Happy New Year

Happy New Year!

Wishing all of our friends and family, near and far, 

a most blessed 2024.

A Catholic New Year's Day Prayer:

We Pray... 
For healing...prepare us for surprises.
For strength...prepare us for surprises.
For vision...prepare us for surprises.
For transformation...prepare us for surprises.
For messengers and messenges...prepare us for surprises.
For community...prepare us for surprises.
For acceptance - of ourselves and others...prepare us for surprises.
For making room at our tables...prepare us for surprises.
For Truth-seeking...prepare us for surprises.
For support...prepare us for surprises.
For Common Ground...prepare us for surprises. 

Walk beside us, O Holy One,
as we question and welcome,
as we challenge and invite,
as we discover and understand,
as we see, touch, taste, smell, and listen for the Newness awaiting us in 2020.

May we, Your Holy People, walk forward together side by side.

Amen

- Written by Sister Mary Ann Barret, O.P.

This prayer really touched my heart.  If there is anything that laugh has taught me and my children, it is to be prepared for surprises.  Sometimes, those surprises bring grief...and other times joy...but always God's grace accompanies each "gift".  Although we may not fully (or even slightly) understand the "why", "...we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him..." (Romans 8:28) 

I find it intriguing that this poem was written in 2019 for the upcoming New Year of 2020.  Boy was that year a doozy...for me, for you, for all of us! Surprises for certain. Some we could have done without. 

My prayer for all of you dear readers is that you may know you are never alone celebrating the highs and the lows...the many surprises... that will most certainly come in 2024.