On October 14th, the leadership team of YCP New York City had the privilege of taking part in the Napa Institute’s annual Eucharistic Procession preceding their chapter’s Happy Hour event. Participating in the Eucharistic Procession as a member of YCP was a reminder to me that our faith is not limited to the calming silence of a cathedral. By carrying Christ through the noisy streets of Midtown Manhattan, we boldly proclaimed that He is with us in our offices, on our commutes, and in our daily interactions. Just as we carried Him, so too does He carry us, serving as the source from which our work draws its inspiration. For it is through our works that He makes His presence known to those who may not yet know Him. 

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A prominent attendee who spoke during the meditations at St. Patrick’s Cathedral preceding the Procession was Jonathan Roumie, a devout Catholic who stars as Jesus in the hit series, The Chosen. Jonathan reflected on how embracing Christ’s humility is essential to following Him, commenting that we should spend “every moment of every day to unite ourselves to Jesus in the  most humble and subtle ways…our interactions with each other, holding a door for someone, a welcoming smile to the folks around you.” 

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As a born and raised New Yorker, the thoughts that raced through my mind upon hearing these words were probably shared by so many others who heard them. We become so used to what has been referred to as “parallel processing” that we neglect our ability to focus on a single thing or, more importantly, a single person.  

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Our daily bread has been traded for our daily grind. The thousands of people we pass on the street become blurs, mere obstacles in the way of where we are headed. But if our intention is to head towards Christ, where are we supposed to find Him except in our interactions with those we’ve rendered invisible to us? Removing this veil from our eyes is the first step towards humility, and there is no better means of achieving this than by embracing the Eucharist. We cannot bring others into focus if we cannot first focus on Him. 

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As the Eucharistic Procession made its way through Midtown, some New Yorkers probably saw their worst nightmare – people walking under the speed limit. What many others saw brought their view into focus. There were mothers and fathers, teenagers and the elderly, tradesmen and executives, clergy and laity, all traveling in the wake of our Lord. Once we all witnessed Him,  those both inside and outside of the Procession were able to witness one another. That is the chance for the welcoming smile which Jonathan reminds us of – a smile that is certain to be recorded by many smartphones and reaches countless people who were not even present. 

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The temptation to distraction will always be with us, and work is one of its primary vectors of attack because it empties us. Our work should always be in witness for Christ, and it is only by pouring ourselves out fully for others that we make room in our cup to be filled by Him. When our work becomes toil, when it serves causes that do not matter to the Lord, we instinctively withhold our cup, clinging to what cannot satisfy us because we believe there is nothing that can refill it. 

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I am reminded of the scene in The Chosen when Matthew is called by Jesus. In the true spirit of the Eucharistic Procession, Matthew witnesses Christ walking through the town square, departs from the toil of his tax collecting, abandons his riches, and truly begins the process of his conversion. He has no fear for what may lie ahead because his gaze is fixed on the one who called him by name. 

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Towards the end of his speech, Jonathan remarked, “It is Christ’s whose very heart becomes our heart, and it is Christ who the world sees and feels, not me.” 

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Just as Christ is made present in the Eucharist, so, too, are we to make His presence known through our works. Those works can be in great acts of sacrifice, and they can also be in the small acts of kindness we often deem too insignificant to warrant doing. We know what He can do with five loaves and two fishes. Imagine how many He could feed if we would only spare whatever is left in our cups. 

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After the Procession had concluded, YCP New York City’s leadership and over 150 guests packed out the second floor of Connolly’s pub, a popular dining destination in Midtown, Manhattan. We were also extremely grateful to be joined by YCP’s Executive Director, Peter Blute, for both the Procession and our Happy Hour!  

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As I gazed around the space, all I could hear was joy and laughter. All I could see were smiling faces. All I witnessed were young Catholics ensuring that not a single face among them remained blurred.

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Reflection written by Michael Petruso, YCP New York City