The blessings of the trip start with a thing called Megabus. If you don't know about it, get on the bandwagon! Its awesome. I arrived in DC and had a splendid time of just being with two friends who are constantly an example of the joy and love that come from a life lived through Christ. After having a peaceful (and long overdue) visit in DC, I made my way to Philly where another lovely friend picked me up. She lives in Jersey, about an hour from both Philly and NYC. Being that I have never been to the Big Apple, we decided to make our way into the city one day.
It is quite a sight to see, the hustle and bustle. I finally understand the song I sang in my high school performance of the musical The World Goes 'Round, "New York, New York". It is surely a city that never sleeps.
My friend and I wandered around the Times Square/Broadway area as tourists for quite some time. Seeing the M&M store, the Hershey's Store, etc. While searching for a place to eat lunch, we stumbled upon a diamond in the rough, St. Malachy Church.
St. Malachy is a Catholic Church nestled on 48th between Broadway and 8th Ave. It is affectionately called "The Actor's Chapel". We looked at each other and just new that the other was thinking the same thing, lets go in! As we stepped into the church with its old wooden pews, beautiful statues, and breath-taking murals (a particular one of the Annunciation is ingrained into my memory), I felt as though I entered into an alternate universe from the busy streets of New York. It was a place of silence in the noise and chaos of the city. A peace in the midst of a storm. A place of stillness for my soul. When someone would enter, the wide open door allowed for the noise of the exterior to penetrate the silence in the Chapel. When the door shut, tranquil silence was restored.
After returning to the streets of the City, my heart held onto those precious moments in the Chapel. The beauty of the contrast.
Through grace, prayer, and the true reception of Jesus into our very beings in the Eucharist, He creates a strong stillness, a safe haven in our souls. The place that becomes our interior "St. Malachy", where peace can reside within the walls while the hustle and bustle of the world surrounds it. Though are exterior may be filled with the chaos and stresses of living in the world, our hearts must reside within our "St. Malachy", the place where Christ dwells. Sin disrupts this like the opening of the door, but through the mercy of Confession, a tranquil spirit can be restored. A place where the heart and mind are in awe of Jesus, the great love that He has for you, and the goodness of God that He graces us with at each moment.
