As the final hours of the year slip quietly toward midnight, something in us naturally slows down. This moment—this “hour”—has a way of gathering up everything that came before it: the joys and the disappointments, the surprises and the sorrows, the ordinary days that passed almost unnoticed. It invites us to look back with honesty and to look forward with hope.
For centuries, Christians have ended the year with a simple, ancient prayer of gratitude called the Te Deum. It begins with praise and ends with trust—two things that can feel surprisingly grounding, no matter what the past twelve months have held. Whether this year felt abundant or barren, easy or impossibly hard, the act of giving thanks can reorient the heart. It reminds us that goodness still exists in the world, even when it doesn’t make the headlines.
And that’s part of the challenge, isn’t it? The loudest stories are often the darkest ones. Violence, injustice, and tragedy dominate our screens, while the quiet goodness of everyday people—those who show up, serve, forgive, and persevere—rarely makes the news. If we only consume the noise, we miss the deeper truth: goodness is still at work, often quietly, often unseen, but always real.
That’s why this moment at the year’s end matters. It invites us to pause. To breathe. To reflect. To let our minds and hearts heal from the constant stream of noise and worry. In the stillness, we begin to see life with clearer eyes. We remember that hope is not naïve—it’s necessary. And for Christians, that hope is rooted in the belief that even the thickest darkness can be illuminated.
The turning of the year is also a reminder that renewal is always possible. Faith teaches that we can start again, step out of old patterns, and choose goodness once more. The future is not something to fear but something to entrust to the One who holds all time.
So as this year comes to a close, perhaps we can each take a moment to offer gratitude—for what was beautiful, for what was difficult, and for what helped us grow. We can acknowledge where we fell short and ask for the grace to begin again. And we can step into the new year with a quiet confidence that goodness is not only real but ultimately victorious.
May this threshold moment be one of peace, clarity, and renewed hope for all of us.
Smitten With Goodness 