A Message from Father Nathan
My dearest people closest to my heart!
God bless you and your generous heart.
Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross – September 14th
This weekend we are going to celebrate the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. This feast is celebrated every year on September 14th and recalls three historical events:
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- The finding of the True Cross by Saint Helena, the mother of the emperor Constantine
- The dedication of churches built by Constantine on the site of the Holy Sepulcher and Mount Calvary
- The restoration of the True Cross to Jerusalem by the emperor Heraclius II.
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Celebrate the Cross as the instrument of our Salvation
But in a deeper sense, the feast also celebrates the Holy Cross as the instrument of our salvation. This instrument or torture, designed to degrade the worst of criminals, became the life-giving tree that reversed Adam’s Original Sin when he ate from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil in the Garden of Eden.
Pope Benedict XVI wrote,
“it is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event.”
The Gospel the liturgy offers us on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross suggests that God wants to enter into a relationship of love with everyone. This is offered in His Son, Jesus, lifted up on the Cross. Lifting up our gaze to God expresses a very important truth.
We are invited to enter back into a relationship with Him. We need to stop turning in on ourselves, uselessly nurturing a sense of guilt, and forgetting that
“in whatever our hearts condemn, God is greatere than our hearts” (1 Jn 3:20).
Let us lift up our eyes toward the stars (remember Abraham and the promise of many descendants), knowing how to cast every worry onto God. Lifting up our gaze should not enkindle fear, but gratitude, because that elevation is the measure of the love with which God loves His children, in His Son. It is the Mercy of God, therefore, which, as is the case with Nicodemus, illuminates the darkness of our lives and allows us to continue on our journey.
We cannot remain neutral regarding the Cross of Jesus.
Either we are with Him or we are against Him. A choice is made before every action, for the actions of a Christian are none other than the testimony of how “God loves us so much that He gave His only Son, Jesus
With lots of love and blessings.
Ever wanting to be faithful to your service,
— Fr. Sahayanathan Nathan
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Past Messages from Father Nathan
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | July 30 2023
August 4th we celebrate the feast of St. John Vianney who is the patron saint of priests – a French priest, a renowned confessor with supernatural powers. Baptiste-Marie Vianney, also called Cure d’Ars, (born May 8, 1786, Dardillly, France—died August 4, 1859, Ars, canonized May 31, 1925, feast day August 4 (formerly August 9), a French priest who was renowned as a confessor and for his supernatural powers.
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | July 23 2023
Feast of Joachim and Anne | the parents of Jesus’ mother, Mary. On July 26 the Roman Catholic Church commemorates the parents of the Virgin Mary, Saints Joachim and Anne. The couple’s faith and perseverance brought them through the sorrow of childlessness, to the joy of conceiving and raising the immaculate and sinless woman who would give birth to Christ.
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | July 16, 2023
Be thankful to the Lord for all the blessings He showers upon us. We take things for granted and sometimes you don’t know you are blessed…
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | July 09, 2023
St. Kateri Tekakwitha is the first Native American to be recognized as a saint by the Catholic Church and is celebrated on Friday July 14.
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | July 02, 2023
God Bless America! Celebrating American Independence. We are a blessed nation in the world. Our nations live by the philosophy of Christ, and it’s built upon the foundation of Christ…
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | June 25, 2023
The Feast Day of Sts. Peter and Paul celebrates the Patron saints of Rome. These apostles are considered the cornerstones of the Church. This celebration is a liturgical feast in honor of the martyrdom of the apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paul.