NEW YEAR PRAYER
O God, our loving Father,
we look back across the year which has just passed from us.
There is so much for which we need forgiveness ---
For the time we have wasted;
For the opportunities we have neglected;
For the unkind words we have said;
For the relationships we have not nurtured enough;
For the stress and priority we have given to the wrong or less important things;
For the unloving things we have thought, said and done.
Please grant us your loving mercy, as we also ask for Your grace
to be merciful to those who have caused us hurt.
There is also so much for which we ought to give You thanks ---
For health and strength;
For protection in times of danger;
For helping us in our material needs;
For healing in times of illness;
For consolation in times of sorrow;
For daily light and daily encouragement;
For our family members who love us, inspite of our weaknesses
and inspite of their own weaknesses too.
Lord, bless those for whom this has been a happy year,
and make their hearts burn in gratitude to you.
Bless those for whom this has been a sad year,
and help them face the future with steady faith and hope.
O Lord, we humbly ask You now to bless us this New Year...
May we put into actions our resolutions;
May we translate into good deeds our words and promises;
May we realize our plans;
May we work to make our dreams come true;
May we finish what we have started;
And most of all, may we love one another more, and grow into better persons every day.
Help us so that this New Year will not simply leave us one year older,
but that we shall also be one year nearer to You, and nearer to all You love
--- all the people around us, and our brothers and sisters in need.
Amen.
(NB: New Year prayer provided by Myrna Andaya)
