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 | 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.
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | June 18, 2023
Happy Father’s Day. Let us appreciate and value the sacrifices that our dads have done for us. Let us be thankful for the persons they are. Let us pray for them as they have gone to the Lord. “As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;” Psalm 103:13…
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | June 11, 2023
St. Anthony of Padua – the patron Saint of Father nathan’s Home church in India. FEAST OF ST. ANTHONY – June 13, 2023. Anthony joins the Franciscan order, hoping to preach to Muslims and be martyred. Anthony becomes sick with ergotism and dies on June 13 on the way to Padua, where he is now buried. Anthony is canonized by Pope Gregory IX on May 30, 1232, at Spotelo, Italy for his spiritual teachings and devotion to the Church.
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | June 04, 2023
As Catholics, we believe the Body and Blood of Christ is the “the presence of Christ in the Eucharist is REAL, TRUE and SUBSTANTIAL”
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | May 28, 2023
Pentecost is the birth of the church — the celebration of the Holy Spirit coming upon the Apostles, Mary, and the first followers of Jesus.
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | May 21, 2023
When you see a visitor, let us make them feel that they are welcome. Let them feel that it is a community that welcomes people, and loves people. And thanks to all the St Gabriel ministires.