A Blessing for the New Year
As I’ve gone about my daily errands this week, it seems that every person has said Happy New Year to me. And I’ve been wondering if they mean one day or if they are talking about the entirety of 2010. Without even being psychic I can say with certainty that I will not be happy each day of the year, neither will I be sad. What I can know is that I will try, in as much as it’s up to me, to be at peace with my neighbor and praying into God’s presence.
There is a lovely prayer service in the Celtic Book of Prayer that ritualizes this intention to live in Christ and with Christ as the New Year begins.
It starts with an opening door:
Enter, Lord Christ—
We have joy in Your coming.
(The prayer goes on)
You have given us life
And we welcome Your coming.
Be with us, Lord,
We have joy, we have joy.
This year is a new year,
The opening door.
Be with us Lord,
We have joy, we have joy.
Joy is a quality of connection with God. It doesn’t mean that I feel happy or that I have no sorrows, what it does mean is that I am putting myself at that opening door waiting for Christ to come in.
So this new year, let us stand at the door that is opening for us and wait as long as we need to, for Christ to enter our hearts.
A renewed and renewing covenant with God in Christ is the best New Year’s resolution that I can imagine.
Blessings to you,
Debra
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