THE ASINGANIAN: CHRISTMAS EVE 2007

'Twas the Night Before Christmas...at the St.John the Evangelist...

(December 24, 2007)--It was the day and the time again. One daughter, Bernadette came all the way from Ottawa ( a good 4 hours drive ) just to join her family (sister Michelle and us )..and to see again the house where she grew up..They arrived at about 3:30 pm, Dec. 23. On the afternoon of Dec. 24, Simon, Berna's husband brought our four grandkids to the house..

"Where are the two? ( Michelle and Berna )," I asked..

"Doing some last minute shopping.."

I have only more than an hour left. Then I would go to church again to play music. What else am I to do? It seems I can never get out of this duty ( which I love so much ) of accompanying the congregation on a Christmas eve Mass.

I asked Mia and Emma to do some last minute rehearsal of the songs we have been doing for the past 4 years...

"Look guys, worse come to worse, you might just be the ones singing tonight..But you can do it.. Try your best, and we will give you extra money.."

That's the magic word..They came to the piano beside me, sang to their hearts content while Dillon their cousin from Ottawa was dancing about to their songs..Chloe his sister snuggled close to Mia during the rehearsal, listening intently. I have a feeling she too will become a singer someday..She knows how to listen. Number one trait for a musician!

Then at 4:30 pm, Simon brought me to church for the 5:00 pm mass..Sara and Danica were already there. Sara and Danica are two youth singers doing regularly the 5:00 pm Saturday mass. I met them very recently when things were being reorganized here at St. John the Evangelist.

The two were good!..They were knew their stuff. We just refreshed their songs which they selected a few minutes before the mass and then, they were ready to go. No practice necessary...

The Mass commenced with a short play..Three portable houses were carried to the altar..They looked like the houses of the 3 little pigs. The church lights were off except for one spotlight perched atop a stick.Then the play began.

A member of the youth group was dressed like a postman and she delivered a letter to eachof the three houses.."I am visiting you today" the letter said..It was signed JESUS..

The play revolved on the different reactions of the three letter recepients..Whatthey did when they learned that Jesus is about to visit them...

The play was short..but sweet..

Then the mass started..The two singers selected O COME ALL YE FAITHFUL, HARK THE HERALD ANGELS SING, SILENT NIGHT, O HOLY NIGHT and lastly ANGELS WE HAVE HEARD ON HIGH..

Sarah's voice sounded like a violin. Danica's voice was also beautiful in its own way..Their voices complemented each other...After their rendition of O HOLY NIGHT, the congregation broke into an applause...Father Joe complimented their singing immensely right before giving the final blessing to the congregation..

I was picked up after Mass by Jonathan, Michelle's husband....Arrived home to find Berna and Michelle was already there and they just have dinner.

We rehearsed the songs again..This time Michelle joined her 2 daughters..I invited her to sing..

"Why not?" she said.."Just for one song"I thought she was joking. Several years ago, she and Berna were also my singers for the mass, same church..St. John the Evangelist..

Half an hour before 8:00 after we had a little supper, we headed back to the church.

When we got there, we found out that our projection slides for the lyrics was left in the house..No worry, I said to myself..One has to be very flexible and be ready for all kinds of situations..So we changed some of the songs so the audience can participate..I picked some of the ones I did in the 5:00 pm mass.

But things worked out well. Two is a magic number: Michelle and Berna ( years ago sang with me for several years) Sara and Danica, just an hour ago then Emma and Mia saved the Christmas eve Mass that night by singing alone by themselves without fear even if 3 of their companions did not show up. But Mia was a forerunner of the church music work. She was about 8 when she started leading the congregational singing all by herself..Recently, she was admitted to Mayfield school of the Arts after a rigid screening.A week ago the school choir to which belongs sang at the newly erected Rose Theatre in Brampton..

Then her sister Emma was born and she was also endowed with some musical gifts. She is gifted with a wide vocal range and she reaches the high notes very easily. When they were in Florida, she participated in a singing contest and she won first prize with her rendition of DANNY BOY. She is half Irish, by the way.

Then in a recent local competition in Ontario, she won a gold, a silver and 2 bronzes for 4 songs which she entered. Singing is not new to them.

During the mass, Mia did the psalm. During the communion song ( a medley of Night of Silence and Silent Night ) Michelle joined her two daughters in the singing. Then they did O HOLY NIGHT after which the congregation broke into an applause.

Then all of us went home after church..Recieved accolades as we passed out of the church..Some old ladies said they were happy to see and hear my two grand daughters back.

I was so glad when the mass was over. Never had I felt so good because I realize that even if the chips are down and problems spring out,, God is always around to help !!