December 1, 2017

“Brothers and sisters in Christ— graduates, those of you who will leave Ithaca: do not lose sight. Do not lose sight of the reward. Don’t forget about the glory. Many of you, God has revealed Himself… in God’s great mercy and grace. He called you to follow Christ, and suffer with Him, so that He could give you something infinitely greater. And many of you have seen this glory, and have experienced this glory. Don’t lose sight of this glory. The world will try to steer you away: the world will try to impress you with its own glory and say there’s something greater. Even as you go to the commencement today— it will try to impress you with the glory of this world. Don’t get impressed— don’t get impressed by the small things, fleeting things, weak things, lame things. Vapor-like, grass-like, temporary things of this world. God has revealed something infinitely greater to you. When you get your first job or go to grad school, don’t let those fleeting things impress you. That’s insulting to God. When people talk about their careers and money and their accomplishments and glories of this world, don’t get impressed— don’t envy. Because we are choosing to reject those things for things that are far greater, incomparably greater. Do whatever you have to do to make it to the end. Because He is worth it.”