(Following is the invocation delivered at Commencement by the Rev. Dr. Constance F. Parvey, Lutheran chaplain at MIT).
Let us pray:
Creator God of the universe,
God of life, compassion and truth,
We give you thanks for your creation,
For sun and stars, for planets and streams of living water.
Creator God, we give you thanks for all creatures, and for the home that you provide for us on this nourishing earth.
Compassionate God, on this day of high celebration,
We give you thanks for the rewards of high achievement,
We give you thanks for what has been accomplished here by these young women and men,
We give you thanks for those who have supported them along their way,
Their mentors and parents,
Those who work behind the scenes making sure that this university is overseen by those who have the best interests of students at heart and the best interests of the country and the world
expressed in their attitudes and acts.
We give you thanks for this new generation of leaders in whom we
see such hope today and much promise for tomorrow.
God of goodness and guidance,
Hover over this day of celebration
Full of joy, yet marked by sadness
As friends made here now scatter to all parts of our nation and our world
Separated by distance, may they be united in a commitment to build a global society that is ever respectful of one another, that holds in guardianship a just world for all people, and that lives out a life of simplicity, compassion and service toward that end.
God of truth, may how we have learned to think here
Now move deep into our hearts.
Prepare our spirits for new challenges
Our attitudes for new awakenings,
Our minds for wisdom and change
Our bodies for healthy lives
That we may be steadfast and unwavering in pursuit of the good, the just, the true.
And give us the grace always to say thank you to all who help us along the way.
Blessed be God and blessed be each one of you gathered here today.
Amen.
A version of this article appeared in MIT Tech Talk on June 11, 1997.
