Easter Vigils in New York City

Admittedly this Lenten season has not been one of my best. Actually, in writing that I feel kind of silly because I’m not sure that God is measuring our Lenten experiences on a scale of “Poor, Fair, Good, Better, Best”. Nevertheless, I feel the need to just finish strong and strengthen what remains in these last few days and I’m thankful that during Holy Week there is plenty of opportunity to do so. To that end, I’ve decided that I am going to attend an Easter Vigil service on Holy Saturday. I’ve always wanted to attend an Easter Vigil service, but I’ve always been late finding out about services in my area—when I say late, I find out about it at 7:00 and service is at 7:00. This year, I’m not leaving any stone unturned. I did my research early and now I just have to figure out which one I’m attending—because as you’ll see, there are plenty. I thought I’d share this list so that if anyone is in the New York area, they too can experience the beauty of the Easter Vigil service. If you have any additions to this list, please feel free to add to the comments.

Be Blessed!

Easter Vigils in New York City

St. Mary the Virgin in Times Square  at 7:00PM

145 WEST 46TH STREET, NEW YORK CITY

The Cathedral Church 0f St. John the Divine at 7:00

1047 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, New York 10025

The Church of the Ascension at General Theological Seminary at 8:00PM

Due to construction at GTS, enter the seminary close at 440 W. 21st Street, between Ninth and Tenth Avenues.

Riverside Church at 7:30

490 Riverside Drive New York, New York 10027

St. Ignatius of Loyola at 7:30 on the dot

980 Park Avenue at 84th Street, New York

The Church of the Epiphany at 7:30

1393 York Avenue, New York, NY 10021

The Church of the Holy Trinity at 7:00PM

316 E. 88th Street, New York, NY 10128

Church of Saint Francis Xavier at 8:00PM

46 West 16th Street, New York, NY 10011

The Church of St. Luke’s in the Fields at 8:00PM

487 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014

PS: This is by no means a comprehensive list, you can find more simply by searching “Easter Vigils in New York City” or “Easter Vigils (Fill in the location blank)”.

Quick Easter Vigil primer: An Easter Vigil, in some Protestant traditions and the Catholic church, is considered the first official celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. At the Easter Vigil, a Paschal candle is lit to symbolize the resurrection of Christ and the light of salvation and hope that he brought into the world as a result of His resurrection–and no doubt, His life. Easter Vigil services usually begin after sunset on Holy Saturday but can start before sunrise on Easter Sunday–the sun rise replacing the lighting of the Paschal candle.

Want to know more? Check out Wikipedia’s Easter Vigil entry or The Voice’s Easter Season Primer

Sandra Bullock and The Devil Wears Prada

“Let me know when your whole life goes up in smoke. Means it’s time for a promotion.” Stanley Tucci as Nigel in “The Devil Wears Prada”

This was the first thing that came to mind when a friend and I were discussing Sandra Bullock’s current situation with her appropriately-named scandalous husband, Jesse James. Now, you know this is not a gossip blog so I have nothing much to say about the intricate details of their situation, but I will say that I find the parallels between Bullock’s personal life going up in smoke and winning that Oscar interesting.

Could it be that Jesse James has been blocking Sandra’s blessing all these years and now that what has been done in the dark is coming into the light she is being provided a way of escape, not only to save her life but to regenerate her career? I don’t know, only time will tell. Just thought I’d put that out there. This is just another one of those situations when women must know what they are worthy of in relationships. You can’t ever be so hard-pressed for love that you are blind-sided–pun sooo intended–by a person’s real intent and heart. As a dear friend quoted, “When someone shows you their arse (she said the real thing) kick it. Or, “When someone shows you who they really are, believe it.” And might I add, after you believe, keep it moving. They are not changing for you.

That’s all.

Happy Happy, Joy Joy

It’s a rainy day in New York, an appetizer to what is going to be a rainy weekend, but I am not bummed. I’m actually really happy or maybe I’m joyful, I’m not sure which one it is. Whichever it is, it made me pick out a yellow sweater to wear and select a pair of bright yellow unmentionables with a smiley face on the backside. (I’ve heard that sexy underthings make you feel sexy, I’ve tried that and it’s true. But now I see, bright yellow underwear with a smiley face on the back make you feel really happy too–thanks Victoria’s Secret!)

Anyways, with all this happiness and/or joy in me, I thought about one of my favorite cartoons and a great song that came out of it. Anyone who grew up with Ren & Stimpy knows this song pretty well and it is the song that sums up how I feel today. So without further adeiu…

PS: I didn’t record this video, but I thank the person who did because there are so many remixes to this song. Thou shalt not tamper with Ren & Stimpy classics.

Where I Am…These Three Words

It’s been a longtime, I know. I haven’t had the wherewithal to write lately because of everything going on in my life. But, I felt compelled to share with you this song which is so apropos to where I am in life right now. I don’t have much to say about the direction my life is going in right now except for these three words, “I Will Obey.”