The Rev. Amy McCreath, MIT's Episcopal chaplain, gave the following invocation at the inauguration of Susan Hockfield as the Institute's 16th president on Friday, May 6, in Killian Court.
Together
Blazing in the white light of a new century
We stand in this commons
Of infinite merit and infinite possibilities.
We call upon the Holy Source of all being
Thankful for all those who have come before us here
Thankful for the freedom to be here
Thankful for the days ahead
Thankful for Susan Hockfield's leadership:
For her capacity, commitment and courage.
May our commons be a place of transformation,
where our passions and talents meet the world's greatest needs.
Blessed are the uncommon who serve this beautiful, yearning, interconnected, standing-on-the-brink-of-everything world.
The towns and cities and nations from which we came here call upon us.
Future generations of children call upon us.
Melting polar ice caps and polluted rivers call upon us.
Mothers praying for the end of wars and the safe return of their sons and
daughters call upon us.
The Pleiades and Orion call upon us.
May we respond
In common service
With uncommon strength of mind and hand
and heart.
May our meritocracy merit not just respect but hope.
Perhaps it is for such a moment as this that we have come into this commons. Together.
Amen.
A version of this article appeared in MIT Tech Talk on May 11, 2005 (download PDF).
