NEW YEAR'S BLESSING PRAYER

 FOR CLOCKS AND CALENDARS

 God, Holy One, You who live outside of time,

and reside in the imperishable moment,

we ask Your blessing this New Year's Day (Eve)

upon Your gift 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 You keep us from machine-like routine.

May we ever be free from being clock watchers

and instead become time lovers.

 

Bless our calendars,

these ordered lists of days, weeks and months, of holidays, holydays,

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, O God, 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, O Holy One,

the new year's gift

of a year of love.

 

Amen+

Author: Ed Hays