Text of Nate's speeches from graduation

Invocation:

Let us raise our hearts and minds 

to the Wisdom 

that is beyond all knowledge, 

to the Ultimate Goodness 

that surpasses all our goodwill.

We gather today for ceremony and ritual,

for the most solemn celebration of the academy.

 

Here we will

remember our purpose as an institution of learning, 

recall our ideals, 

and rededicate ourselves to the pursuit

of all that is true, good, and beautiful.

May the Spirit of Wisdom and God

remind us of our grand vision, 

which is nothing less than the transformation of the world 

through the formation and education 

of those who study here. 

Today we rejoice in the successful preparation 

of another class of graduates for this task, 

and we honor them for their accomplishment. 

May the same Spirit of Wisdom and Goodness 

be with us today 

as we repeat the centuries-old rituals of commencement.

Benediction:

We now beseech the Goodness at the heart of existence, 

the Ultimate Reality who is finally nameless, 

for a blessing for these our graduates - 

a benediction , a good word spoken of them, and for them.

May a desire to Learn 

be ever enkindled in their hearts, 

and may they be humbled when they think 

they have plumbed the depths of reality.

 

May a desire to Search 

for truth, goodness, and beauty 

lead them down the exquisitely winding ways of the road less traveled, 

to drink from the streams of righteousness, peace, and justice, 

and never be quenched.

 

May a desire to Serve 

cause them to unblock their ears 

and allow the cries of the poor and the vulnerable 

to pierce them to the heart, 

and impel them to give of themselves for the sake of others -  

to live simply so that others may simply live.

May the poisonous dualism of black and white, 

good and evil, us and them,

be purged from their hearts, 

even as they are comforted 

with the security needed to accept the complexity 

May the energies of the universe that course through their veins now, 

be not quashed by the quotidien routines of life after college.

 

May they be buoyed up by the vast ocean of beneficence, 

which surrounds them today and always, 

but which, like water to the fish, is seldom noticed. 

 

May each one of them 

know in the depths of their hearts 

that he or she is worthy of benediction - 

worthy of these good words spoken to them 

in love

Graduation 2009

Nate was honored today by doing the Invocation and Benediction and Fredonia State's graduation cermonies. In his first year as campus minister here, I am so proud of him and his accomplishments. I've posted videos of his speeches so you all can enjoy them. Text to come in the next post since you can't understand what he is saying all the time. All text copyrighted by Nathan Kropp, 2009 and cannot be re-written, reproduced, re-used or re-broadcast without the written consent of the Nathan P. Kropp family.

This was the best picture I could get of Nate during the ceremony. I could only see him during his talks since I was on the opposite side from where he was sitting. But there he is. :)