From Father Steven - November 24, 2024

Father Steven Clemence • November 22, 2024


Dear Brothers and Sisters, 

 

Although this week our minds are fully immersed in Thanksgiving, we are not focusing on the pilgrims or the Native Americans. On the last liturgical Sunday of Ordinary Time, we celebrate the Solemnity of Christ the King. Therefore, I would like to reflect together on the profound reality of having Christ as our King. In this weekend’s Gospel, we encounter the dialogue between Pontius Pilate and Jesus. Pilate begins by asking, “Are you the King of the Jews?” (John 18:33). This question calls us to reflect deeply: Is Christ truly our King, or do we have another ruler? In other words, who governs our lives? Who is in charge of our actions, our thoughts, and to whom do we pledge our obedience? Surely, it should be Jesus, but if we are honest with ourselves, that is not always the case. As St. Augustine once said, "You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You" (Confessions, 1.1). We know that our hearts were made to rest in Christ, but we often allow other things to take precedence.

 

A few weeks ago, we heard the Gospel calling us to love God with all our hearts, to love Him above all else. That would be ideal, but it is not always the case. At times, we put other priorities before God—skipping Mass on Sunday, failing to make time for prayer, or neglecting the needs of others because of something or someone else. This is a sign of whose voice we are listening to. We can easily become distracted and follow our own desires—whether laziness, gluttony, pride, or envy. We may act not because it is God’s will, but because we have other intentions.

 

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, whose voice do we obey? Many times, we have clearly heard God’s voice. Whether He was calling us to go to confession, pray the rosary, attend Mass, forgive someone, or respond to another prompt, we knew it was God speaking. But how often do we disregard that voice? We also hear a different voice—one that calls us to do the opposite—sometimes accusing us or justifying our own actions. St. Francis de Sales beautifully reminds us, "Be who you are and be that well" (Introduction to the Devout Life), which speaks to the necessity of aligning our will with God’s. Therefore, this weekend, we are all asked: Is Jesus truly our King?

 

As the dialogue continues, Jesus reveals that His kingdom is not of this world. He tells Pilate, "My kingdom is not of this world" (John 18:36). If we look closely at the Gospels, we see that Jesus repeatedly affirms His heavenly origin. In the Gospel of John, He speaks often of being "from above" (John 8:23), and in the Catechism, we are reminded that "Christ’s kingdom is present in mystery" (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 865). He also tells us, "You are in the world, but you are not of the world" (John 17:14-16). So, the question becomes: Do we live as if our kingdom is in heaven? Today, more than ever, there is a sense of everything happening instantly. The world moves so fast that we rarely have to wait for anything. We are conditioned to desire the "here and now," with little patience for delay. We have grown up hearing that "time is money," and we are constantly reminded not to waste it. But Jesus tells us that the Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed, which takes time to grow (Matthew 13:31-32). This is the opposite of the world’s fast-paced, instant-gratification mindset. Once again, we are in the world, but we are not of the world.

 

Consequently, if our ultimate prize is eternal life—if everything we long for will be given to us after death—then we can endure suffering, trials, and tribulations. These are the ways God purifies us and prepares us to enter His Kingdom. As St. Teresa of Ávila said, "The Lord does not give us an easy way to heaven. He wants us to come through the narrow door, and He calls us to embrace the cross" (The Interior Castle). This is what the martyrs discovered. This is why many saints gave up their lives, careers, and families to follow this higher call. Therefore, we are asked this weekend: Where is our kingdom? Where is our treasure? Jesus tells us, "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:21). In Hebrews 12:2, we are urged to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, who "for the joy set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame," so that He could sit at the right hand of the throne of God. Would you be willing today to embrace your cross (your suffering), face rejection and humiliation, in order to have this joy and enter the Kingdom of God?

 

While your answer may not be a definitive "yes," Christ, this weekend, desires to be our King and rule our lives—both on earth and in heaven. There is little we can do about our past, but today we can change our future. The Catechism teaches us, "The Kingdom of God is the reign of God, the reign of love, the reign of peace" (CCC, 2816). Let us listen to His voice, and let us do His will. After all we have heard in Mass throughout the year, today let us recognize Jesus as our sovereign King and follow in His footsteps, so that where He is, we too may be.

 

We wish you and your loved ones a very Happy Thanksgiving!

 

God Bless,

Fr. Steven

 



From Father Steven- June 14, 2026

By Father Steven Clemence • June 12, 2026
Dear Brothers and Sisters, Every priest is called to be a man of prayer. Through ordination, we are united to Christ and configured to Him in a unique way. Therefore, when a priest prays, he not only pursues his own sanctification but also deepens his union with Jesus. Whether celebrating Mass publicly or privately, praying the Rosary, or offering short prayers throughout the day, St. Paul’s exhortation to “pray without ceasing” provides the foundation for all that we do. We all live in a world full of demands and expectations. What Frank Sinatra once called New York—the “city that never sleeps”—has, in many ways, become a description of life everywhere. There is so much happening in our lives that we can easily become like Martha in the Gospel. Some parents spend countless hours driving their children to activities and sporting events. Others have demanding jobs that consume most of their time. Still others are occupied with maintaining a household or caring for a sick loved one. Yet when do we become like Mary, who chose to sit beside Jesus and listen to Him? Martha was not doing anything wrong. On the contrary, hospitality was considered a sacred duty in her time. Nevertheless, Jesus reminds us that there is something even more important than all our responsibilities: to be with Him. When we pray, we draw close to Jesus. Suddenly, our burdens seem lighter, we become less irritable, and challenges that once felt overwhelming become manageable. Prayer is not simply a matter of reciting a few Our Fathers or Hail Marys; it is about spending time with Jesus. Next week, Fr. Gabriel and I will be away on retreat for a couple of weeks to spend time with the Lord. Although we maintain our daily prayer routines, there are moments when we need to “retreat” from the world and the busyness of parish life in order to rest our hearts and renew our souls. Fr. Fernando, who was ordained in Warsaw and is currently serving on mission in Ireland, will arrive on Friday to assist Fr. Victor in caring for the parish during our absence. We ask you to keep us in your prayers, just as we continually pray for you. I would also like to take this opportunity to encourage all of us to participate more actively in spiritual activities. Whether it is joining the Cenacle Group, which meets on Mondays from 6:00–7:00 p.m. in the lower church, attending Eucharistic Adoration at least once a week, or reading a spiritual book during the summer, each of these practices can help us grow closer to Christ. In the coming months, we are planning additional opportunities to deepen our relationship with Him through retreats, talks, and other parish events. The good news is that we do not need to wait until the end of summer. In just two weeks, we will have a beautiful opportunity right here in Boston to encounter Jesus in a special way. In honor of America’s 250th anniversary, the 2026 National Eucharistic Pilgrimage carries the theme “One Nation Under God.” This is not merely a slogan—it is an invitation to realign our lives, our communities, and our country under the sovereignty of Christ. It is a call to foster unity through prayer and to allow Jesus, truly present in the Eucharist, to renew and heal the heart of our nation, one soul at a time. As pilgrims on this route, we walk with Christ so that His love may draw our nation back to Him. The Archbishop has invited all the faithful to participate in the Eucharistic procession on Saturday, June 27 , beginning at Boston Common. We will follow the Freedom Trail and conclude at the Bunker Hill Monument. A bus will depart from the parish at 8:00 a.m. , and we expect to return by approximately 3:00 p.m. You can reserve your seat for $15 either online using the QR code below or by calling the parish office. Although I will not be present, I hope our parish will be well represented. This pilgrimage offers a wonderful opportunity to step away from the distractions of daily life and spend time with Jesus. Through our presence, we can also invite others to follow Him, just as the Apostles did. God Bless, Fr. Steven

From Father Steven - June 7, 2026

By Father Steven Clemence • June 5, 2026
Car Show, Trinity Sunday, and Corpus Christi Dear Brothers and Sisters, I hope that this title hasn’t confused your minds! How is it possible that we can put all these three things together? Very simply, those are our hidden treasures that once a year they are celebrated. Every year I have always walked down the street to the corner of Prospect and Main St. to take a peek at the cars. Last year however, after all the masses, I adventured to look at all the cars. It is amazing how cool and awesome it was. But it is also “sad” that we don’t get to see them that often riding on the streets. Some of the cars are true hidden gems that are probably guarded very safely somewhere away from the curious eyes. The same can be said about our Celebration of The Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi). Those are true gems that often are not seen/spoken about. This week we will be celebrating the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, also known as Corpus Christi. In the old days we celebrated it on Thursday after Trinity Sunday, but here in the States it has moved to Sunday. For almost 1000 years, the Church has always celebrated this day with a procession with the Blessed Sacrament through the streets around the churches. Even before the Reformation, the Church has always believed and affirmed that “By the consecration, the transubstantiation of the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ is brought about. Under the consecrated species of bread and wine Christ himself, living and glorious, is present in a true, real, and substantial manner: His Body and His Blood, with His soul and His divinity” (CCC 1413 quoting the Council of Trent). Unfortunately, many people nowadays do not believe in the real presence of Christ on the Eucharist. In spite of many miracles around the world and even recently, where the consecrated host became the tissue of a human heart, and the consecrated wine became real human blood, people refuse to believe in it. Recent studies have shown that even a major number of Catholics (including practicing Catholics) do not believe that Jesus is really present in the Eucharist, but it’s a mere representation of him. St. Alphonsus Liguori writes in a great reflection book titled Visits to the Blessed Sacrament , “Loving souls can find no greater delight than to be in the company of those whom they love. If we, then, love Jesus Christ much, behold we are now in his presence…let us console ourselves in his company; let us rejoice in his glory and in the love in which so many enamored souls bear him in the Most Blessed Sacrament.” We are called first of all to be close to Jesus under the sacramental species, not only when he is present inside the tabernacle, but above all when he is exposed. We will have the special grace to do our own Eucharistic Procession here in the Parish. Some parishioners will be working from the early hours of Sunday creating a sawdust carpet with holy images on Prospect St., which will be closed on Sunday. After the trilingual Mass at 11am (rain or shine) all three communities will gather for a procession through downtown Marlboro. It will be our time to take our greatest gem out “from hiding” and show it to everyone!!!! Last year we had a great attendance, and I invite you to reach out to family and friends and invite them to celebrate this awesome event with us! Finally, as I mentioned before, mark on your calendars the National Eucharistic Procession that will pass through Boston as part of the 250 th of the birth of our Country. There will be events on June 26-28 in Plymouth, Freedom Trail and Lexington. God Bless, Fr. Steven