The very idea of a fresh start has a way of filling me with anticipation and hope. I tend to get rather unrealistically excited as each New Year celebration approaches, and I’ve had to learn to hide that excitement around most people in my life, especially those who will tend to remind me, “Yeah, you were all excited last year and had all these supposedly wonderful plans, but how many of them did you actually carry out?”

Maybe that’s why I need fresh starts so much — I tend to get off track, don’t stick to things, and need to get back on track, re-orient myself, and re-commit to what is truly important.

I was thinking of this as September 1st was approaching. It’s the beginning of our church year in the Byzantine Catholic Church, so I was using this as a time to re-assess some things in my devotional life, as well as in my life in general. As usual, the process was encouraging and motivating for me.

On Sunday, while I was still filled with the heights of fresh start excitement, there was a baptism during Divine Liturgy. Someone had once told me that baptisms are a wonderful time for us to renew our own baptismal promises, to remind ourselves yet again of what Christ has done for us, and to recommit to following Him. That is so true! As I was driving home, I was reminded of all the many opportunities the Church gives us to renew and refresh, and to re-dedicate our lives to God. I don’t need to wait for New Years, or for a baptism, or for some special event like a retreat or conference.

In our parish, the sacrament of confession is available before every Divine Liturgy, and also by appointment. This gives me ample opportunity to obey, and receive the promise of, James 5:16. “Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. A prayer of a righteous person, when it is brought about, can accomplish much.”

Every Divine Liturgy, whether I went to confession beforehand or not, is a time for me to repent, to profess my faith, and to receive Christ anew and afresh. It is so powerful… and it’s my own fault if I fail to truly mean the words that I am saying and singing.

Friends of mine begin every day, before they even get out of bed, with some version of a morning offering prayer that includes words like, “I offer You my prayers, works, joys, and sufferings of this day.” I tend to stagger out of bed in a sleepy stupor, but I am without excuse if I don’t dedicate my day to God once I’ve had my morning coffee.

Some of my friends also do an examination of conscience, or examen prayer, every evening before bedtime. I think it’s a wonderful habit… maybe I will manage to make it mine some day.

Our monastic tradition has given us diverse resources to “pray the hours”, following the example of King David: “Seven times a day I praise You because of Your righteous judgments.” (Psalm 119:164). The Liturgy of the Hours revolutionized my prayer life years ago, and various other prayer books have taken their place during various times in my life. But I don’t need to lug one of my prayer books everywhere in order to pause and pray during the day.

In fact, as valuable as these resources are, what I really need to do is to remind myself to pray, and to take every time available to re-connect with God. Eventually, maybe I’ll even get to the point where I am “praying without ceasing”.

In the meantime, given life’s many distractions, and my proneness to wander, I am thankful for all those times, seasons, and opportunities for renewal. I am thankful for the reminders to examine myself prayerfully, to repent, to purpose to amend my ways, and to re-dedicate myself to taking up my cross daily so that I may follow Jesus more closely.