A Message from Father Nathan
My dearest people who are all close to my heart
Lots of love, blessings, and prayers to you all.
Pentecost —
The birth of the church
— the celebration of the Holy Spirit coming upon the Apostles, Mary, and the first followers of Jesus.
This weekend, the Church celebrates Pentecost which is one of the most important feast days of the year that concludes Easter season and celebrates the beginning of the Church. Pentecost, which we celebrate this Sunday, is the liturgical season after Easter. It celebrates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Church.
50 Days after the resurrection
Pentecost begins the eighth Sunday, or 50 days after Easter Sunday. The descent of the Holy Spirit ushered in a new era for the people of God. “Pentecost” is from Greek meaning “fiftieth”. The day’s name is derived from the Greek word “pentecost”, meaning 50th . Pentecost always occurs 50 days after the death and resurrection of Jesus, and the days after His ascension into heaven.
In the Christian tradition, Pentecost is the celebration of the Holy Spirit coming upon the Apostles, Mary, and the first followers of Jesus, who were gathered together in the Upper Room. A “strong driving” wind filled the room where they were gathered, and tongues of fire came to rest on their heads, allowing them to speak in different languages so they could understand each other.
The Fruits of the Spirit
It was such a strange phenomenon that some people thought the Christians were just drunk – but Peter pointed out that it was early in the morning, and said the phenomenon was caused by the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit also gave the apostles the other gifts and fruits necessary to fulfill the great commission – to go out and preach the Gospel to all nations.
It fulfills the New Testament promise from Christ (Luke 24:46-49) that the Apostles would be “clothed with power” before they would be sent out to spread the Gospel.
The “Birthday” of the church
For this reason, Pentecost is considered the birthday of The Church – Happy Birthday to the Church: to Peter the first Pope as he preaches for the first time and converts thousands of new believers. The apostles and believers, now – for the first time, were united by a common language, and a common zeal and purpose to go and preach the Gospel.
He also told the people that the Jesus they crucified is the Lord and was raised from the dead, which “cut them to the heart”. When they asked what they should do, Peter exhorted them to repent of their sins and to be baptized. According to the account in Acts, about 3,000 people were baptized following Peter’s sermon.
Happy Birthday, Holy Mother Church!
God bless you all.
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 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.
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.