From the Desk of Father Nathan

St Gabriel Catholic Church | Pompano Beach
God Bless You All

A Message from Father Nathan

My dearest people who are all close to my heart!
Lots of love, blessings, and prayers to you all.

The Season of Advent

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 | July 5, 2020

From The Desk Of Father Nathan | July 5, 2020

From the Desk of Father Nathan | July 5, 2020A Message from Father NathanHappy 4th of July! My dearest people who are all close to my heart Thank you I wanted to personally thank you all for your support and cooperation who are rendering the church. Thank you. God...

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From The Desk Of Father Nathan | June 21, 2020

From The Desk Of Father Nathan | June 21, 2020

From the Desk of Father Nathan | June 21, 2020 Happy Father's Day! A Message from Father Nathan  Father's Day My humble prayers to you. I cannot imagine that I have spent already one whole year here at this wonderful parish. Time past just like that. I reach here...

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From The Desk Of Father Nathan | June 14, 2020

From The Desk Of Father Nathan | June 14, 2020

From the Desk of Father Nathan | June 14, 2020 celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus A Message from Father Nathan  Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus This Friday we are going to celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of...

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