Prayer on New-Year's Day

O triune God, Thus have we again by Thy grace brought a year of our
wretched life and weary pilgrimage upon earth to a close, and to-day in
Thy name begin another. Lord! how unspeakably great is Thy goodness, how
innumerable are Thy benefits which Thou hast shown unto me and mine in
the past, though on account of our sins we have deserved nothing at Thy
hands but wrath and punishment! Thou hast graciously preserved Thy
precious Word and holy sacraments in Thy holy congregation, peace and
unity in the government, prosperity and blessing in material comforts,
and didst richly bestow for our enjoyment all manner of blessings for
body and soul. Thou with paternal care didst protect Thy church from
false doctrine and persecution on account of the true faith, our land
from hostile invasion and evil contagion, our houses and property from
fire and water, and didst by Thy care faithfully avert from us all dire
calamities. How shall I find words to express the inestimable value of
these blessings? How can I according to my obligations be sufficiently
thankful? Behold, Lord, I offer to Thee, at the close of the old year,
the fruits of my lips, and glorify Thy grace and mercy with all my
strength and powers. My soul must honor Thee, my spirit must praise Thee,
my mouth shall thank Thee, and all that is within me must proclaim Thy
glory. I prostrate myself in heartfelt sorrow before Thy feet and confess
unto Thee with a penitent heart all my sins in which I was conceived and
born, and with which I have offended Thee during the past year, as well
as during the whole of my past life.

Most beloved Father! do not now reckon such past sins to my condemnation,
and do not remember in Thy wrath my past transgressions, but graciously
forgive and forget the same for the sake of the sufferings of Thy dearly
beloved Son. Jesus, my beloved Saviour, be merciful to me, a poor sinner,
blot out like a cloud and mist all my transgressions by Thy merit, cast
them into the sea of Thy innocent blood, that they may never more come to
light or before the judgment of God. O God, Holy Spirit! create within me
the new man, that I may not bring into the new year old sins and
impurities, but to-day begin a new life and partake anew of Thy grace.
Withhold from me, O Triune God! all long and well deserved punishment,
and continue to bless me and mine with all manner of bodily and
spiritual, temporal and eternal gifts. Let Thy grace rest upon us anew
every morning, and renew Thy good will to all who in this new year seek
their refuge with Thee and wait upon Thy goodness. Grant unto us still
further Thy precious Word, which is a joy and comfort to our hearts.
Enlighten our teachers and preachers, and grant unto their holy work the
blessing of heaven; strengthen our faithful rulers and prosper all their
good undertakings, which are pleasing to Thee. Bless our parents, and
prosper Thou the work of their hands. Fill our souls with true fear of
God, and our hearts with joy in the Holy Ghost. Bestow unto our bodies
health, and grant peace within our borders. Crown this year with Thy
goodness and grant unto us that which is necessary to the support of
life. Protect Thy church from error in the faith and from scandalous
living, our land from war, famine and pestilence, our homes from
consuming flames and all damage and danger, the products of the field
from hail and tempest. Curb the wrath and fury of satan, and send Thy
heavenly hosts that they may guard and protect us in all our ways.
Convert our enemies and check all our persecutors, help the oppressed,
provide for the poor, feed the hungry, give drink unto the thirsty,
clothe the naked, free the innocent captives, comfort the distressed,
gladden the sorrowing, strengthen the weak, care for the sick, be
merciful to the widows and orphans, deliver the oppressed, guide the
traveler and accompany the dying through death unto life.

Lord! teach us to act according to Thy good pleasure, and Thy good Spirit
direct our footsteps, that we may walk before Thee in faith, patience and
hope, in godliness and honesty, in meekness, humility and chastity, and
all Christian virtues. But when we sin, then chastise us gently; when our
sins trouble us, comfort us with Thy grace, and Thy joyful Spirit uphold
us. When satan assails us, do Thou support us, when the world persecutes
us, then protect us; when our flesh and blood would overpower us, then
strengthen our spirit; when we err, set us aright again. When we fall,
lift us up by Thy hand. When we become weak and weary in our calling,
refresh us. When we are in necessity and danger, relieve us. When we are
sick and weak, then be our physician. Should we according to Thy will
during this year depart from hence, grant that our spirits be commended
into Thy hands. O Lord! hear; Lord! be merciful; Lord! take heed and
grant it for Jesus' sake. Amen.

New Year Prayer #2

Almighty God,
As we are on the brink of a brand New Year,
we thank you for all the blessings you have given us this year.

Father, please forgive us for all that we have done,
that we should not have done,
for the things we should have done and did not.
Please wipe our hearts clean
and make us pure again and free in You.

We ask that in the New Year
you will Guide us in our Choices and Decision Making
so that we will choose wisely
with the Help of Your Holy Spirit.
Help us to acknowledge you in everything we do
and then we will succeed in our Plans.

Help us to Delight ourselves in you
and you will give us the Desires of our Heart!

Help us to Love, show compassion
and help others as your Son did.

We thank you for the Gift of Jesus
and for His life given for our Eternal Salvation and Freedom.

We ask all in the Saviour's Name!

Amen.

New Year Prayer

Dear Lord,
We pray that this New Year will bring us closer to You.
May we take the time to get to know You.
Help us to truly celebrate the gifts You have graciously given us
and use them to serve You and spread Your word,

May we also see and love you in all the people we meet,
so that in turn, they can see You in us.

We know that all human relations take time
if they are to grow and deepen.
This is also true of our relations with You,
the Father and the Holy Spirit,
which must grow over the course of our lives.
In this new year,
let us realise that every action of ours
no matter how great or small
enables us to be in touch with You.
Let us accept You in our lives,
in the way it pleases You,
as Truth, to be spoken,
as Life, to be lived,
as Light, to be lighted,
as Love, to be followed,
as Joy, to be given,
as Peace, to be spread about,
as Sacrifice, to be offered among our relatives,
friends, neighbours and all people.

Amen.

A Prayer For The Gift Of Wisdom

Great is the wisdom of the Lord! God Almighty, Your Wisdom includes An understanding of what is fair, What is logical, what is true, What is right and what is lasting. It mirrors Your pure intellect! I entreat You to grant me such Wisdom, That my labours may reflect Your insight. Your Wisdom expands in Your creations, Displaying complexity and multiplicity. Your Wisdom is an eternity ahead of man. May Your wisdom flourish forever!

An Act of Thanksgiving for the Blessings of the Past Year

O God, the beginning and the end of all things, Who art always the same, and Whose years fail not, we now, at the close of another year, kneel in adoration before Thee, and offer Thee our deepest thanks for the fatherly care with which Thou has watched over us during the past, for the many times Thou hast protected us from evils of soul and body, and for the numberless blessings, both temporal and spiritual, which Thou hast showered upon us. May it please Thee to accept the homage of our grateful hearts which we offer Thee in union with the infinite thanksgiving of Thy divine Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, Who with Thee liveth and reigneth forever and ever. Amen.

Prayer For A Blessing On The New Year

O sacred and adorable Trinity, hear our prayers on behalf of our holy Father the Pope, our Bishops, our clergy, and for all that are in authority over us. Bless, we beseech Thee, during the coming year, the whole Catholic Church; convert heretics and unbelievers; soften the hearts of sinners so that they may return to Thy friendship; give prosperity to our country and peace among the nations of the world; pour down Thy blessings upon our friends, relatives, and acquaintances, and upon our enemies, if we have any; assist the poor and the sick; have pity on the souls of those whom this year has taken from us; and do Thou be merciful to those who during the coming year will be summoned before Thy judgment seat. May all our actions be preceded by Thy inspirations and carried on by Thy assistance, so that all our prayers and works, having been begun in Thee, may likewise be ended through Thee. Amen.

Blessing for the New Year

On New Year's Eve or New Year's Day, the household gathers at the table or at the Christmas tree or manger scene. Many people make New Year's Day a day of prayer for peace. The calendar of the new year may be held during the blessing.

All make the sign of the cross. The leader begins: Let us praise the Lord of days and seasons and years, saying: Glory to God in the highest!

All respond: And peace to his people on earth!

The leader may use these or similar words to introduce the blessing:

Our lives are made of days and nights, of seasons and years, for we are part of a universe of suns and moons and planets. We mark ends and we make beginnings and, in all, we praise God for the grace and mercy that fill our days.

Then the Scripture is read:

Listen to the words of the book of Genesis (Genesis 1:14-19):

God said: "Let there be lights in the dome of the sky, to separate day from night. Let them mark the fixed times, the days and the years, and serve as luminaries in the dome of the sky, to shed light upon the earth." And so it happened: God made the two great lights, the greater one to govern the day, and the lesser one to govern the night; and he made the stars. God set them in the dome of the sky, to shed light upon the earth, to govern the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. God saw how good it was. Evening came, and morning followed—the fourth day.

(The family's Bible may be used for an alternate reading such as Psalm 90:1-4.)

The reader concludes: This is the Word of the Lord.

All respond: Thanks be to God.

After a time of silence, members of the household offer prayers of thanksgiving for the past year, and of intercession for the year to come. On January 1, it may be appropriate to conclude these prayers with the Litany of Loreto since this is the solemn feast of Mary, Mother of God. In conclusion, all pray the Lord's Prayer.

Then the leader begins: Let us now pray for God's blessing in the new year.

After a short silence, parents may place their hands on their children in blessing as the leader says:

Remember us, 0 God; from age to age be our comforter. You have given us the wonder of time, blessings in days and nights, seasons and years.

Bless your children at the turning of the year and fill the months ahead with the bright hope that is ours in the coming of Christ.

You are our God, living and reigning, for ever and ever. R. Amen.

Another prayer for peace may be said:

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace: where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy.

O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. R. Amen. —St. Francis of Assisi

The leader says:

Let us bless the Lord.

All respond, making the sign of the cross: And give Him thanks.

Then the following verse may be sung to a tune such as "The Old Hundreth" (Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow). It may be appropriate to exchange a greeting of peace or to join in toasts for the old and new year.

Great God, we sing that mighty hand By which supported still we stand; The opening year your mercy showed; That mercy crowns it till it close.

Prayer for a Blessing on the New Year

O sacred and adorable Trinity, hear our prayers on behalf of our holy Father the Pope, our Bishops, our clergy, and for all that are in authority over us. Bless, we beseech Thee, during the coming year, the whole Catholic Church; convert heretics and unbelievers; soften the hearts of sinners so that they may return to Thy friendship; give prosperity to our country and peace among the nations of the world; pour down Thy blessings upon our friends, relatives, and acquaintances, and upon our enemies, if we have any; assist the poor and the sick; have pity on the souls of those whom this year has taken from us; and do Thou be merciful to those who during the coming year will be summoned before Thy judgment seat. May all our actions be preceded by Thy inspirations and carried on by Thy assistance, so that all our prayers and works, having been begun in Thee, may likewise be ended through Thee. Amen.

A New Year Prayer 3

Freely forgiving for some offense
And finding each day a rich recompense,
In offering a friendly, helping hand
And trying in all ways to understand,
That all of us whoever we are ...
Are trying to reach "an unreachable star."

A New Year Prayer 2

God grant us this year a wider view,
So we see others' faults through the eyes of You;
Teach us to judge not with hasty tongue,
Neither the adult ... nor the young.

Give us patience and grace to endure
And a stronger faith so we feel secure;
And instead of remembering, help us forget
The irritations that caused us to fret.

A New Year Prayer

For the great and small ... the good and bad,
The young and old ... the sad and glad,
Are asking today, "Is life worth living?"
And the answer is only in "loving" and "giving."


For only "Love" can make man kind
And Kindness of Heart brings Peace of Mind,
And by giving love we can start this year
To lift the clouds of hate and fear.

By Helen Steiner Rice

Children New Year Prayer

O Lord Christ, our Savior dear,
Be Thou ever near us;
Grant us now a glad New Year.
Amen, Jesus, hear us!
Amen.