For many of us, the New Year begins with hope—a desire for a fresh start, a chance to begin again, to live more intentionally. With good intentions, we make New Year’s resolutions. 

Bishop John N. Tran

Yet experience tells us that for most people, these resolutions fade within weeks, if not days. Often, this happens because our resolutions are rooted more in emotion than in commitment, or because they are too vague or overly ambitious. When the initial enthusiasm wears off, old habits quietly return. Goals begin to feel overwhelming, discouragement sets in, and eventually we give up. At times, we also underestimate the weakness of the human heart. We rely too heavily on our own strength and forget that genuine change requires time, patience, and perseverance. Growth, after all, is a journey. 

In his homily at the beginning of the year Pope Leo invites us to see the New Year as “an open journey to be discovered,” and to view each day as a renewed opportunity to begin again—especially in living a life of mercy made possible by God’s generous love. His Holiness reminds us that the world is not saved “by sharpening swords, nor by judging, oppressing, or eliminating our brothers and sisters,” but by understanding, forgiving, liberating and welcoming others without calculation or fear. 

This call to mercy is not abstract. It is deeply personal and concrete. It invites us to forgive long-held grievances, to seek reconciliation in broken relationships—especially within our families—to care for those who suffer or are marginalized, and to welcome those who seek dignity and peace. For us as disciples of the Lord, a life of mercy is not optional; it is essential. Mercy is not weakness. It is a powerful expression of faith and a visible sign of Christ’s presence in our families and in our world. 

Yet a life of mercy cannot endure unless it is grounded in prayer. Mercy is sustained by prayer. Like activism without prayer, mercy without prayer eventually loses its soul and becomes empty. In prayer, we stand honestly before a God who is “rich in mercy” (Eph 2:4), not as the righteous, but as sinners in need of grace. In an age filled with constant noise and countless competing voices, time spent with the Lord—in the Eucharist, in silent personal prayer and in attentive listening to Sacred Scripture—is more necessary than ever. Through prayer, we allow Christ to shape our hearts and guide our lives. 

If this New Year finds us walking more intentionally with Christ—listening to him each day and allowing his mercy to be visible in our lives—then it will not merely add time to our years. It will renew us, our families and our world.