Mary M. McGlone

Scripture for Life: Neither church nor society has probably ever been quite ready for Mary of Nazareth. Her Magnificat leads us to seek God in the times and places where the lowly are cherished and the hungry filled.

Scripture for Life: Today's Scripture stories dare us to risk an encounter with the living God who answers prayer in ever-new, life-giving, mind- and soul-transforming ways.

Scripture for Life: Jesus' sharing of himself as the bread of life illustrates the greatest potential of human life. The Son of God entered our history not to wow us with miracles, but to show us how we can live as Paul suggests: as new selves, people truly renewed in spirit.

Scripture for Life: When was the last time you considered the question, "What is my calling?" That's not a question of your job, although the hope is that any occupation we engage in becomes an expression of our deeper call. 

Scripture for Life: This week's Scriptures tell us that as followers of Christ the Good Shepherd, we must remember that the invitation to repose by restful waters is for refreshment, not permanent residence. 

Scripture for Life: Like the last chosen kid and Jesus' disciples, we too are chosen, not because of our talent or achievements, but because we are willing to be here to answer the call. That's all the qualifications required.

Scripture for Life: Instead of offering comfort and safety, our faith puts great expectations on us. Baptism calls each of us to be prophetic, priestly heirs of the creator of the universe. 

Scripture for Life: While some might approach prayer as if ordering from a menu, the purpose of prayer — be it petition, praise or penitence — is to bring us into an encounter with the God of life who desires the encounter more than we do. 

Scripture for Life: Like the disciples, we can consider God with such frugality of imagination that we are blind to anything bigger than our own plans and expectations. But God has fashioned us to be capable of more.

Scripture for Life: The parable of the seed which grows by itself offers an antidote to pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps scenarios that preach that the harder you work, the more God will love and reward you.

Scripture for Life: On this day, like every Sunday, we repeat the celebration that forges our identity and strengthens us to be the very body of Christ that we receive.

Scripture for Life: Pentecost celebrates the grace-filled thriving of the human community through the indwelling of the Spirit. It reminds us that Jesus' promise to bestow his Spirit upon us can be limited only by our own unwillingness to continue his mission.

Scripture for Life: Today, we are called to remember who we are. We are the baptized. We have received the Spirit. Yet our temptation is to keep looking to heaven instead of trusting Christ's judgment.

Scripture for Life: Today's Gospel comes from Jesus' final testament to his disciples at the Last Supper. One key to this teaching is Jesus' solemn assurance, "It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you."

Scripture for Life: Today's readings remind us that we must continually choose who we truly want to be. God always offers us the option of being fruitful branches, receiving and giving divine life.

Scripture for Life: Be we friends or spouses, spending time together and repeatedly choosing to love one another molds us together such that we become who we never could have become without one another.

Scripture for Life: Reinterpretation is the task of every age. While Scripture consistently offers us transformation, each time and culture tend to make God in its image.

Scripture for Life: If the Easter disciples had done things really right, today's Gospel message about forgiveness would have been unnecessary.

Scripture for Life: While candles glow, bells ring, and we sing Alleluia, today's readings counsel us that there's far more here than we have begun to comprehend.

Scripture for Life: The anointing woman, the first among the women who stood by Jesus through his crucifixion, expressed her faith and faithfulness in a gesture of love that went beyond every verbal proclamation.