By Archbishop Thomas Wenski - The Archdiocese of Miami

Archbishop Thomas Wenski's homily at Tết Mass to celebrate the Vietnamese New Year at Our Lady of La Vang Parish in Hallandale. Sunday, February 15, 2026. 

Chuc mung nam mo-i.

We begin a new year – we look to the past, to our ancestors with gratitude for their sacrifices, for who they were and are for us. Despite persecutions and hardships, both past and present, the Vietnamese people were “good soil” in which the seed of the Gospel could be planted. The seed of the Gospel took root in Vietnam and was made more fruitful through the blood of her martyrs for the faith, like that of St. Andrew Dung Lac and his companions, as well as through the witness of bishops, priests and baptized faithful over the years. We especially hold dear and venerate the memory of the venerable Cardinal Nguyen Van Thuan, who like Jesus, was a prophet without honor in his own native land. He was a great witness to the hope of the Gospel, a hope that has a human face – the face of Jesus, the hope that will never disappoint.

In today’s Gospel, which is taken from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, Jesus challenges us to look past the surface. He says it is not enough to simply follow the "letter of the law"—we must transform our hearts. Sirach tells us we have  "fire and water" before us; we must choose which way to run.

As you celebrate Tết, the Year of the Horse, the fire horse, we find a powerful image for this spiritual journey. In Vietnamese culture, the Horse represents speed, strength, and perseverance. But a horse without a bridle is wild; it runs without direction. Similarly, a faith that only follows rules without love is like a horse that stays in the stable, it has potential, but it goes nowhere.

Jesus is asking us to be like the "Thoroughbreds of the Kingdom." He warns us against the "law of the Pharisees," which was stiff and cold. Instead, he calls us to the Law of the Heart. Just as the Horse is known for its tireless energy, we are called to be tireless in our reconciliation with others. Jesus tells us: If you bring your gift to the altar and your brother has something against you, go first and be reconciled.

In the Vietnamese tradition, Tết is a time for Xông đất (the first visitor) and starting fresh. It is a time to sweep away the old debts and old grudges of the past year. This aligns perfectly with today’s scripture. We cannot enter the "New Year" of God’s grace if we are still carrying the "old" anger in our hearts. This also the call of the Lenten Season that also begins this week during the nine day celebration of Tet.

As the Year of the Horse begins, let us ask the Holy Spirit for the strength to gallop toward virtue. Let us choose "life and good" as Sirach suggests, and let our "Yes" mean "Yes." May your journey into this new season be swift in kindness, strong in faith, and always directed toward the peace of Christ.

May Our Lady of LaVang – patroness of your parish and of your country of origin – intercede for you so that you grow in your commitment to the faith, and that love for the family, joy in the faith, devotion to the Church, and the promotion of vocations to the priesthood and religious life continue to be characteristic fruits harvested from the good soil of the Vietnamese culture in which the Gospel has taken root and grown.  

Chúc Mừng Năm Mới!