From Father Steven - April 14, 2024

Father Steven Clemence • April 12, 2024

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

 

The world today is very confusing. Everything is polarized between the extremes. The TRUTH has disappeared and we are left with sociological constructs of what “most” people agreed to be the common view on different subjects. Although this new “truth” is decided by a few people, we are thrown into all this confusion. However, where do we stand in all of it? Do we agree with society or are we ready to make a stand?

 

The very first thing we need to do is to read the context in which we live. The Judeo-Christian society in which we grew up that held morals and had a pretty good grasp of what was right and wrong has almost disappeared. Many values were rewritten and spread so far and wide that has convinced us that bad things are “not so bad.” The content on TV and movies have brainwashed all of us to a new order of life. The consequence of consumerism is to desire what we don’t have, as if having it, it would make us happy. Putting all these elements together, it makes it very difficult for us to navigate in this world.

 

The second step is to become aware of what is happening in our surroundings and look back to Christ. He is the only TRUTH. However, we cannot look at Christ with the mentality of the world. Much less can we look at him with the projects and desires of our lives in our heads. Otherwise the Christ that we find is not the one of the Gospels, but rather the one of our imagination. Jesus invites us to love God with ALL our hearts, minds, and lives. It means that we are called to leave behind our personal desires, the projections that we have for our families, and accept with open arms what He gives us.

 

All these ideas bring us to the conclusion that we almost prefer to live the life of the world instead that of God. The main reason behind that is because we all like comfort and pleasure, and run away from any sufferings. We cannot understand or accept the sufferings, much less the cross. We forget about heaven and only look for our life on earth. It is a similar situation in which the apostles find themselves in the Gospel this weekend. They are blinded with the suffering of Jesus. The Messiah was supposed to throw the Romans out of Israel. He was supposed to be a ruler like David, strong and powerful. Instead, they find themselves confused with the image of the humble Christ who came to serve and not to be served. They cannot understand why Jesus had to suffer on the cross. Although the risen Christ appeared to them multiple times, they were still blind. We will hear this weekend, like the disciples of Emmaus, how Christ opened their eyes to understand the scriptures, “that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead…for the forgiveness of sins.” It is only by the crucifixion that Christ can love his Father with all his heart, mind, and life. It is by His suffering that He redeems all our suffering. It is by His death that we can have life everlasting. It is by his cross and resurrection that we can go to heaven. Therefore, we are called to step out of the world, of our thoughts and projects, in order to understand Jesus. He will say at the end of the Gospel that we the apostles (and us) are witnesses of all of it. Suffering, as inconvenient as it may be, is redemptive. There is a new way of living. Christ is not a ghost or a utopian. He comes to give us life, and life to its fullness/more abundantly (Jn 10:10). I hope you all have experienced that in some capacity. And if we have experienced that, then we are also called to be witnesses in the world. It is not a matter of politics and protests. Rather a new way of life that becomes attractive to the people around us. This is how the apostles evangelized. That is how the Roman Empire converted. This is the only hope that we have for our families and for the world. CHRIST IS RISEN AND HE DIES NO MORE, ALLELUIA.

 

Do not be afraid, brothers and sisters, to look and defend THE TRUTH. In the midst of all the confusion in the world, Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. He makes our path clear, and enlightens everything for us. This is the treasure that is buried in the field from the parable of Jesus. When we find it, we are called to sell all that we have to buy that field. This is what the saints have discovered and witnessed to us. This is nothing crazy. Remember, crazy is not to do that!

 

God Bless,

Fr Steven

 

From Father Steven - March 8, 2026

By Father Steven Clemence • March 6, 2026
Dear Brothers and Sisters, This week I would like to share with you a reflection of Pope Saint John Paul II from 2002. It is a beautiful reflection that allows us to dive deeper in the mystery of this weekend’s liturgy. "Lord ... give me this water, that I may not thirst " (Jn 4,15 ; cf. Gospel Acclamation). The request of the Samaritan woman marks a crucial turning-point in her long and intense conversation with Jesus that takes place at Jacob's well, near the city of Sychar. St John recounts it in today's Gospel. Christ asks the woman " Give me a drink " (v. 7). His material thirst symbolizes a far deeper reality: it expresses his ardent desire that his dialogue partner and her fellow-citizens will open themselves to faith. The Samaritan woman, when she asks Christ for water, is basically revealing the need for salvation present in every heart. And the Lord is revealed as the one who offers the living water of the Spirit, that satisfies forever the infinite thirst of every human being. The liturgy for this Third Sunday of Lent presents a splendid commentary on the Johannine episode when it says in the preface that Jesus " so deeply thirsted" for the salvation of the Samaritan woman that " he set on fire in her the flame of God's love ". The episode of the Samaritan woman charts the journey of faith that we are all called to pursue. Even today Jesus continues " to thirst ", namely, to desire humanity's faith and love. From our personal encounter with him, if we recognize and receive him as the Messiah, come our attachment to his message of salvation and the desire to spread it in the world. This is what happens in the rest of the Gospel passage. The bond with Jesus totally transforms the life of the woman who hurries without delay to proclaim the good news to the people in the nearby village: "Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ? " (Jn 4,29). Revelation received with faith asks to become a word proclaimed to others, witnessed in the concrete choices of life. This is the mission of believers, coming from and growing in their personal meeting with the Lord. "Hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us " (Rom 5,5). The words of the Apostle Paul in the second reading refer to the gift of the Spirit, symbolized by the living water, that Jesus promises to the Samaritan woman. The Spirit is the "pledge" of the definitive salvation that God has promised to us. Man cannot live without hope. Many hopes go down when they crash against the rocks of life. However Christian hope "does not disappoint" because it is based on the solid foundation of faith in the love of God revealed in Christ. To Mary, Mother of hope, I entrust your parish and the Lenten journey towards Easter. May Mary, who followed her Son Jesus to the Cross, help us all to be faithful disciples of the one who makes well up in our hearts the water for eternal life (cf. Jn 4,14). God Bless, Fr. Steven

From Father Steven - March 1, 2026

By Father Steven Clemence • February 27, 2026
Dear Brothers and Sisters, This week we will hear how Jesus goes up the mountain and is transfigured before His apostles. God also wants us to be transfigured according to His image and likeness. However, how far are we willing to go? This weekend, we will see Archbishop Henning urging us to participate in the mission of the Church. It is not only a matter of helping financially, but also of serving with our own hands and feet. The Archdiocese supports the work of parishes in many ways. It also helps us priests in various times of need. Furthermore, it carries out many initiatives to serve the people of God, including the deaf and mute ministry, immigrants, seminarians, and those seeking a declaration of nullity (also known as annulments). Our contribution goes a long way. We are all called to be part of the mission of the Church. We are also encouraged, at the local level, to help in whatever ministry God calls us to—whether St. Vincent de Paul, one of the pregnancy help centers in the city, the community cupboard, or the bereavement ministry. It can be something as simple as inviting people back to church, bringing their prayer intentions to Mass, or helping those around you, beginning in your own home. The transformation that God wants to accomplish in us also affects our spiritual lives. Helping others is certainly a great start, but we also need help ourselves. God is a jealous God, as we hear many times in Scripture. He will not allow us to forget Him. Nor will He allow us to continue living in sin and vice. However, He cannot act unless we give Him permission. He wants to purify us from every stain of sin that may affect us. A little bit of pride, envy, laziness, or resentment cannot remain. Every sin is serious. It kills the divine life within us. It separates us from the love of God. As Jesus goes up the mountain, He reveals the glory that will be given to Him. However, this glory will come through His painful Passion. Are we willing to be purified through a similar purification? How far are you willing to allow God to transform your life? It is never too late to begin living with God. Perhaps we say our prayers and consider ourselves good people, yet we are not willing to go deeper. The Lord is patient and persistent. There are times when we feel called to go to confession, to attend adoration, or to participate in one of the Church’s activities, but we resist. It is time to let the Lord enter fully into our lives. As Pope Saint John Paul II said at the beginning of his pontificate, “Do not be afraid to open wide the doors of your heart to let Him enter.” We have about 30 people, between teenagers and adults, who will be baptized in our parish this Easter. Others will be receiving First Communion, and still others will be received into full communion. For one reason or another, they fell off the path and are now returning. There are also a good number of couples getting married who have lived together for many years. God is also calling us to follow His path. It is different for each one of us. So let us pray during this time and ask the Lord what He wants us to do and how to love Him with all our hearts. And let us not be afraid—He has conquered all our fears. God Bless, Fr. Steven