Seasonal Prayers
New Year
Prayer for the New Year
Dear Father,
Here we are again at the dawn of a New Year,
a time of beginnings.
Lord, I know not how many days lie before me,
or even if I will live past the start,
when the clock strikes midnight.
So much before us is uncertain,
uncharted,
in your most capable hands.
Yet, as this old year draws to its close,
I pray
that whatever time lies in front of me,
whatever days lay before me,
may I dedicate them anew to you,
lover of my soul,
King of creation,
my true goal
my God,
Abba,
Father.
Teach me, as each moment dawns anew,
to look at the time at hand,
with eyes that see as you would see,
to see the child beloved to you
who wears an undesirable face,
to see the soul deserving of my love
in the eyes of my enemy.
Let me see the time that can be consecrated to you,
to spread your peace,
where once I would have walked away,
to reach out
where once I would have clenched my fist,
to see opportunity
where once I would have seen obstacle.
Most of all,
let the fire of your love
burn so brightly in me,
that all that is dross in my soul
melts away,
that all that separates me from you
passes into ash, to be blown away.
In the morning,
be my first thought,
in evening, my last consideration.
May all my resolutions this year
resolve into the one:
To do what you would want me to do,
how you would want me to do,
when you would want me to do it,
not by my might,
but through the power of your Spirit,
now and forever,
Amen.
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Day Prayer
Dear Lord,
On this day we set aside to thank you,
Accept our offering of gratitude,
no matter how impure,
for you are the ultimate source
of all our joy,
our contentment,
our prosperity,
our hope.
Without you, we are but dust.
Thank you for those moments we have to love you
and to share your love with those around us,
to share our goods to those who need,
to share our concern and our sorrow,
Thank you for coming to us in the Eucharist.
Thank you most especially for choosing to join us,
suffer with and for us,
to die for us.
Help us to come to love you more and more,
and reflect your beauty on this sad, peaceless world
more and more each day.
Amen.
© 2003, 2004 Susan E. Stone
Prayer for the New Year
Dear Father,
Here we are again at the dawn of a New Year,
a time of beginnings.
Lord, I know not how many days lie before me,
or even if I will live past the start,
when the clock strikes midnight.
So much before us is uncertain,
uncharted,
in your most capable hands.
Yet, as this old year draws to its close,
I pray
that whatever time lies in front of me,
whatever days lay before me,
may I dedicate them anew to you,
lover of my soul,
King of creation,
my true goal
my God,
Abba,
Father.
Teach me, as each moment dawns anew,
to look at the time at hand,
with eyes that see as you would see,
to see the child beloved to you
who wears an undesirable face,
to see the soul deserving of my love
in the eyes of my enemy.
Let me see the time that can be consecrated to you,
to spread your peace,
where once I would have walked away,
to reach out
where once I would have clenched my fist,
to see opportunity
where once I would have seen obstacle.
Most of all,
let the fire of your love
burn so brightly in me,
that all that is dross in my soul
melts away,
that all that separates me from you
passes into ash, to be blown away.
In the morning,
be my first thought,
in evening, my last consideration.
May all my resolutions this year
resolve into the one:
To do what you would want me to do,
how you would want me to do,
when you would want me to do it,
not by my might,
but through the power of your Spirit,
now and forever,
Amen.
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Day Prayer
Dear Lord,
On this day we set aside to thank you,
Accept our offering of gratitude,
no matter how impure,
for you are the ultimate source
of all our joy,
our contentment,
our prosperity,
our hope.
Without you, we are but dust.
Thank you for those moments we have to love you
and to share your love with those around us,
to share our goods to those who need,
to share our concern and our sorrow,
Thank you for coming to us in the Eucharist.
Thank you most especially for choosing to join us,
suffer with and for us,
to die for us.
Help us to come to love you more and more,
and reflect your beauty on this sad, peaceless world
more and more each day.
Amen.
© 2003, 2004 Susan E. Stone