From the Desk of Father Nathan

St Gabriel Catholic Church | Pompano Beach
God Bless You All

From the Desk of Father Nathan | November 01, 2020

A Message from Father Nathan

My dearest people who are all close to my heart!

Lots of love, blessings, and prayers to you all.

All Souls Day | November 2, 2020

 
The very first preface of The Dead Prayer beautifully synthesizes the whole theology of death. The prayer’s meaning says: 
“In Him, the hope of blessed resurrection has dawned. That those saddened by the certainty of dying might be consoled by the promise of immortality to come. Indeed for your faithful, Lord, life is changed not ended, and, when this earthly dwelling turns to dust, an eternal dwelling is made ready for them in heaven”.
Nothing better can be said than this prayer.
 
On November 2nd we are going to celebrate All Souls Day. This is a holy day set aside for honoring the dead. The day is primarily celebrated in the Catholic Church, but it is also celebrated in the Eastern Orthodox Church as well as a few other denominations of Christianity.
 

Catholic Beliefs about souls

According to our Catholic belief, the soul of a person who dies can go to one of three places.
  • The first is heaven, where a person who dies in a state of perfect grace and communion with God goes.
  • The second is hell, where those who die in a state of mortal sin are naturally condemned by their choices. 
  • The third is the intermediate option of purgatory.  It is thought to be where most people, free of mortal sin, but still in a state of lesser (venial) sin, must go.

All souls Day

The Church prays for, and remembers, the faithful departed throughout the entire year. However, All Souls Day is the general, solemn, day of commemoration. The Church remembers, prays for, and offers requiem masses up for the faithful departed in the state of purification.
 
All Souls’ Day is a day of almsgiving and prayers for all that are dead. The intent is for the living to assist those in purgatory.
 
Putting aside all the theological as well as the minutiae details, let us remember that we have the obligation to pray for the dead. By praying for them, there are two things that happen:
  • First – By our prayerful assistance they are able to reach a better level
  • Second – By reaching out to them, they in turn would also assist us by their intercession for our life.
It’s great in both ways! Let us remember and pray for them.
 
We have approximately fifteen people who have died since this day over a year ago. Please remember and pray for them.

God bless you all.

With love and blessings,
Ever at your service.

 

—Fr. Sahayanathan Nathan

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