One of my favorite people I've met is a woman from Mason City named Jane. Shortly after I arrived in Mason City, she told me, "I really want to help our parish, but I don't have a lot of money." So I said, "What do you like to do?" Jane said, "I love to cook, and to see people enjoying my food." I said, "Good, because I love to eat!"

So we started having dinners in the large dining room in the rectory, and they were a ton of fun. As I got to know Jane, I realized she has a life with much adversity in it. One son had mental health issues, was in and out of jail, and died quite young. And yet Jane has an amazing spirit, whicih radiates joy. One could not be around her and not have fun.

Jane is a great example of what St. Paul is talking about in the second reading. In his image of the Church as the Body of Christ, he talks about how each one of us has a unique role to play in the building up of the Body. Just as the eye needs to ear, and the foot needs the hand, we need each other. And when someone like Jane puts her talent of great cooking at the service of our parish, the Body gets built up.

I think most of us get that image. What we might have missed in a couple of lines in the middle of that reading. St. Paul says that the weakest part of the body is the most important. In other words, the most important people in the Church are not Cardinals in Rome, but the little people, like Jane or those I met over break in Guatemala.

To say we are part of the Body of Christ does not simply mean that we belong to a parish or even to a diocese. We belong to a universal Church, which is one of the most beautiful things about being Catholic. The Eucharist makes us sisters and brothers with people from all over the globe, and we stand in solidarity with the little people. Today we think especially of the people of Haiti who need our help in their time of need, and 80% of whom are Catholic.

On 9-11, 2001, our country lost about 3,000 people in the terrorist attacks. Haiti is a very small country, and the poorest country in the western hemiphere. When the earthquake hit, they lost probably 200,000 people. We are a large country, a rich country, and lost 3,000 in one day. Haiti is a small country, a poor country, and they lost 200,000 in one day.

Archbishop has asked all parishes to join every Catholic parish in the US in taking up a special collection for immediate relief. There are special collection envelopes at each door for this purpose. There is also information in the bulletin on how to take this off your 2009 taxes. One of the things that has always impressed me about St. Thomas Aquinas is that we have a special place in our hearts for the poor, and I know this will continue even as we face our own tough economic times.

But some of us might be like Jane, and not have much money. Let me suggest two other possible responses. The first is prayer. Come to one of our daily Masses at noon every weekday and offer it for the people of Haiti. Come to our Mass on Thursdays at 10 o'clock at nigiht. Or between classes, come to STA and spend a half an hour praying by the Blessed Sacrament. The older I get, the more I realize the value and importance of intercessory prayer. Lifting up the people of Haiti is just as important, perhaps even more important, than any money we may donate.

The second is a challenge especially for our student parishioners. Use your God-given talents to help the people of Haiti. They will not rebuild in days, or weeks, or months. This is going to take many, many years.

The reality of this world is that only one out of a hundred people have a college degree---only one out of 100!

Iowa State University produces some of the worlds best educators, engineers, architects, business people, and construction people. Let the Holy Spirit surprise you, and be led to places you never planned to go. Consider spending one, two or three years after graduation to help them rebuild. If you do, your life will be richer, your faith stronger, and your love deeper. Plus you will have some great stories to tell your children one day.

In today's Gospel, we hear the inaugeral sermon of Jesus, which is essentially his mission statement. As we reach out in many ways to the people of Haiti, let us recognize that they need us, but we also need them. Together we all belong to the Body of Christ.

May Jesus' mission statement become ours:

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon each of us because He has anointed us to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent us to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord"