Schedule Today (Sunday May 10, 2009)

This post will be updated with news and commentary on the day's events

• 10.00 - Holy Mass celebrated at the Amman International Stadium
• Recitation of the Regina Cæli at the Amman International Stadium
• 12.45 - Luncheon with Patriarchs, Bishops and Papal Entourage at the Latin Vicariate of Amman
• 17.30 - Visit to the site of Baptism of Christ, at Bethany beyond the Jordan
• 18.00 - Blessing of the foundation stones of the Latin and Greek Melkite churches at Bethany beyond the Jordan

Spoken words of Pope Benedict XVI

• Homily during the Mass celebrated at the Amman International Stadium (May 10, 2009)
• Recitation of the Regina Cæli at the Amman International Stadium (May 10, 2009)
• Blessing of the foundation stones of the Latin and Greek Melkite churches at Bethany beyond the Jordan (May 10, 2009)

Coverage and Commentary

• Pope prays Christ will give “his courage” to the Christians of the Holy Land by Franco Pisano (Asia News). In mass celebrated in Amman, Benedict XVI underlines “the prophetic Charism” of women. Groups from Lebanon and Palestine travel to take part in the ceremony. And Iraqi refugees including a group of 40 children; some of them receive their first Holy Communion from the Pope.
• At first Communion Mass, pope preaches courage in following Jesus, by Cindy Wooden. (Catholic News Service)
• Pope calls on Mideast Christians to perservere, by John Allen, Jr. (National Catholic Reporter)
• Pope leads open-air Mass in Amman stadium, by Victor L. Simpson (Associated Press)
• Pope urges respect for women during Mass in Jordan (CNN)
• Pope holds public mass on final day of Jordan tour (AFP)
• Pope Benedict XVI pleads for protection for Middle East Christians, by Lech Mintowt-Czyz. (Times Online)
• King Abdullah Gives Surprise Papal Tour - Joins Pope on the Banks of the Jordan (Zenit)

Save the Jordan River!

On Thursday we ran through a list of the many petitions people were making on Pope Benedict XVI, in hopes that coverage of the papal pilgrimage will cast some attention on their respective causes as well.

We can add to that compilation the clean-up of the polluted Jordan river:

Zalul, Israel’s water protection association, says that the water is extremely polluted. They said so in an open letter to the Pope this past Friday.

“Water from the once-proud Jordan River is being diverted for domestic and agricultural use, leaving the lower part of the river a shrivelled stream with little to no fresh water and filled with sewage,” the letter said.

But those doing so now “risk their own health when entering the water.

“Your Holiness, all of the Jordan River’s visitors should have the right to be baptised in water that is natural and true,” activists from Zalul urged.

According to James Hider (Times Online), "the river is now such a polluted, denuded shadow of its former self that bathing is prohibited in its sluggish, brown waters":

A United Nations report described the biblical waterway as a “sewage pipe” made filthy by pollution from farming in Israeli settlements in the Jordan Valley, by poorly managed sewage disposal from Palestinian cities in the West Bank and by waste water from Jordan and Syria.

Once a surging river with white water rapids, it is now a barely moving stream for much of its lower course, its volume slashed in the past 40 years from 1.43 billion cubic metres a year to a mere 100 million cubic metres. The main culprits are the intensive agriculture in Israeli farms in the Jordan Valley, captured in the 1967 war, where bananas, avocados, herbs and exotic fruits are grown for export.

Those interested can sign the petition at SaveTheJordan.org.