by Fr Victor Hoagland, C.P.

We gather to commit the New Year and its mysteries to God.

The leader may begin:

The new year, like a new born child, is placed in our hands as the old year passes away. The days and weeks to come are God's gift; they carry God's blessing. As a blessing we welcome them. Our hope for the year ending is that all that was good in it remain with us an all that was harmful be left behind.

Listen to a Reading from the Book of Genesis:

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
The earth was a vast waste,
darkness covered the deep,
and the spirit of God
hovered over the surface of the water.
God said: "Let there be light,"
and there was light;
and God saw the light was good,
and he separated the light from darkness.
He called the light day,
and the darkness night.
So evening came, and morning came;
it was the first day.
Genesis 1;1-5

Bless us, O Lord, and bless the time and seasons
yet to come.
Teach us to number our days aright,
that we may gain wisdom of heart.
And fill this new year with your kindness,
that we may be glad and rejoice
all the days of our life.

Others may offer prayers of intercession and thanksgiving, and then all may pray the "Our Father."

Since January 1st is a day for praying for peace, the Prayer of St. Francis may also 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.

Good 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. Amen.