We met Tajci, her husband Matthew, and their three children yesterday when they arrived at our parish.
They arrived in the middle of a huge storm. Liz had a team of volunteers ready to help and there were many men ready and willing to unload the equipment.
As soon as they arrived, the rain stopped just long enough to get the equipment into the church, then it rained so hard that there was too much and the streets began to over-fill.
After setting up the equipment, we all went to the rectory and had dinner, I enjoyed visiting with Matthew, Tajci, and their family.
After dinner, we attended Mass. As I was proclaiming the Gospel:
Jesus said to his disciples:
"In those days after that tribulation
the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light,
and the stars will be falling from the sky,
and the powers in the heavens will be shaken."
And then they will see 'the Son of Man coming in the clouds'
with great power and glory,
and then he will send out the angels
and gather his elect from the four winds,
from the end of the earth to the end of the sky.
"Learn a lesson from the fig tree.
When its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves,
you know that summer is near.
In the same way, when you see these things happening,
know that he is near, at the gates.
Amen, I say to you,
this generation will not pass away
until all these things have taken place.
Heaven and earth will pass away,
but my words will not pass away.
"But of that day or hour, no one knows,
neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."
"In those days after that tribulation
the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light,
and the stars will be falling from the sky,
and the powers in the heavens will be shaken."
And then they will see 'the Son of Man coming in the clouds'
with great power and glory,
and then he will send out the angels
and gather his elect from the four winds,
from the end of the earth to the end of the sky.
"Learn a lesson from the fig tree.
When its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves,
you know that summer is near.
In the same way, when you see these things happening,
know that he is near, at the gates.
Amen, I say to you,
this generation will not pass away
until all these things have taken place.
Heaven and earth will pass away,
but my words will not pass away.
"But of that day or hour, no one knows,
neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."
we could hear and feel the world shaking with lightening and thunder and the rain poured so heavy that the roof of the church began to leak.
Yet, by the end of Mass, the rain began to lighten, and by 7:00 p.m. when the concert was scheduled to begin, the rain stopped and hundreds of people filled the church.
The concert was more powerful and beautiful than I can describe, or what a video can show. The people were moved beyond belief and joyful tears were on the faces of many. One man stood in the back and stated over and over "I wish my wife could be here to witness this....I wish she was here", as tears developed in his eyes. He, like many others were completely moved by the experience.
Prior to the start of the concert, Father asked that I remove the Blessed Sacrament from the Tabernacle, just for the concert, and then replace it after the concert. When Tajci noticed what I was preparing to do, she humbly asked, "couldn't He remain?" She said that there wasn't anything in the concert that would offend Christ, and that it is where this music and love comes from, HIM! She was sincere and I could feel her deep inner desire to keep Him near her while she performed.
He remained! And His presence and Spirit filled the church.
He remained! And His presence and Spirit filled the church.
It was clearly evident that the music and gifts shared that evening were originating from the depths of her soul and were deeply connected with Christ and His Spirit.
What a wonderful experience!
Thank you Matthew and Tajci
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