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As the year draws to a close, we often find ourselves in a flurry of activity — wrapping up projects, preparing for celebrations, and setting goals for the new year. But amid the busyness, it’s worth asking: how do we give this year its proper closure?
St. Augustine offers profound insight into the necessity of looking back and looking forward, grounding us in a deeper understanding of time and memory.
Time as recollection and expectation
For St. Augustine, time is a uniquely human experience, situated between memory (the past) and anticipation (the future). In his Confessions, he famously wrote,
“What is time? If no one asks me, I know. If I wish to explain it, I do not know.”
Augustine understood time not as a sequence of moments ticking by but as an interplay between recollection and expectation, both anchored in the present moment.
Recollection, for Augustine, is not merely about remembering past events. It’s about gathering the scattered pieces of our lives into a cohesive whole, recognizing how God has been at work in them. This act of remembering allows us to see how the past shapes our identity and prepares us for the future. It’s a spiritual discipline, a way of bringing meaning to the year’s joys and struggles.
The need to recollect
The word “recollect” comes from the Latin re-collectere, meaning “to gather together again.” As the year ends, this dual meaning takes on special significance. On one hand, we are called to recall the events of the past year — our triumphs, losses, and moments of grace. On the other hand, we are invited to “get ourselves together” spiritually, emotionally, and physically, preparing for what lies ahead.
Recollection in this Augustinian sense is more than nostalgia. It’s an active process of finding God’s fingerprints in our history and integrating those lessons into our lives. Augustine himself practiced this through writing and prayer, pouring out his heart to God and seeking clarity amid life’s complexities. For him, the ultimate purpose of recollection was to draw closer to the One who is outside of time yet intimately involved in every moment of it.
Closure as a gift
Why is closure necessary? Without it, we risk carrying unresolved burdens into the future — grudges, regrets, or unfulfilled expectations. Taking time to recollect allows us to process these experiences, offering them to God and letting His grace transform them. Closure doesn’t mean erasing the past but bringing it to a place of peace.
As you close out this year, consider making space for quiet recollection. Reflect on where you’ve encountered God’s presence, where you’ve grown, and where you still need healing. This isn’t just about setting resolutions but grounding your future aspirations in the lessons of the past. Augustine reminds us that time itself is a gift, given to lead us into eternity.
By recollecting the year in gratitude and faith, we prepare our hearts to embrace the unknown future with hope, trusting that “all things work together for good” (Romans 8:28). Closure is paradoxically a new beginning, a renewed commitment to live with purpose and grace in the time God has entrusted to us.
