NEW YEAR'S PRAYER

MY LORD GOD, I have no idea where

I am going. I do not see the road ahead

of me. I cannot know for certain where

it will end. Nor do I really know myself,

and the fact that I think that I am

following your will does not mean that

I am actually doing so. But I believe that

the desire to please you does in fact

please you. And I hope I have that desire

in all that I am doing. I hope that I will

never do anything apart from that

desire. And I know that if I do this you

will lead me by the right road though I

may know nothing about it. Therefore

I will trust you always though I may

seem to be lost and in the shadow of

death. I will not fear, for you are ever

with me, and you will never leave me

to face my perils alone.

- THOMAS MERTON