Qatar Baccalaureate Mass 2009

We gather like this at very special moments in the life of the Georgetown community to remind ourselves of the deepest convictions of the community and of the tradition we share. It’s important to remind ourselves in moments like this, that the work in which we’re engaged…the work that has shaped the day-to-day life of Georgetown for more than two centuries…the work that has shaped this community of Georgetown here, four years now—that this work is animated by something greater than ourselves.

It’s easy to forget this, or to fail to acknowledge it. After all, much of what we do looks so much like that which takes place at every other college or university. But we come together like this to be witnesses to one other…to be present here to one another…to be there for one another…to remind ourselves that in the tradition upon which this University is built—we believe something more is going on here. In this tradition we believe that we “can never achieve [our ultimate end through our] own powers” (St. Thomas Aquinas). It requires a union with God.

We seek wisdom, and wisdom is not possible without learning. But alone learning that is untempered by the spiritual or the moral, cannot bring true wisdom. As the Qua’ran tells us,

“He who has been given wisdom has been given a great good” (Qua’ran 2–268). 

The road to wisdom, the road to the good, is not easy. But we are reminded today of the deepest discussion of our faith – the ground of our hopefulness, that we will be “built up…with the consolation of the Holy Spirit – A spirit that will always remain in us.”

And the greatest gift – of our tradition – right here in John’s gospel – whenever we might be in doubt – we only have to “ask”:

“ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you. We will receive from him whatever we ask.”

On such an extraordinary day like this one, when a class of young women and men are about to commence—to begin the next stage in their journeys—it is a consolation to know that we share a tradition that has animated our work here, and in the Georgetown community for more than two centuries, that provides such profound hopefulness that all we ever have to do is ask – and the Spirit will always be there to build us up.