Graduation Prayer # 1 (Facing Life: A Prayer on Graduation Day)

LIGHT

Lord Jesus, you have said that your followers must be the light to the world*.
Light propagates itself, dispels darkness.
It sows rays of joy and hope. It is life­giving.
Help me, Lord, to be a light to this world,
so that my life radiate your message of love, hope, and joy.
May I be the beacon leading to You those who seek truth.

SALT

You also said, Lord Jesus,
that your disciples must be the salt to this earth.
Salt gives taste to food.
It retards spoilage.
It is also a healing agent.
Lord, may I be the salt
that takes away the blandness in the routine of living,
that prevents the rottenness of hatred and greed from expanding around me,
that brings compassionate healing to anguished souls I encounter.
Lord, help me to be "worth my salt."
And infuse your "saltiness" in me, so that I do not become "flat" and useless.
 

LEAVEN

"Be the leaven to the world," said You to your friends.
Bread, a staple of life, and cakes, always present at celebrations,
would be dull and lifeless without the tiny bit of yeast.
Without it, the dough remains inert, hard.
Elsewhere, You also told us to multiply our talents.
You thus expect that we use the talents you gave us as the leaven to this world.
Teach me, Lord Jesus, that alone I am insignificant,
but mixed with the talents of my brothers and sisters,
I can lift this world out of its insipid mediocrity.
May I be a bit of leaven in the Bread of Life,
and a sign of Your celebration in this life and life eternal.

COMMITMENT

Lord, on this "commencement" day,
let there be a beginning of my life.
In the days of darkness, be my Light,
so that in turn I can radiate your truth and your message of love, hope, and joy.
In the days of blandness and of blahs,
Lord, be my Salt, so that in turn I can fend off the corruption,
the staleness, the mediocrity around me.
In the days when I am flat on my back or fall flat on my face,
Lord, be my Leaven, so that not only can I rise again,
but also raise the downhearted to the celebration of your Love.
And Lord, thank You, for the school years, for the talents I received.

Amen.

* Matthew, 5:13-16

(Translated and adapted from French by Dr. Chau T. Phan, Professor Emeritus, Rider University, Lawrenceville, New Jersey, from Fernand Lelotte, S.J. Rabboni: Consignes et prières pour mieux servir, 9è édition, 1958 (Paris, Casterman; Bruxelles, Foyer Notre-Dame. Imprimatur, 1955.)