A Prayer Guide for the Turn of the Year
Happy New Year!
This time of year is one of my favorites, and not just because of all the festivities and beautiful liturgies. I love the gentle prompt from the calendar’s turning to look back and to look forward--to see what God has done in the past year, and to pray for the year to come.
This prayer guide offers some suggestions for meditative prayer as one year comes to a close and a new one begins. Feel free to pray through all of them or just through a few that speak to your heart.
And, perhaps most importantly, if you don’t get to this prayer guide until January 9th or February 2nd, don’t sweat it! This guide isn’t meant to be another item on your to-do list, but rather an invitation to rest and reflect. God’s mercies are new every morning, and a new year can start on any day you choose. Give yourself the gift of some quiet time to pray and to be still in His embrace.
Opening Prayer
Lord, guide my heart and my mind as I pray through the year past and the year ahead. Give me eyes to see You in all things and ears to hear Your voice whispering peace throughout my days. Let me make of them an offering of love to You.
Praying through the Year Past
Begin by looking back through your year. (I usually flip through my calendar or journal, or even scroll through my Instagram photos.)
For what are you most grateful? These could be the high points of the year--the birth of a child, a special trip, an answered prayer--or the things that have a looser form--the feeling of closeness to God, an opportunity to serve, a slow and gentle sense of progress in any area of your life.
If you remember your intentions or guiding word for 2019, reflect on how they took shape this year. There is no right or wrong answer here. I love taking the time to see how intentions I mostly forgot about somehow managed to bear fruit in spite of me! It is a beautiful and powerful experience to see the hand of God in your life in places you hadn’t recognized. That is my prayer for each of you this year.
What were the most difficult parts of your year? Bring them to the Lord, whether they are illnesses, conflicts, disappointments, or losses. Be assured that He holds all of Your cares in His loving arms.
Was there a particular saint to whom you felt close this year? If so, thank God for their loving prayer and presence in your life.
Was there a particular passage in Scripture or spiritual reading that consoled you or guided you this year? Or was there another way in which you heard the voice of the Lord this year, perhaps through a new type of spiritual practice? If so, take a moment to read or reflect on it, and offer God your gratitude.
Was there a specific way in which you felt a partnership with God this year? Remember that He is present with us in every moment, and rejoice in the moments when that knowledge filled your inner well to overflowing.
Praying through the Year Ahead
As you look to the empty calendar that stretches into the future, commit this year to the Lord. Offer it to Him with your whole heart, whatever joys and sorrows the year ahead may bring.
Before getting into specifics, take a moment to reflect on what you most desire for this coming year. Don’t be afraid to share with God your wildest dreams, whether they are concrete accomplishments you aspire to or more general hopes for the way you want to feel or live this year. If you have specific intentions or a guiding word, offer them to the Lord. I can’t tell you whether God will bring all of these things to fruition, but I can tell you that He cares deeply about the desires of your heart.
Are there any significant milestones coming up? A graduation, a move, a big change? Offer thanks to God for the joyful events you anticipate, and ask for His consolation and comfort for the ones that will be more difficult.
Reflect for a moment on any pain or uncertainty that you are carrying with you into the new year. As you pray for these situations, be assured that you never carry your burdens alone.
Is there a particular saint you would like to get to know better this year? Take a moment to ask for their intercession.
Is there a particular book of Scripture or spiritual book you would like to read this year? Or perhaps a spiritual topic you would like to learn more about or a spiritual practice you would like to take up? Set these intentions for the days ahead.
Is there a particular way you would like to partner with God in the work of redemption in the coming year? This might be in service, in giving, or in growth in a specific virtue. It’s okay if no concrete answer comes to mind. Simply open your heart and ask.
Closing Prayer
Lord most merciful and compassionate, thank You for walking alongside me in the past year. As I enter a new year full of hope or full of trepidation, let me continually turn to You. In joy and in sorrow, in loss and in redemption, hold me in Your comforting arms. Thank you for knowing me so intimately and loving me so deeply. Amen.
Meet Cameron Bellm
Cameron Bellm is a Seattle mom of two young boys. After finishing her PhD in Russian literature, she traded the academic life for the contemplative life (well, as contemplative as chasing two small kids can be!). She is a great lover of Ignatian spirituality, Catholic social teaching, and strong black coffee. Her deepest joys are reading, writing, and finding new ways to pray. You can find her on Instagram at @krugthethinker.