Fairfield Prep Lenten Reflections

Several years ago, I had the occasion to see an exhibition of drawings by Rembrandt. I was particularly attracted to his drawing of the Crucifixion. Two figures were leaning against Jesus as he hung dying on the cross. I assume they were Mary and John. It was the first time I recalled ever seeing anyone actually touching Jesus as he hung on the cross.

This reminded me of the importance of proximity and physical touch when someone is very ill. I was also struck by the fact that Jesus, who was the master consoler, himself needed to be consoled by us, that he needed us. I think in a number of ways Jesus still needs to be consoled by us.

Yesterday, the question was whether we would allow our feet to be washed. Today, the question is, are we willing to walk with Jesus as he carries his cross?

We know that the story of Jesus leads to the resurrection. That does not make Good Friday any easier—for Jesus or for us. Suffering is always difficult, even if we know that Christ has triumphed over sin and death.

“Consummatum est.” It is finished. As darkness descends, we wait in quiet expectation for the transformation that is to come.

Holy Thursday Reflection on John 13:1-15

As we find ourselves setting into Holy Week, we find ourselves centered around Christ’s humility, as a mentor, a son, a friend, and as a God. Our Gospel, John 13:1-15, shares the story of Jesus arriving before Passover to wash the feet of the disciples. He first arrived to Simon Peter, who refused to allow Jesus to wash his feet: “You will never wash my feet”, he sees this action as demoralizing for Jesus. The master, getting on his knees and washing the feet of the student, is counterintuitive to all, as power is always associated with cleanliness and authority, but to Jesus, authority isn’t something to be reciprocated.

John’s pretense to this Gospel states, “love one another as I have loved you.” Jesus invites all to His kingdom, not one of power or status, rather servitude and compassion. As a leader, Jesus stands with the masses and washes the feet of all: “Master, then not only my feet, but my hands and head as well,” Peter questions. He asks this of Jesus, who refuses, as “whoever has bathed has no need except to have his feet washed, for he is clean all over.” Jesus conveys Peter’s cleanliness as a believer through not washing his body. He washes the feet because by doing so, he cleanses Peter of his sins.

Coming to the end of our Lenten Season, and our discernment and fasting come to an end, we must recenter ourselves to our values as believers. In a world of self-importance and material wealth, we have lost sight of what is truly important for eternal life. Jesus stayed detached from these vices, for they held no meaning upon judgment. He was stripped of his garments, mocked, stabbed, yet died for the sins of humanity. He had nothing, yet He was rich. 

When Jesus finished washing the disciples’ feet, he put on his garments and returned to the table: “You call me ‘teacher’ and ‘master,’ and rightly so… I have given you a model to follow, so that I have done for you, you should do also.”  His dogmatism of reciprocated servitude is his invitation to the Kingdom of God. However, Jesus is also aware of his betrayal in this moment. He reminds the disciples that “not all of you are clean.” Yet, we see Him wash the feet of Judas Iscariot, but this action does not heal him.

When we arrive at reconciliation, our modern equivalent of feet washing, we prepare ourselves with our bodies cleansed, awaiting the feet. Our belief in Him is what engages us to be saved. Judas lacked this self-giving love. His greed and pride separated him from believing, and he could never truly be cleaned. As Holy Week continues, we ask our Lord that we find ourselves ready. This Lenten Season has reminded us of Jesus’ covenant of faith and servitude, and how, as Children of Christ, we are called to love one another and live in Christ’s image.

Wishing all a Happy Easter,

LT4,
Max Hauptman ‘26
 

John 11:1-45 

Lenten reflection week of March 22nd 

This week is the 5th Sunday of Lent, a time when we prepare our hearts and minds for the coming death and resurrection of Christ. In this week's gospel (John), we encounter one of the most immense and powerful works of Christ: the raising of Lazarus. This miracle is ultimately a precursor to Christ’s own Resurrection and His conquering of death. 

To set the scene: 

Jesus has just crossed the Jordan after preaching in the temple, having left it for His and the Apostles' safety. On His journey to Bethany, He is informed of the death of Lazarus, a follower, friend, and brother of Mary and Martha. Jesus, of course, did not cross the Jordan by accident. Once arriving in Bethany, Martha and Mary come to Him, mourning the loss of Lazarus, saying, If only He had been here, if only He had gotten there earlier, Lazarus would still be alive. 

It’s easy, looking back with the full knowledge of the Gospel, to wonder why Mary and Martha would say that. We know both Mary and Martha are faithful followers of Jesus and obviously know of His works; they know he is the Messiah, yet they slip into a kind of “blame God mode,” and to be honest, we really can’t blame them. How often do we do it ourselves? When life unravels, when prayers seem to go unanswered, when loss arrives unexpectedly, how quickly are we to lash out at God before remembering all the wonders God has done and given to us? Mary and Martha are not failures of faith; rather, they are reflections of us. 

Jesus tells them not to worry and assures them he will soon wake Lazarus. Martha replies, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus then makes one of the most powerful statements in the Gospel: “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live.” Soon after, Christ calls for Lazarus' tomb to be opened, calls out to him, and Lazarus rises. The raising of Lazarus reminds us that death is not final, and Christ crushes death in the Resurrection. 

But before any of that happens, there is a moment from this week's Gospel that is so important, yet is often overlooked. Despite being the shortest verse in the entire Bible, it says so much with three words: “and Jesus wept.” Jesus knows what He’s about to do. He knows Lazarus will walk out of that tomb, yet He still weeps, joining Mary and Martha in their grief. This reveals something very profound about Jesus: He is not a distant God watching our suffering from afar, but a God who feels with us, a God who mourns with us, cries with us, rejoices with us, is proud with us, and everything in between. Christ is not only our savior but also our greatest companion. 

This Lent, I invite you to remember that our God is not distant from us or our suffering, but walks with us and guides us through it. The story of Lazarus reminds us that even when all seems lost, Christ is there. God Bless. 

Lenten Reflection on John 9:1-41

On this 4th Sunday of Lent, John tells us the story of how a blind man overcame his deformities through the miraculous healing of Jesus, therefore challenging the Pharisees’ rejection of Jesus as the Anointed One. This illustration demonstrates a clear contrast between light and darkness, as Jesus allows us to observe how true, eternal sight arrives through faith and trust in God’s healing. While the Pharisees are steadfast in their man-enforced, strict adherence to the Law, Jesus is shown portraying a more hospitable and humble approach.

After immersing His hands with saliva on the side of a road, Jesus performs a transformative deed in restoring the man’s vision by smearing his face with clay. Initially, the blind man’s transformation sparked controversy among his neighbors. Some were torn over whether he was the same beggar on the streets as before, or whether he had lived a lie about being blind for all this time. The Pharisees, feeling threatened by the mysterious workings of Jesus, immediately questioned the validity of His act due to its occurrence on the Sabbath, a day traditionally recognized through one’s refrain from work. However, what the Pharisees were unaware of at that moment was that Jesus’s liberating act aligned hand in hand with the true purpose of the Sabbath.

While many Jews at the time feared expulsion from the synagogue due to the influence that the Pharisees had, they became vulnerable to believing the false teachings and visions emphasized by them. These false beliefs and prejudices were further imposed on people living with a wide array of abnormalities, like the blind man, who was thought to have been born blind as a direct result of someone’s sin. Jesus opens our eyes to the idea that these irregularities, prompted by birth or by events, are truly purposeful in the unveiling of God’s work.

In this story, the blind man fulfills God’s plan and is able to truly see the broader picture once he willfully accepts Christ into his own life. The Pharisees are too blinded by their own power and vision of God to notice that the Son of Man is right in front of them. Unlike the blind man, who sees Jesus’s vision clearly and is open to all that He has to offer, the Pharisees lack an understanding of who God is calling them to be.

As this sacred journey of Lent continues, it is critical that we work to implement some of these teachings into our own lives while prioritizing our spiritual path over other worldly distractions. While it can be tempting to fall victim to idolizing certain societal figures, or to blindly follow unlawful norms—similar to the Jews living under the authority of the Pharisees—we must always remember to return to Jesus and the plan that He has set out for us.

Hence, I encourage all of you to reflect on the specific factors and habits that are holding you back from welcoming Jesus entirely into your lives. This 40-day purified season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving is an ideal period in which we are all called to humble ourselves before Christ and recognize that even though we are all sinners, we are willing to embrace God’s love and correct these wrongdoings.

God Bless, LT4.

Connor Day '26

Reflection on John 4:5-42

On this 3rd Sunday of Lent, John tells us the story of Jesus traveling through Samaria, a region traditionally avoided by Jews. There is a very hostile relationship between the Jews and Samaritans; the Jews view the Samaritans as ritually unclean people, and they also rejected Jerusalem as a Holy site. When Jesus goes up to the Samaritan woman at the well, he crosses the boundary, which brings healing and reconciliation. 

Jesus initiates the conversation with the Samaritan woman, which breaks the cultural, religious, and gender barriers. Jesus’ request to the woman is simple, “Give me a drink,” which surprises her and opens a doorway to have a conversation and connect on a deeper level. Later, Jesus tells her that “whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst; the water I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” Jesus’ “living water" is a symbol of God’s grace. 

As you all know by now, the current tensions involving Israel, the U.S., and Iran are getting worse. Innocent people are struggling and dying during this time of conflict. This Gospel from John is extremely important for everyone in our world. It tells us, like Jesus did, that we have to love our neighbour and one another. The hostility that occurred in biblical times mirrors the modern geopolitical hostility happening in our world today. What we are called to do is to encounter people who are struggling or hurting from this conflict instead of just avoiding people. The “living water” symbolizes the peace that our world is called to act on. 

Like Jesus, we are all called to love one another as Jesus has loved us. During this war, different acts of love can look like praying for all people who suffer from the war, no matter what nation they are from, treating everyone with human dignity, and refusing to dehumanize others. Christian love is courageous; we are all called to action to help everyone in need who is suffering and hurting. 

I encourage you to reflect on your life personally and ask yourself this question. Where do we avoid others the way that Jews avoided the Samaritans? Look into yourself and find personal prejudices, fears, and grudges you may hold against others. I invite you to receive Christ’s living water so that we may be able to soften our hearts and become compassionate and kind to everyone. Looking back, Jesus breaks and transforms the division between the Jews and Samaritans into a loving relationship. I encourage you to imitate and follow after Jesus by choosing compassion over fear. As we continue our Lenten journey, ask yourself what we may do for others this Lenten season to grow closer to God as well as which wells Christ is calling us towards. Amen.