A Prayer for the New Year

This was the prayer in my parish bulletin this week:

Eternal and Almighty God, who makes all things new, we thank you that today you have allowed us to begin a new year. Here in your presence we make our resolutions for the days to come. We resolve to be faithful and true to those who love us, and loyal to those who are our friends, so that we may never bring worry to their minds or distress to their hearts. We resolve to live in forgiveness and in kindness, that, like Jesus, we may go about always doing good. We resolve to live in diligence and effort, that we may use the full gifts and the talents that God has given us. We resolve to live in goodness and purity, that we ourselves may resist temptation, and that we may be a strength to others who are tempted. We resolve to live in sympathy and in gentleness, that we may bring comfort to the sorrowing and understanding to those who are confused. We resolve to live in serenity and in self-control, that no anger or passion may disturb our own peace nor the peace of others. We resolve to show our love for God by keeping His Commandments and ask Jesus to bless us with his peace and joy for doing this.

O God, our Loving Father, you have given us the grace to make our own resolutions, grant us also the strength to keep them through the coming year.