Vatican City, Dec 31, 2015 / 18:12 pm
As this year comes to an end, Pope Francis has encouraged faithful to look back at the events of 2015, telling them to be attentive to both the presence of God, and the signs he is giving.
"Retracing the days of the past year can be done either as a memory of facts and events which bring moments of joy and sorrow, or by trying to understand if we have perceived the presence of God, who makes all things new and sustains them with his help," the Pope said on New Year's Eve, Dec. 31.
He gave a brief homily during his celebration of Vespers on the eve of the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God, and the start of the new year.
We are challenged, he said, to see if the world's events have been done according to God's will, or "if we have primarily harkened to the projects of men, which are often characterized by private interests, of unquenchable thirst for power and of senseless violence."