VATICAN CITY, 31 DEC 2008 (VIS) - At six this evening in the Vatican Basilica, the Holy Father presided over the first vespers on the solemnity of Mary the Mother of God, with the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, the singing of the traditional "Te Deum" hymn of thanksgiving concluding the civil year, and the Eucharistic blessing.
During his homily, the Holy Father asserted that Christmastime "holds a profound Marian connotation; the birth of Jesus, God-man, and the divine maternity of Mary are inseparable realities; the mystery of Mary and the mystery of the only-begotten Son of God made man form a single mystery, in which one helps better understand the other".
"This afternoon", he said, "we want to place in the hands of the heavenly Mother of God, our hymn of thanksgiving to the Lord for the blessings He has abundantly given us in these past twelve months" and "add our petition for forgiveness for not having always employed our time usefully".
Addressing particularly the faithful of the Diocese of Rome, Benedict XVI emphasized that "the encounter with Christ renews our personal existence and helps contribute to the construction of a just and fraternal society. That is why, as believers, we can also offer a great contribution in overcoming the current educational emergency. It is as important as ever that the harmony between families, schools, and parishes grows for a deeper evangelization and a courageous promotion of what is human, capable of showing to the greatest number of people possible the richness that wells forth from the encounter with Christ".
In these times, which are marked by insecurity and worry for the future, it is necessary to feel the living presence of Christ. Mary, the Star of Hope, leads us to Him. With her maternal love she is the one who can lead us, especially the young, to Jesus".
The Holy Father told those "responsible for the future" of Rome, to "not be afraid of the apostolic work that the Lord has entrusted to you, do not hesitate to choose a lifestyle that does not follow the current hedonist mentality. ... The growing needs of evangelization require many workers in the vineyard of the Lord: do not hesitate to respond to respond readily if He calls you. Society needs citizens who are not merely concerned with their own interests because, as I recalled on Christmas Day, 'if people look only to their own interests, our world will certainly fall apart'".
"This year", he continued, "concludes with the awareness of a growing economic and social crisis that now affects the entire world; a crisis that demands the greatest sobriety and solidarity of all in order to help, especially, those persons and families in the most serious difficulties". In this context he noted that "the Christian community is already committing itself ... Caritas and other charitable organizations are doing what they can, but it is necessary for all to work together because nobody can think of building happiness for themselves alone".
"Even if there are many clouds forming on the horizon of our future, we should not be afraid. As believers, our great hope is eternal life in communion with Christ and the entire family of God. This great hope gives us the strength to face and to overcome the difficulties of this worldly life".
Benedict XVI concluded affirming that "Mary's maternal presence assures us this evening that God never abandons us if we trust in Him and follow His teachings. With filial love and confidence we present our hopes and desires to Mary, as well as our fears and the difficulties that we hold in our heart as we bid farewell to 2008 and prepare ourselves to welcome 2009".
After the ceremony the Pope visited the creche in St. Peter's Square.
HML/VESPERS TE DEUM/... VIS 20090102 (610)
During his homily, the Holy Father asserted that Christmastime "holds a profound Marian connotation; the birth of Jesus, God-man, and the divine maternity of Mary are inseparable realities; the mystery of Mary and the mystery of the only-begotten Son of God made man form a single mystery, in which one helps better understand the other".
"This afternoon", he said, "we want to place in the hands of the heavenly Mother of God, our hymn of thanksgiving to the Lord for the blessings He has abundantly given us in these past twelve months" and "add our petition for forgiveness for not having always employed our time usefully".
Addressing particularly the faithful of the Diocese of Rome, Benedict XVI emphasized that "the encounter with Christ renews our personal existence and helps contribute to the construction of a just and fraternal society. That is why, as believers, we can also offer a great contribution in overcoming the current educational emergency. It is as important as ever that the harmony between families, schools, and parishes grows for a deeper evangelization and a courageous promotion of what is human, capable of showing to the greatest number of people possible the richness that wells forth from the encounter with Christ".
In these times, which are marked by insecurity and worry for the future, it is necessary to feel the living presence of Christ. Mary, the Star of Hope, leads us to Him. With her maternal love she is the one who can lead us, especially the young, to Jesus".
The Holy Father told those "responsible for the future" of Rome, to "not be afraid of the apostolic work that the Lord has entrusted to you, do not hesitate to choose a lifestyle that does not follow the current hedonist mentality. ... The growing needs of evangelization require many workers in the vineyard of the Lord: do not hesitate to respond to respond readily if He calls you. Society needs citizens who are not merely concerned with their own interests because, as I recalled on Christmas Day, 'if people look only to their own interests, our world will certainly fall apart'".
"This year", he continued, "concludes with the awareness of a growing economic and social crisis that now affects the entire world; a crisis that demands the greatest sobriety and solidarity of all in order to help, especially, those persons and families in the most serious difficulties". In this context he noted that "the Christian community is already committing itself ... Caritas and other charitable organizations are doing what they can, but it is necessary for all to work together because nobody can think of building happiness for themselves alone".
"Even if there are many clouds forming on the horizon of our future, we should not be afraid. As believers, our great hope is eternal life in communion with Christ and the entire family of God. This great hope gives us the strength to face and to overcome the difficulties of this worldly life".
Benedict XVI concluded affirming that "Mary's maternal presence assures us this evening that God never abandons us if we trust in Him and follow His teachings. With filial love and confidence we present our hopes and desires to Mary, as well as our fears and the difficulties that we hold in our heart as we bid farewell to 2008 and prepare ourselves to welcome 2009".
After the ceremony the Pope visited the creche in St. Peter's Square.
HML/VESPERS TE DEUM/... VIS 20090102 (610)
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