I believe one of the keys of effective campus ministry is being part of campus life. One way Crossroads can participate in the academic life of our campus is to give reflection speaches for events like graduation. In the past, these reflections were called invocations. It was customary to have a minister open these events with a prayer. It is understandable that most universities have replaced opening prayers with secular reflections.
Here is the text of my most recent reflection at the Georgia Tech Student honors luncheon:
Greetings, students, faculty, alumni, and friends of Georgia Tech. On behalf of the Georgia Tech campus ministries I offer this brief refection:
We live in a world where men and women strive for many different awards. What determines the kind of legacy that they leave?
I recently reflected on the story of Alfred Noble who made great success and fortune for himself with his scientific mind. His proudest invention he first called “safety powder” but later derived a new name for his powder after the Greek word for strength, “dynamite.”
Alfred’s success continued. Later, Alfred’s older brother Ludvig died, a French newspaper printed a scathing obituary, not of Ludvig, but of Alfred Nobel, who was in fact alive and well. The writer was allegedly confused about who had died, and he used the obituary to write a condemnation of Alfred's life and work. “The merchant of death is dead" the newspaper proclaimed.
Alfred Nobel read the obituary about himself and was so upset that this was to be his legacy that he rewrote his will to establish a set of prizes celebrating humankind's greatest achievements. He left 94 percent of his assets to create and endow five Nobel Prizes.
There's also now an annual ceremony at Harvard to award the IgNobel Prizes. These prizes parody the Nobel awards and are for achievements that "first make people laugh, and then make them think."
Recent Ignoble science and technology awards have gone to veterinarians in France "for discovering that the fleas that live on a dog can jump higher than the fleas that live on a cat" The Ignoble awards ceremony always concludes with the proclamation: "If you didn't win a prize — and especially if you did — better luck next year!"
You are here today because you have won a prize for your hard work and achievement. The Georgia Tech community is thankful for you and the example you have set. We are hopeful for the potential, noble legacy you will leave in the world.
We have great hope for you, the recipients of hard earned awards, because, if you can succeed here at Georgia Tech, some may say you can succeed anywhere.
Still, I encourage you to receive these rewards and set your sights on new ones with humility, courage and wisdom.
Today, we will gratefully offer you our encouragement and applause. As you celebrate today, consider how your success can be a blessing others and bring wonderful solutions to many challenges in our world.
(Pictured below - three students involved in Crossroads that were receiving awards at the luncheon.)
