It's hard to imagine being a priest without having a resurrection spirit—without believing that light overcomes darkness, that love overcomes violence, and that no matter what’s happening in the world, God is present, God forgives, and we are called to forgive each other.

Those are the core themes of Easter, and they’re not just theological ideas—I try to live them in my own life, so I can help young people make sense of the suffering and brokenness they see around them.

Because honestly, if we didn’t believe in resurrection—if we didn’t believe that hope is real and healing is possible—it would be easy to retreat into despair. Easter reminds us that we don't have to do that. It gives us a reason to stay engaged, to keep showing up with love, even when the world feels heavy.

This year, I’ve felt that cycle especially deeply. We had a real winter—cold, dark, and long. Lent often overlaps with spring break in schools, creating an interesting contrast. Some students return having traveled to beautiful places, maybe without fully realizing what Lent is about, and suddenly, Easter is just around the corner. But this year, we still had a few weeks of Lent left—a chance to slow down and reflect.

And that’s hard in schools. Everything speeds up in spring; sports, classes, college decisions, graduation. There’s this momentum that builds—just like in the church calendar from Maundy Thursday to Good Friday to Holy Saturday—and then all of a sudden, it’s Easter Sunday. In that momentum, it's easy to lose the pause, the reflection, the depth.

That’s why I remind our students at the Good Friday service that yes, Friday is about suffering and death, and that pain is real. But Sunday is coming. We know how the story ends, and that’s where the hope is. That’s the faith I try to live by, and it's what I love most about Easter.

Coming out of Lent, with all of its challenges and disciplines, into a full-on celebration of resurrection and new life. It’s powerful. God always teaches me something during this season. And when we gather for sunrise service on Easter morning in the outdoor chapel, knowing we are loved and forgiven—it really is a celebration of joy.

Inviting Students Into the Story of Easter

Kids at this age–ranging from 14 to 18–are often just a few years removed from a time when chocolate bunnies and jelly beans, were and might still be, the highlight of Easter. So, how do you guide them on a spiritual journey from simply receiving to discovering the wonder of serving others? 

It’s something I didn’t have to wrestle with quite as much 25 years ago. But today, it’s different. Many students simply don’t come with much, if any, religious background. Some have never stepped foot in a church or heard the foundational stories of the Christian faith. And I’ve had to learn to be sensitive to that.

So the first step is just meeting them where they are. Helping them see that faith—even if it’s unfamiliar—can offer something of real value. There's something powerful in gathering as a community to reflect on themes like hope, redemption, and the triumph of love over death. Easter isn't just about a centuries-old story, but about the very real human longing for meaning, for light in darkness, for something beyond the surface of everyday life.

Now, do I still love the Easter egg part? Absolutely. I’m a big kid at heart. Watching younger kids do Easter egg hunts brings me so much joy. I know our lacrosse teams are planning one here for the faculty children, and it reminds me of the joy we used to share at St. Andrew’s—Senior Sunday school teachers hiding eggs and everyone gathering for a beautiful brunch after church. There’s something sacred even in that joy.

When I preach, especially in a school setting, I’m very intentional about how I frame the message. I’m not going to say things like, “If you don’t believe in Jesus, you're going to hell.” That’s not helpful. What is helpful is inviting students to wonder: something happened 2,000 years ago that sparked a movement, one that became the largest religion in the world. Is that something people just made up? Or is there something more—something transcendent?

And for many around the world, that “something more” is their only source of hope. I think about places like Ukraine, where a deeply faithful people have endured unimaginable suffering, or churches bombed during Palm Sunday services. And yet, they still gather. They still believe. They still hope. That kind of faith isn’t shallow–it’s resilient.

So on Easter Sunday, when I speak in the outdoor chapel, I try to make space for that wonder. Not just the joy and celebration, but the mystery. The possibility. The hope that maybe—just maybe—there’s something greater than what we see. And that believing in that something can shape how we live, how we treat one another, and how we serve a hurting world.

A Moment of Lenten Inspiration

Going to Poland during Lent and working with Ukrainian children was one of the most powerful experiences I’ve had—not just this season, but in a long time. It was all the emotions at once: deeply meaningful, deeply troubling, deeply joyful, and deeply heartbreaking. It was, in many ways, my own Good Friday.

Being with those children—who have experienced trauma and loss most of us can’t even imagine—put me face to face with the reality of suffering. And yet, in that space of pain, there was also this overwhelming sense of love and presence. It reminded me of the cross. Of the horror of what Jesus endured, and the awe of realizing He did it out of love—for me, for all of us.

And while I was there, I found myself asking: Can I reflect that same kind of love—the love I’ve received from God—to these children? Could I be even a small vessel of that compassion and care?

What moved me even more was that they gave that love back. Despite everything they’ve been through, they responded with openness, kindness, and affection. That kind of reciprocal grace—where love is both given and returned—that’s the heart of the Easter message. That’s resurrection in action.

About the Author

The Rev. Jay Hutchinson
School Chaplain, Theology and Religious Studies Faculty

Rev. Hutchinson has over 23 years of experience as a chaplain, teacher, and coach. Over the course of his career, he has also taught and tended to the spiritual life of students at various independent schools. Service has also been an important part of his life and has personally served on the boards of Heronfield School and Family Help, Inc., a Delaware nonprofit that provides low-cost housing to individuals struggling with homelessness, drug addiction, and abusive relationships.

In addition to serving as Chaplain at Holderness, Rev. Hutchinson will teach religious studies and coach boys junior varsity lacrosse. He holds a B.A. in Economics from Amherst College and a Master of Divinity from Harvard University.