Lord God, the saying,

    “The road to hell is paved with good intentions”

  reveals a deep Christian insight.

At the beginning of a new year, 

    many have nothing better to do than make a list of bad deeds

    and resolve from then on to begin with better intentions,

    believing that a good intention already means a new beginning.

Sometimes we believe that on our own we can make a new start

    whenever we want.

But that is an evil illusion: 

    only You can make a new beginning with us whenever You please, 

    but we cannot make a new beginning with You.

Therefore, we cannot make a new beginning at all;

    we can only pray for one.

When we are on our own and live by our own devices,

    there is only the old, the past.

Only where You are can there be a new beginning.

We cannot command You to grant it:

    we can only pray asking You for it.

And we can pray only when we realize that we cannot do anything,

    that we have reached our limit,

    that someone else must make that new beginning.

 

 

__________________________

 

 

Forget the former things;
    do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing!
    Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
    and streams in the wasteland.