From Father Steven - March 17, 2024

Father Steven Clemence • March 15, 2024

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

 

Every Easter Christ makes himself present in a special way, through his death and resurrection. The Jews celebrate the Passover feast not as a reminder of what happened in Exodus. Rather, they celebrate their own personal passage from slavery to freedom. We know that on the Passover night, the Hebrews were ready to leave Egypt. Now with Easter approaching, we need to ask ourselves, are we ready to do Passover? Are we ready to leave the slavery of our own sins to be able to join in the Resurrection of Christ?

 

In Theology we believe that grace is not magic. It requires the person to be open to it, to desire it, and to leave behind whatever is blocking it. God wants to bestow on us many graces. God wants to give His infinite love that we long so much without realizing. However, in order to do that, it is necessary to realize that we need these love/graces. This is the reason why God at times allows us to go through some sufferings, precariousness, difficulties. We need to be convinced that we need His help. The Jews believe that this is the reason why God hardened the heart of Pharaoh and sent him the ten plagues. Once the Israelites saw that, they were convinced that God was the only one that could help them in their sufferings. Then they cried out and God heard them. The first step of receiving God’s graces is to be open to it. Then, realizing our needs, we can cry out, that is, to desire to receive them. The third and last step is to remove whatever impediments that block God’s grace to reach out to us. This is the renunciation and rejection of sin. The Catechism of the Catholic Church describes the consequence of sin as turning away man from God. Then we need to turn back to God. Ultimately is a choice of our own (distorted) desire instead of doing God’s will. Thus, we need to reconnect with God, and reestablish the desire to do His will. The way we know for sure that God forgives sins is through the sacrament…because he said so.

 

Once I heard that God is always pouring graces upon us like the rain that drops from the sky. We are like containers that collect them. However, what is collected is according to the size of the recipient. If we have a small cup, we will collect very little. However, if we have a swimming pool size tank, imagine how many graces we could collect. There is a small “if” in there. If there are holes in the containers, as big as they can be, it won’t hold any water. Confession then comes to cover the holes created by sin. The sacraments and our will/desire for God are like enlarging the containers. Therefore, I urge you brothers and sisters to seek the sacrament of reconciliation (confession) before Easter. To accommodate everyone, we will have three evenings of Penance Services (confessions) next week. These services will begin with the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, scripture readings, and a brief reflection, followed by confession times. We will have additional priests to assist. The schedule is as follows:

 

· Monday: Spanish, 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM

· Tuesday: Portuguese, 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM

·  Wednesday: English, 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM (following the 6pm Taize Prayer service)

 

St Paul urges us to be reconciled with God…[because] now is the day of Salvation (2 Co 5:20, 6:2). He adds that we are children of the light, and not of the darkness (1 Th 5:5). The night is far spent, and the day is approaching. Christ the new light is coming to save us from our sins and give us a new life through His death and resurrection. Finally, St. Paul says, awake you who slumber (those whose sins are seen as sleeping) (Rm 13:11). It is now the time for us to leave behind our slavery to sin, to live for ourselves, to be open to the graces that God wants to give us, to open our hearts to receive His infinite love. Let us not harden our hearts as Pharaoh did. Let us go to Christ. “He who is in Christ is a new Creation. The old things have passed away; behold, new things have come.” (2 Co 5:17).

 

God Bless,

Fr. Steven

 

From Father Steven - January 4, 2026

By Father Steven Clemence • January 2, 2026
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, “We three kings of Orient are, bearing gifts we traverse afar.” This is a well-known song that we sing and hear every year during this season. Yet, I wonder how often we pause to reflect on the meaning of these words. As we celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany this weekend, I would like to reflect on three aspects of the Magi: they left their homes, they traveled from afar, and they returned by a different way. There are many traditions and even myths surrounding the wise men. Were they truly kings? Were they astronomers? Where did they come from? What gifts did they bring? When exactly did they arrive in Bethlehem? While many of these questions remain open to speculation, there are a few things we know for certain. As the song reminds us, they were men who journeyed from afar, bearing gifts for the Christ Child. Perhaps we imagine their journey in modern terms: three men meeting at an airport, boarding a plane to Israel, then taking a transfer or an Uber while following a GPS pin to the child. But in reality, their journey was nothing like that. These men risked their lives. They faced the harsh elements of the desert and the many dangers of the road—wild animals, bandits, and countless unknowns. They had to renounce the comfort of their homes and the security of familiarity. Yet they were confident in the sign they had seen in the sky. They were people attentive to God, waiting for a word that would point them in the right direction. Pope Benedict XVI once reflected on this profound moment, saying: “The Magi set out because of a deep desire which prompted them to leave everything and begin a journey. It was as though they had always been waiting for that star. It was as if the journey had always been part of their destiny, and was finally about to begin.” As beautiful and inspiring as their story is, we are invited to place ourselves within it. What if we were among them? Would we spend long hours searching for a sign from God? Would we be willing to leave behind the comfort of our lives to begin such a journey? What would we be willing to risk in order to encounter the Messiah face to face? These are questions worth asking, because God desires to reveal himself—have an epiphany—in our lives every day. The real question is whether we desire it enough: what we are willing to leave behind, and whether we are willing to face the challenges that come with following him. Each day we bring many intentions before God. Certain situations reveal our lack of charity, our pride, or other sins, prompting us—after honest examination—to ask God for help. The same can be said of any vice or weakness. Yet the question remains: how far are we willing to go to grow in humility, charity, and holiness? The Magi understood that without the Messiah, everything else lost its meaning. Without a personal encounter with Jesus, all the riches of the world amounted to nothing. They seemed to know this deeply. But do we? Once again, Pope Benedict offers guidance: “The better you know Jesus, the more his mystery attracts you. The more you discover him, the more you are moved to seek him. This is a movement of the Spirit which lasts throughout life.” We also know that the Magi “returned to their own country by a different way.” Their story did not end in Bethlehem; they still had a long journey home, facing the same dangers once more. This time, however, they no longer followed a star. After encountering Christ, the light now lived within them. Later, Jesus would affirm this truth when he said that we are the light of the world. In baptism, we too receive the light of Christ. Pope Benedict describes the Magi’s new mission in these words: “Their task was to guard and nourish it in the constant memory of Christ, of his Holy Face, of his ineffable Love.” This is the mission of every Christian. And I would go even further: we are not only called to guard and nourish the love of God within us—we are also called to spread that love to all those around us.  God Bless, Fr. Steven

From Father Steven - December 25, 2025

By Father Steven Clemence • December 23, 2025
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, During these days of Christmas, I would like to reflect with you on the figure of the shepherds. They were simply minding their own business, as on so many other nights, watching over their flocks. We might be tempted to imagine them as admirable people, faithfully and diligently doing their work. However, in the time of Jesus, shepherds were not regarded as great individuals—certainly not as role models. They were often viewed with suspicion, considered unreliable, even labeled as thieves or liars. Because they worked at night and rested during the day, they were frequently absent from the synagogue and were thought to be neglectful of prayer and religious observance. Yet, remarkably, these were the very people chosen by God to be the first to receive the announcement of the birth of the Savior. Saint Luke tells us that an angel appeared to the shepherds, bringing them “good news of great joy for all the people: for today in the city of David a Savior has been born for you, who is Christ the Lord” (Lk 2:10–11). At that moment, the shepherds faced a choice: they could have continued minding their business, dismissing the angel’s message, or they could believe and act upon it. They may have been tired after a long night’s work, perhaps tempted to remain where they were. But that is not what happened. Saint Luke tells us that they “went in haste” (Lk 2:16). They did not worry about what others might think of them or whether they would be believed given their poor reputation. They hurried to find their Savior. And although they brought no material gifts to Mary and Joseph, they offered what was most precious of all—their hearts. During this Christmas season, we are invited to imitate the shepherds. Perhaps, like them, we have not been the best Christians lately. Maybe our Mass attendance or prayer life has been inconsistent. Yet, just as God chose the shepherds, He also chooses us. He reveals His Son to us and entrusts us with the mission of sharing the great joy of Christmas. Now we face the same decision: will we take the time to seek the Lord, or will we continue with the routines of daily life? We may feel tired, distracted, or even surrounded by darkness. Nevertheless, this encounter with Christ has the power to change our habits, our beliefs, and our lives. God invites us to come before Him and offer our hearts, so that we too may return to our daily lives “glorifying and praising God” (Lk 2:20).  The light that shines in the darkness, foretold by the prophet Isaiah (cf. Is 9:2), has been given to us. Even today, many people are hungry and thirsty for God, longing to see the light. God has chosen us to be His messengers, His angels, in the world. In the Christmas story, the angels repeatedly tell us, “Do not be afraid,” for God is with us. Therefore, do not be afraid to open your heart to Jesus and to share the joy of Christmas with all people. On behalf of all the staff of Immaculate Conception, we wish you and your loved ones a blessed and holy Christmas season. May the newborn Christ fill your hearts with His peace, joy, and love. Merry Christmas and God bless you. God Bless, Fr. Steven