This is to be used as a "first footing" prayer. In Scotland and the northern parts of England, New Year is given much importance: folk go from house to house wishing each other a good year ahead, and celebrate their good wishes with food and plenty of drink. It is often seen as important who should be the first to cross the threshold and 'bring in the year' once midnight has passed.
This song (spoken or sung) asks Christ Himself to come and 'first-foot' for us. The door is opened to welcome Him in and invite His blessing whether He comes in silence or in the company of other guests.
This day is a new day
that has never been before.
This year is a new year,
the opening door.
Open the door
Enter, Lord Christ -
we have joy in your coming.
You have given us life;
and we welcome Your coming.
I turn now to face You,
I lift up my eyes.
Be blessing my face, Lord;
be blessing my eyes.
May all my eye looks on
be blessed and be bright,
my neighbors, my loved ones
be blessed in Your sight.
You have given us life;
and we welcome Your coming.
Be with us, Lord,
we have joy, we have joy.
This year is a new year,
the opening door.
Be with us, Lord,
we have joy, we have joy.
From Celtic Daily Prayer.
Image from The Gutenberg Project.
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Merci, Grandmère Mimi!
ReplyDeleteLaurel, bienvenue.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you like the first-footing prayer. Celtic prayers quite often move me deeply.
Tres Merci, Grandmère Mimi, the best of the New Year to you as well! (I love Celtic daily Prayer!)
ReplyDeleteJe vous souhaite une bonne année nouvelle!
ReplyDeleteAnd a Happy Circumcision to you all.
ReplyDelete(Or as I like to put it, Happy Bris-day to Jesus.)
May 2010 be a better year for all of us.
Thanks for the good wishes. A Blessed and Happy New Year again to all of you.
ReplyDeleteKishnevi, back in the olden days, in the RCC, we unabashedly called the day by its proper name, although throughout my childhood, I had no idea what the word circumcision meant. I didn't ask, and no one troubled themselves to enlighten me.
Now the RCC celebrates the Solemnity of Mary, which sounds sort of made-up to me, a way to get folks to church on the first day of the year.
"Now the RCC celebrates the Solemnity of Mary, which sounds sort of made-up to me, a way to get folks to church on the first day of the year."
ReplyDeleteHeh, heh--you may be on to something there.
Missy, truly I don't get it. Why not celebrate the day for what it commemorates? What is the Solemnity of Mary? I'm sure that Mary was sometimes sad, but my Mary is not solemn.
ReplyDeleteMy mother told me of her family tradition of visiting all the relatives on New Years Day. The oldest member of the family didn't have to travel anywhere. Everybody else would visit them. The younger you were in the hierarchy, the more people you would have to visit. Love Celtic prayers too.
ReplyDeleteMaybe the Solemnity of Mary has more to do with music than gloominess. After all a solemn mass is one that is sung.
WV=wasly "Here we come a wasly ing"