‘Through the medium of prayer we go to our enemy, stand by his side, and plead for him to God. Jesus doesn’t promise that when we bless our enemies and do good to them they will not despitefully use and persecute us. They certainly will. But not even that can hurt or overcome us, so long as we pray for them…We are doing vicariously for them what they cannot do for themselves.’
-Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship
O Thou, who are ever the same, grant us so to pass through the doming year with faithful hearts, that we may be able in all things to please Thy loving eyes.
Amen.
-Mozarabic-A.D. 700
(watches and calendars may be placed on the table)
Lord, You who live outside of time,
and reside in the imperishable moment,
we ask Your blessing this New Years’s Day
upon Your gifts to us of time.
Bless our clocks and watches,
You who kindly direct us
to observe the passing of minutes and hours.
May they make us aware of the miracle
of each second of life we experience.
May these our ticking servants
help us not to miss that which is important,
while Your keep us from being clock watchers
and instead become time lovers.
Bless our calendars,
these ordered lists of days, weeks and months,
of holidays, holy days, fasts and feasts-
all our special days of remembering.
May these servants, our calendars,
once reserved for the royal few,
for magi and pyramid priests,
now grace our homes and our lives.
May they remind us of birthdays and other gift-days,
as they teach us the secret
that all life
is meant for celebration
and contemplation.
Bless, Lord this new year,
each of its 365 days and nights.
Bless us with new moons and full moons.
Bless us with happy seasons and a long life.
Grant to us, Lord,
the new year’s gift
of a year of love.
In Jesus,
Amen.
-Edward Hays, Prayers for the Domestic Church
peacocks for pilgrims 