The recent earthquake in Haiti leaves us filled with emotions and questions.  Television brings us sights we can hardly fathom. Because we live in earthquake country, we are aware that a similar disaster could occur here. We hope that our retrofit preparations will preserve us from such drastic loss of life and property. Yet we know that an earthquake severe enough can destroy the strongest man-made structures.

The greatest mystery forms itself into a question. Why would God allow such a terrible thing to happen to people who are already poor and deprived in many ways? There is really no satisfactory answer to that question. It is not a punishment for sin. A witty poet replied to that suggestion, at the time of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, by asking why, if God caused the earthquake, did he knock down all the churches and leave the saloons standing?

We can never fully understand the problem of physical evil in the world. We do find some consolation in the fact that Jesus saved us by suffering and dying, and that we are called to imitate him. This life is not the reason for our existence, but eternal life in heaven.  That does not make sense humanly speaking, but faith tells us it is true. But it is much easier to believe this when someone else is suffering.

Perhaps God allows such tragedies to happen so that the rest of us will learn to take care of each other. The universal response to the Haiti disaster has been: What can I do?  People want to do something to help their brothers and sisters in need. Many get on planes and put their bodies on the line. Others make whatever donations they can. The Bishops of the United States have asked us to give money, through Catholic Relief Services, so that needed goods can become available. Our special collection this weekend is a response to their call.

Most of the people of Haiti are Catholics. They are our brothers and sisters in the human family and in the family of faith, the Mystical Body of Christ. The virtue of solidarity impels us to care for them. St. Paul teaches us that "when one member suffers, the whole body suffers." Besides their basic human needs at present, the people of Haiti will need help far into the future, to rebuild their homes, their public buildings and their churches. We are still not finished rebuilding and retrofitting after the much milder Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989. It will take years and much help to rebuilt Haiti.

St. Joseph Parish has always responded with extraordinary generosity to disasters like the one in Haiti. I know the response will be generous again this time. It is not unrealistic to imagine that we ourselves could one day be on the receiving end of this kind of help. We pray that this may never happen, but the Big One becomes more and more a possibility as the years go on.

We should also pray for the people of Haiti who have lost so much. This earthquake has not dampened their faith, if what we see on television is accurate. We have to pray that their faith may persevere as the time of suffering is extended. The woman pulled safely from rubble after being buried alive for almost a week, gave a heroic example of faith as she praised the Lord for her deliverance. Let us pray also for the rescue workers, that their generosity and self-sacrifice may not slacken, and that they may be able to do the most good for the most people.