Sister Mary Karen Powers, RSM, Roman Catholic chaplain at MIT, gave the invocation at Friday's Commencement exercises:
Shalom, Salaam, Peace
God of Life,
Bless us as we gather in your presence.
Your Spirit of Wisdom fills the earth,
reminding us that we are sisters and brothers in a single human family.
Pour out your blessings on these women and men
graduates of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Sustain the passion of their intelligence
And nurture in them a restless curiosity
which marvels at the intricacy of the universe
and revels in its beauty and wonder.
Sharpen the focus of their insight
and temper the generosity of their hearts
with deepening compassion for themselves and others;
That they may always carry a thirst for truth,
a longing for justice,
and an abiding sense of hope.
Enclose them in the circle of your care
and create in them the courage of honest conviction,
That you may use the work of their hands
in the service of the family of nations.
Finally, pour out your joy
on their families and friends during these festive days of celebration,
And nurture always the life of this Institute
and its community of research, scholarship and service.
Shalom, Salaam, Peace
God of Life,
Bless us as we gather in your presence.
Amen
A version of this article appeared in MIT Tech Talk on June 12, 1996.
