By Fr. Michael Belinsky, C.S.C.
There he was. A young Haitian man. In a classroom. Taking a math test. And then the earthquake hit. He, along with the other students, never had a chance.
They were dead in an instant as concrete crumbled over their heads and rained down upon them, drawn by gravity, breaking their bones, bashing their heads, ending each of their lives - and their dreams - and our hopes.
While he, along with Molly Hightower and hundreds of thousands of others in Haiti are dead, and thousands more are still dying. But what can we do? What can I do?
For myself, I can write and hope that you pick up this edition of The Beacon, hope that you turn to this page and not past it, hope that you do more than skim this brief column of words.
If I could have, I would've liked to know him, the young man taking the Math exam. His name: Jacques Guillaume, was a member of the Congregation of Holy Cross in Haiti, a man who entered the seminary to become a priest, a Holy Cross priest.
Jacques was taking advanced classes in math because, once ordained, he would teach math to the students in the Holy Cross sponsored high school while also spreading the Kingdom of God through his future pastoral and sacramental ministry.
He would become Pere Jacques (Father Jacques). He would have had the privilege of baptizing the children, visiting the sick, caring for those at hospitals who suffer from TB, AIDS, malaria and starvation.
He would have brought hope through the celebration of the Eucharist in the expressive way, both joy-filled and sorrowful, that the people of Haiti pray to God. He would have fed the people with the words of Scripture and the living Word come down from heaven in Body and Blood.
Anointing the sick, reconciling sinners, witnessing Christian marriages, teaching the young, feeding the hungry, providing respect and dignity to his people who have suffered for centuries.
And as you and I are aware, he was simply one among the multitudes whose lives were broken apart by the Jan. 12 earthquake. So, perhaps the issue is not so much about what I can do, but rather what can we do together.
I don't imagine that if we all left The Bluff tomorrow and traveled to Port-au-Prince that we would be able to do much good. And although we donate money to various organizations, none of us will ever have enough to provide for the immediate needs or the needs of that nation's future.
So, what can we do? Make certain that you've told someone "I love you" each and every day. Know that God has created each of us with a distinct purpose that is meant to provide help and hope to those around us.
Know that every penny and every prayer on behalf of the people in Haiti is needed. "Excel in your schoolwork, in the knowledge and skills that you will be able to use to provide for yourself and for others who are in need."
Know that it's OK to be depressed or upset or moved by The tragedies around you, here on the Bluff and in our world; but never give up hope.
The motto for the Congregation of Holy Cross is "Ave Crux! Spes Unica!" That's Latin for "Hail the Cross! Our only Hope!" Jacques, our deceased Haitian brother, and Molly, our deceased sister, and countless others, both now and in the far-reaching future will need the hope that we have to bring. The hope of our hearts, the hope of our prayer, the hope of our lives.
Tomorrow, Campus Ministry, with the coordination of many other concerned persons, will provide some opportunities to receive that hope as well as to provide it for one another. Please don't forget: Noon Mass tomorrow at the Chapel of Christ the Teacher on the 30th day since the earthquake for Haiti and all the dead followed by a 7:30 p.m. Candlelight Prayer Service. Ash Wednesday on Feb. 17 with three Masses at the Chapel: 12:05 p.m., 4:45 p.m. and 9 p.m. Palm Sunday is March 28, Holy Thursday is April 1 and Easter Sunday April 4!
Fr. Michael Belinsky, C.S.C.,
is an assistant director
of Campus Ministry.
