THE PRAISE THAT LIFTS US

How could man remain silent when time is renewed, and the Lord once again shows His mercy? As the night falls, closing one year and opening another, all of creation invites us to praise the Creator, to recognize in Him the source of all goodness and the fulfillment of all hope. “Great are You, Lord, and greatly to be praised; great is Your power, and Your wisdom is without measure,” says Saint Augustine, reminding us that praise is not just a duty but the natural response of a soul that has found its Creator.

To praise God at the beginning of a new year is far more than a tradition; it is a profoundly human and spiritual act. It acknowledges that time rests in His hands, that everything we are and everything we hope for depends on His providence. Saint Irenaeus of Lyon writes: “The glory of God is man fully alive, but the life of man is the vision of God.” In every act of praise, especially as a new cycle begins, the soul rises toward its eternal destiny, leaving behind fears and sorrows to enter the light of His presence. Praise is not an empty gesture but the echo of the truth within our hearts: the recognition that in Him we live, move, and have our being.

Looking back, the trials, joys, and struggles of life reveal His faithfulness. Every day He has upheld us is a testament to His love, even when we failed to perceive it. Saint Bernard declares: “The grateful soul never ceases to praise; whoever has tasted the love of God finds in praise their daily sustenance.” Thus, praise is not only gratitude for what has been received but also a trustful surrender to what lies ahead. On this threshold of a new year, praise becomes our most sincere response and our greatest act of hope.

All of creation proclaims the glory of God. As Saint Basil the Great says: “The heavens proclaim the glory of God, and the firmament shows forth the work of His hands. If creation praises Him, how much more should man, the masterpiece of His love?” The sun rising on the dawn of a new year, the stars twinkling on New Year’s Eve, and the wind blowing gently or fiercely—all are living hymns that proclaim the Lord’s goodness. But man, made in God’s image, has a higher duty. It is not enough to sing; we must live in praise, making each day, starting with this first sunrise of the year, a continuous hymn of love and fidelity.

Let us not live halfheartedly. On this New Year’s Eve and in the year that lies ahead, let us lift our hands, our voices, and our lives toward God. May every day of 2025 be an offering, every action a sacrifice, and every trial a cry of victory. “When the soul sings, the devil flees; when the soul trusts, heaven opens,” teaches Saint Cyprian. Let us hold nothing back, leave nothing unoffered. Let praise be our strength in battle, our banner on the journey, our lamp in the darkness. Let us praise God with all we are, proclaiming with the angels: “Worthy is the Lord of all praise and glory.”

At the end of our days, may our praise in this 2025 become a torch that lights the way to eternity. As Saint Gregory of Nyssa exclaims: “When we praise God, we anticipate eternity; our earthly voice joins the angelic choirs, and our hope becomes vision.”

“HOLY, HOLY, HOLY IS THE LORD GOD OF HOSTS,” sing the angels. May this hymn be ours as well, today, in this new year that begins, and for all eternity.

OMO