(Vatican Radio) Vespers began at 5 PM Rome Time in St Peter’s Basilica, with Pope
Francis presiding over the prayers that constitute the Church’s official, public praise
of God in the evening of the last day of the year, to be followed by the singing of
the great hymn of gratitude in faith, the Te Deum, and the worship of the Blessed
Sacrament before the giving of the blessing of the Eucharistic Lord.
In his
homily, Pope Francis focused on the sense of history that permeates the life of those
whose lives are signed by faith in Jesus Christ. “The biblical and Christian vision
of time and history,” he said, “is not cyclical, but linear: it is a path that leads
towards a conclusion.” He explained that the passing year does not represent an end
in itself, but a step on the way towards a reality that is to be completed – another
step toward the goal that lies ahead of us: a place of hope and happiness, because
we will meet God, the Reason of our hope and Source of our joy.
Pope Francis
went on to say that, as the year 2013 comes to an end, we collect, as in a basket,
the days, the weeks, the months that we have lived, to offer everything to the Lord.
Pope
Francis concluded, inviting everyone to look toward the new year, in a spirit of gratitude
for that, which we have received, repentance for that, in which we have failed, and
resolve to work with God’s grace to better our lives, our communities and ourselves.