From Father Steven - March 9, 2025

Father Steven Clemence • March 7, 2025

 

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

 

It’s the most wonderful time of the year — I’m so excited for Lent this year! Lent is more than just a time when we give up our treats; it’s an opportunity to fall in love with the Lord all over again. It’s a time for deepening our relationship with Him and with one another. The traditional Lenten practices of fasting, prayer, and almsgiving are meant to help us do just that. But how do we live them out? What do each of these practices truly mean?


Every Christian is called to follow in the steps of Jesus, which means that, like Him, we will experience both passion and resurrection. Included in this journey is the experience of temptation, just as Jesus faced temptations. The first temptation we hear about in the Gospel this Sunday is the devil’s offer for Jesus to turn stones into bread. According to the Fathers of the Church, this temptation is about avoiding suffering. After fasting for 40 days, Jesus was hungry. The devil took advantage of this by offering Jesus the chance to end His suffering by filling His belly with bread. But we know that bread is not the true source of life. While it satisfies us for a time, we will hunger again. I often think of how children sometimes fill up on junk food and then have no appetite for their main meals. The solution is to resist the snacks, and in time, real hunger will return for what nourishes us. In the same way, Lent is a time for us to fast and discover our true hunger for the Lord. Whatever source of comfort, peace, or joy you turn to outside of God, consider fasting from it. This could be something like coffee, chocolate, gossip, or complaining. Jesus invites us to hunger for Him — to discover that He is the TRUE BREAD FROM HEAVEN! Instead of spending time on screens, playing games or watching shows, take time to read and meditate on the Passion of Christ. Read the Bible. If you don’t know where to start, consider using the free subscription to Formed.org (just sign up as a parishioner, then enter the Marlboro ZIP code, and our parish name will appear). This site offers a wealth of resources, from audiobooks to movies about saints, meditations, and even content for children.


The second temptation in Matthew’s Gospel is idolatry. I once heard a definition of idolatry that helped me understand it better: “Idolatry is anything outside of God where we seek happiness.” This could be affection from family members, money, possessions, sports, drinking, or anything else. The devil tries to deceive us, offering to fill what’s missing in our lives and make us happy. But Christ responds that only God is worthy of our worship and adoration. We, too, are invited to adore the Lord. Starting this week, we will have daily adoration — from 6:30-7:30 AM in the Lower Church and 6:00pm-7:00 PM in the Upper Church. God wants to give you what will truly make you happy — Himself. After adoration, we will also offer talks and confession from 7:00pm-8:00 PM in the Upper Church on Wednesdays.


In the third temptation, the devil tries to convince Jesus that He could be different from the way God made Him. He could achieve fame and power instantly, but Jesus chooses to remain faithful to God’s plan for His life. He puts God first, accepting the fragility of His own earthly existence. We, too, can follow Jesus by putting God first in our lives. One way to do this is through almsgiving. Almsgiving isn’t just about giving away spare change; it’s about choosing God over worldly comforts. For instance, instead of buying that coffee, you could give the money away to someone in need. Here in Marlboro, many people are struggling, and we’re giving out piggy banks this weekend at church to help you collect money for those in need. All the proceeds will go to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVDP), which desperately needs support to provide for those suffering. Almsgiving can also involve giving your time and talent. Consider greeting people at church or reaching out to others in your life. Take time to pray for them. Let us all choose to put love of God and our neighbor as top priority in our lives. Lastly, I encourage you to participate in our Trilingual Bingo on Saturday, March 22nd. It will be a wonderful opportunity for the whole parish to come together and show love for one another.


Let’s make this Lenten season a time of deep transformation as we draw closer to the Lord.



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