Jesus after
his resurrection delivered a convocation address. After training his disciples
for three years, he addressed them saying, “Go into all the world and proclaim
the good news to the whole creation.” (Mark 16:15). At this glorious moment, when you are
brimming with joy and happiness, when your parents are in elated mood of
fulfilment and when your dear and near ones are proud of you, we sent you the
entire world. We sent you to the world with a mission. It is a mission to
spread the good news you have heard from this alma mater.
You are
chosen ones from various parts of the world. Several young ones of your age
hoped to study in Christ University. Only a section of them could apply to the
University. Among those who applied, all could not turn up for the selection
procedure. From among them, only those like you could prove the credentials and
potentials to become students of Christ University. Again, not all those who
started with you could graduate today. This is a wonderful message to your
future life. The process through which you passed through for the last couple
of years is a blue print for your life. The lectures you listened to, the
classes you attended, the tests you had taken, the assignments you submitted,
the people with whom you interacted with and who interacted with you, have all
prepared you to this glorious moment. But they are not just for this moment. It
is for your life. Your dreams have come true today. But, you are only at the
beginning of your bright future ahead. Your dreams are not over. You should
have more and more dreams from today. Dreams for a successful life, for a
peaceful world, for a united humanity and for a stable family life.
Christ
University has given you ample of opportunities for your holistic development.
The training given and opportunities you grabbed, made you to this august
graduation ceremony. As you are graduates of Christ University, you will always
bear the signs of this University. You have the potentials to be excellent. You
must serve others with grace. The vision of the University, Excellence and
Service and the tag “Christite” will help you to cast out sadness in others, to
speak in golden tongue, to overcome difficult tasks, to mantle tough
responsibilities and to work miracles in the lives of others.
The
visionary of this institution had a great hope of combining secular and sacred
education. Your professors have fulfilled that vision with a mission of
training you with and to have faith in God. They trained you to be socially
responsible and morally upright. You sometimes had gone through some struggles
during your studies here. But it is the same struggle, diamond or gold has,
before becoming an attractive jewel. You are precious stones. Same as precious
stones make the owner rich, proud and happy, you make the people around you
rich, proud and happy by involving in socially responsible tasks and morally
upright ways.
Be other-oriented in this largely self-centred
world. You can expect a corruption-free nation, only if you are also
corruption-free. Corruption is the after effect of self-centredness. It is the
outcome of selfishness. The practise of one of the core values of the
University, love of fellow beings, should be motivation for you to be
other-oriented. When you start loving others, when you have other-oriented
life, this world will be a corruption-free world.
Your pursuit
of excellence does not end with graduation. Your real journey begins here. A
beautiful piece of advice given by St Paul to his disciples is very apt here.
“Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time. Let
your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how
you ought to answer everyone.”(Col 4:5-6). Have a great life ahead!
