Who tells you so:
Search out the Lord in every person

		Living the Scriptures  with St. Paul University  Catholic Center  Adam Eberlein

Walking through the UW-Madison campus, I always find joy running into a friend from St. Paul's. Maybe I'm just passing them and shout a quick hello or we exchange a wave and a smile; it's reassuring everyday to see others who are doing their best to follow in the footsteps of our Lord.

Other times though, I realize how big the campus is and how many people attend school here. I realize how few I actually know and I think about how few I recognize as people actively following the Lord. Reflecting on today's readings I see that I am experiencing the same lack of faith as the apostles upon meeting Saul.

In this Scripture passage we see Saul coming to the apostles and attempting to join them, but the apostles are fearful and doubt that Saul is a true disciple. Barnabas then takes charge of Saul and reports to the disciples his deeds in the name of the Lord.

Fifth Sunday of Easter (May 14, 2006) Acts 9:26-31 Ps 22:26-28, 30-32 1 Jn 3:18-24 Jn 15:1-8

No one is walking on Bascom Hill reporting the good deeds of each person I see. Who then is telling me that these are people of God?

In today's second reading from the First Letter of St. John we are told, "let us love not in word or speech, but in deed and truth." The truth is, no one needs to be telling me the deeds of each individual person. Without seeing, I must trust that the Lord has touched their lives and is alive and well within them.

In today's Gospel Jesus says, "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit." The reading urges us to believe that God has taken all of us into his care. Everyone we meet must still have God alive within them or they would have been pruned away by the Lord.

Believing that the Lord has taken all of us into his care, the idea that everyone is doing their part to serve the Lord (knowingly or not) is an integral part of our faith life. How can we be full believers and participants in the Body of Christ if we doubt that anyone we meet is incapable of love in the Lord?

We cannot. I urge you to believe and actively search out the Lord in every person.

Although we have faith that the Lord is a part of everyone's life and don't need a town crier to proclaim our deeds in the name of Christ, we must still project our faith to others in our daily lives. We are not called to hide our faith and expect others to believe it is vibrant.

	Reflection questions • Do I trust that the Lord is alive in everyone I meet? • Do I have faith without seeing, or do I need proof?

Practicing what you preach and letting others know what and why you believe is just as important as having faith that the Lord is in others whose faith you have not directly known.

Whether it is something as simple as wearing a crucifix around your neck, doing a kind deed for a stranger, or simply smiling to radiate Christ's love, we must have faith and welcome all the Sauls (strangers) into our lives with open arms.

Adam Eberlein is a sophomore at UW-Madison majoring in Spanish Literature. Next year he will be studying abroad in Quito, Ecuador. He sings in the choir at St. Paul's and works at the Center's front desk. St. Paul's Web site is www.stpaulscc.org

Faith Alive!

In a Nutshell The church is comprised of an infinite variety of families; all bring to the church their unique needs, concerns and strengths. What do families seek from the church? Many seek, consciously or unconsciously, the church's support in whatever challenge they face. Service to families is often a peer ministry accomplished by the Holy Spirit at work in the gifts of families themselves. Catholic News Service 3211 Fourth St NE Washington DC 20017 202.541.3250 cns@catholicnews.com	Food for Thought   A report based on a consultation by the Catholic Church in England and Wales with some 15,000 families was published in the summer of 2005 by the British bishops. The consultation represented part of a three-year plan for making parishes more welcoming and supportive of family life. The consultation found that many families are highly stressed-out by life's economic realities and that "families often did not cope well with the strains and stresses of modern life." Partly in light of that, the report went on to say that "over and above any other single finding was our realization of the massive significance to families of welcoming, loving, accepting relationships both at home and in the church." The importance people placed on "the community aspect of parish life" was a key finding of the consultation. In fact, the report said, "the importance of the church community as an extended family of acceptance, celebration and support is absolutely indispensable" to the relationship today between the church and the family. One conclusion of the report was that "more attention must be paid to interpersonal relationships and the deepening of community life within the church." full story   The support families seek in the church By Mary Jo Pedersen Catholic News Service Sue Collins was dying of cancer. Her two children and husband were struggling to accept her certain death while trying to maintain a semblance of normalcy: balancing school activities, sports and work. What the family desperately needed were meals, rides, housecleaning, baby-sitting and a community to walk with them in the darkest days. Their parish church provided that plus prayerful support during the entire crisis. full story  One family, one crisis, one involved church By Dan Luby Catholic News Service It wasn't routine surgery, exactly. In fact, it was cutting edge, just shy of experimental. Still, the hospital and the doctor were world-class. If everything went as predicted, it would mean 10 days' hospital time, then two weeks hobbling around on crutches -- a month out of commission, tops. And this family -- the most generous of families, ready to help anyone in need -- was determined to be a bother to no one. They had planned for every eventuality. Schedules at work and home had been carefully examined, taking into account school programs and projects that simply couldn't be late. full story  Family needs and church resources By Sheila Garcia Catholic News Service In March, my parish bulletin carried announcements for baptismal preparation classes, family Stations of the Cross followed by a soup supper, marriage-mentor couples, a St. Patrick's Day celebration, a drop-in play group and the "Circle of Caring," which assists with funeral planning. All of these diverse activities aim to promote marriage and family life. In various ways, they strengthen the bond between the family (the domestic church) and the parish (the gathered church). full story
	Faith in the Marketplace   This Week's Discussion Point: What support do you as a parent find in parish life for your family?     Selected Response From Readers:
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