From the Desk of Father Nathan

St Gabriel Catholic Church | Pompano Beach

A Message from Father Nathan

My dearest people who are all close to my heart!

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

This week Marks the beginning of Advent — a time of spiritual preparation for the coming birth of Christ.

This week we will begin our Advent Season. This liturgical season of Advent marks the time of spiritual preparation by the faithful before the celebration of Christmas. Advent comes from the Latin word meaning “coming”. Jesus is coming!

Preparation For the Birth of Christ

Advent is intended to be a season of preparation for His arrival. While we typically regard Advent as a joyous season, it is also designed to be a period of preparation, much like Lent. Prayer, penance, and fasting are appropriate during this season.

What is Advent?

The celebration of Advent is evolved in the spiritual life of the Church. The historical origins of Advent are hard to determine with great precision. Advent is not as strict as Lent, and there are no rules for fasting, but it is meant to be a period of preparation. The purple color associated with Advent is also the color of penance. A good pious way to help us in our Advent preparation has been the use of the Advent wreath. The wreath is a circle with no beginning or end – so we call to mind how our lives are here and now, participate in the eternity of God’s plan of salvation, and how we hope to share eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven.

The wreath is made of fresh plant material because Christ came to give us new life through His passion, death, and resurrection. Three candles are purple, symbolizing penance, preparation, and sacrifice, the pink candle symbolizes the same but highlights the third Sunday of Advent: Gaudete Sunday. On this Sunday we rejoice because our preparation is now halfway finished. The light represents Christ, who entered this world to shatter the darkness of evil and show us the way of righteousness.

May you and your family have a meaningful and profound experience of Christ in this season.

God bless you all.

With lots of love and blessing.

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 | September 22, 2024

St. Vincent dePaul, (April 24, 1581 – September 27, 1660) was a French priest who dedicated his life to helping the poor and is considered one of the most important figures in history of charity. He was canonized by Pope Clement X in 1737 and declared the patron saint of all charitable works.