Message From the President

Just a Few Moments

This was a reflection at the Holy Week liturgy

April 1, 2026

Sometimes the simplest questions produce the most complex answers. For example, who am I? Sometimes when we try to answer that question, we reach for titles or labels. I could say, “I’m the president of Saint Peter’s Prep,” or “I’m a father.” I could say, “I’m a son. I’m a husband. I’m a Prep grad. I’m a Mets fan…”

We all do this sometimes. You could say, “I’m a Prep senior,” or “I’m an AP scholar,” or “I’m someone from Hoboken or Bayonne, East Orange, Maplewood, or Manhattan.” “I’m the captain of a Prep team.” “I’m a member of Marauder Nation.” “I’m a part of the Men for Others Club.” “I’m a teacher.” “I’m a coach.” “I’m a communications director.” “I’m a Jesuit.”

All your titles, official or unofficial, and in whatever combination you hold them, can in one sense answer the question, who am I? But if you think about it, all of those things also define you in terms of how you relate to someone else or to something else. Just think about that for a second. Your title is how you relate to someone else or something else. It doesn’t fully answer the question. Maybe it’s answering more what am I?

But what if what if during Holy Week we try to answer this question in a different way? What if we just use our name? I’m Michael. I am Peter. I’m Dominic. I’m Joe. I’m Jackson. I’m Chris. I’m Maysoon. I’m Aiden spelled one way, Aedan spelled another way. I’m Grace. I’m Dre. I’m Mackenzie. I’m Mary Anne. And so on. Maybe when I don’t use that title, there’s a sense of there’s nothing to perform, there’s nothing to carry, no one to impress, no responsibility. I’m just me.

This Holy Week, our faith reminds us just how immeasurable God’s love is for us. Jesus Jesus was born modestly, served and taught and healed relentlessly, suffered gravely, died humbly, rose majestically. In short, the epitome of a life of fierce love and radical humility. Now, he lived and died and rose not because of our titles. He didn’t say, “I’m doing this for the one-day AP student at Prep,” or the basketball player at Prep or the math teacher or the Browning center director or the soccer coach. He knows you by name from the very beginning, before you even existed. That’s what my faith tells me. You are loved because of you. God knows your name. He created you and he chose you.

When we look at ourselves, we see ourselves through human eyes, which which means we see our flaws and our imperfections. But our sight, how we see, is also flawed and imperfect. We often gravitate to the not-so-good. It’s usually it’s our mistakes, it’s our worries, it’s our struggles that keep us up at night. God, on the other hand, sees us through the eyes of the all-powerful creator, the King of Kings. Eyes that are not flawed, not imperfect. God sees us with immeasurable, boundless, and maybe said better, he sees us with an incomprehensible amount of love all the time. If you were chatting with God, I think he would say this…I think he would smile and he would say, “Let me show you who you are in my eyes. It is far greater than you could possibly imagine. It will blow your mind when you see what I see in you. You are amazing.”

Jesus did the same thing when he called the apostles, especially Peter. And in this case, he saw more than a fisherman. Recently, I watched a clip from the TV series The Chosen. It’s a series about Jesus and the Apostles. I watched a small clip. Now, I don’t know if this is necessarily what happened—it’s just a little TV show. But there was a scene when Jesus is inviting Peter to follow him, when Jesus finds Peter in his boat and sees him for the first time. And it’s not just that Peter’s fishing isn’t going well. Peter’s whole life is a mess. It’s unraveling. Peter is struggling. He’s trying to hold it all together: his work, his family, even himself. And Jesus calls him over and says, “Come here,” and Peter’s response is, “I’m sorry. I can’t. I’m too busy. I’m in a hurry.” Jesus doesn’t get mad. Doesn’t raise his voice. He just says, “I know that. I know that. Just give me a few moments.” Jesus sees way more than a struggling fisherman.

At Saint Peter’s Prep, we are people in a hurry. Especially you, my Prep brothers. You hurry. Hurry to succeed. Hurry to be recognized. Hurry to figure it all out. Hurry to try to become someone. Hurry to be that scholar, the athlete, the best friend, the good son, the collegebound student. All good things. But during this Holy Week, maybe think that Jesus doesn’t say, “Stop doing this.” Maybe he says, “I know. I know. I hear you. I know that you’re in a hurry. Just give me a few moments because you are loved in a way you can’t imagine. God’s love is richer and deeper than any love you will know.”

So my brothers and sisters, my hope for you is that this Holy Week and this Easter celebration remind you that God’s love is richer and deeper than any love you will know. He knows you by name and he is very pleased with what he sees. When he sees who you are. Just give him a few moments. And I think I think the good Lord is pleased when he sees who we are together: A band of brothers and sisters, a band of Marauders doing our best shoulder to shoulder, all for the greater glory of God.

Sub Umbra Petri,