Pope: The new year is ‘a journey to be discovered’

“May the Lord bless you and keep you.  May the Lord let his face shine on you and be gracious to you.  May the Lord uncover his face to you and bring you peace”.

Pope Leo opened the homily at his first Mass of 2026 by reflecting on this blessing from the Book of Numbers, taken from the day’s first reading.

The blessing, he said, was addressed to the people of Israel, who had just been liberated from slavery in Egypt, and had been offered a “rebirth”, an “open road toward the future”.

In this way, the Pope noted, the day’s liturgy reminds us that “every day can be the beginning of a new life, thanks to God’s generous love, his mercy and the response of our freedom.”

We should thus view the coming year, the Pope urged the roughly 5,500 faithful in attendance, as “an open journey to be discovered”.