Pope closes year with Solemn Vespers

(Vatican Radio) As 2012 drew to a close, Pope Benedict on Monday celebrated First Vespers for the Feast of Mary, the Mother of God. The solemn liturgy included the Church’s traditional hymn of Thanksgiving, the Te Deum, along with Exposition and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, and special prayers of thanksgiving for the blessings of the past year.

In his homily at Vespers, the Holy Father reminded the faithful that we give thanks to God “for all that came to pass over the course of the year, whether easy or difficult, barren or fruitful.” The prayer of the Te Deum, he said, “contains a profound wisdom, the wisdom that makes us say that, despite everything, there is good in the world, and this good is destined to triumph, thanks God, the God of Jesus Christ, who became incarnate, died, and rose again.” This attitude of thanksgiving to God can be difficult in a world that amplifies evil, and tends to obscure the good. And this, he said, “is why we cannot rely solely on the news if we want to understand the world and life. We must be able to remain in silence, in meditation, in calm and prolonged reflection; we must know how to stop and think.” This silent reflection can help us see the world with new eyes, to see things from God’s perspective, and so to find healing and peace.

The Pope also spoke about the ongoing Year of Faith, which “should arouse in the heart of each believer a greater awareness that the encounter with Christ is the source of true life and a solid hope.”

The Church, he said, “knows well that the Gospel is for all people, especially the younger generations, to quench that thirst for truth that everyone carries in his heart and that is often obscured by all those things that occupy life.” Pope Benedict spoke in particular about the mission of evangelisation within the diocese of Rome, and highlighted efforts being made “so that the faithful, supported especially by the Sunday Eucharist, can become disciples and coherent witnesses of Jesus Christ.” He emphasized that parents “as primary educators of their children in the Faith” are specially called to this coherence in their lives.

Returning to the theme of Faith, Pope Benedict said, “In order to proclaim the Gospel and to allow those who still do not know Jesus, or have abandoned Him, to cross again the threshold of faith and live in communion with God, it is essential to know in depth the meaning of the truths contained in the Profession of Faith.”

Pope Benedict concluded his homily with a call to praise and thanksgiving to God: “Dear friends, on the last night of the year that is coming to an end, and at the threshold of the new, let us praise the Lord!”

Following the Solemn Liturgy, the Holy Father proceeded to Saint Peter’s Square, in order to visit the traditional Nativity scene outside the Basilica. With the Swiss Guard playing traditional hymns and carols, Pope Benedict admired the brilliant display, and greeted some of the many pilgrims who are in Rome to celebrate the Christmas season.