Mary M. McGlone

Scripture for Life: Where can we find wisdom or knowledge of God? Today's first reading makes a promise: She is "found by those who seek her," and, "She hastens to make herself known in anticipation of their desire."

Scripture for Life: Young or old, celibate or in a committed relationship, no matter our gender, all God asks is that we give of ourselves exactly as we are — and that we give our all.

Scripture for Life: Avoiding meticulous mandates, Jesus invites us to deeper considerations. By recalling Genesis and the human vocation to be icons of the divine, he calls forth our creativity.

Scripture for Life: What if we thought of our calling, our vocation, as an invitation to "the good life" in the sense of a life of fulfillment, joy, celebration, commitment, laughter and love? 

Today's readings invite us into at least two styles of prayer. The first, as Paul says, is to pray with the trust that produces peace, remembering that God urges us toward unimaginable good in every circumstance. 

Scripture for Life: If we resist the idea of learning from the other, we must be hearing this Sunday's readings correctly — the Scriptures are supposed to challenge us.

Scripture for Life: Sometimes we look at religion as a transactional affair: If we do good, we'll get rewarded, if not, we'll be punished. Thus, like Constantine, we shoot for the best we can get with the least disturbance to other priorities. 

Scripture for Life: Sirach talked about cherishing wrath. That seems to be the direct route to self-inflicted torment. How about the alternative of cherishing gratitude? 

Scripture for Life: In this second week of the 2023 Season of Creation, we are called to take up our vocation as creation's caretakers without delay.

Scripture for Life: Both Jeremiah and Peter had a bone to pick with God. But Jeremiah received a new perspective. Nothing was forced on him. Nor on Peter and friends.

Today, we find ourselves called to answer Jesus' question for ourselves. Happily, we don't need to figure it out alone, nor live it alone.

Scripture for Life: Concerns about who is in and who is out are as old as nature. As Isaiah, Jesus and Paul knew well, it's hard to free people from their ethnocentrism — the pride being part of an exclusive pack.

Scripture for Life: Peter shows us how to risk the depths. His example dares us, too, to do what Jesus did. Today's word of God is, "Come." It's the only remedy for our little faith.

Scripture for Life: If we want to know what God is like, listen to him. If we want to hear God's voice in our own time, if we want to know the will of God, listen to him.

Scripture for Life: Today's Liturgy of the Word invites us to wonder and believe in God's care.

Scripture for Life: What will make us more God-like, focusing on our failures or exulting in those moments when we know God has worked through us to bring about something wonderful?

Scripture for Life: Imagine what it would feel like to have genuine sympathy for the "wise and learned," who rely on themselves, compelled to make a show of their prestige. Imagine laying down all those heavy burdens!

Today, as we prepare to celebrate July 4, we might ask ourselves some of the following questions: "Who are the prophets in our society? Who is calling us to a deeper living of the Gospel? Whose need reminds us of the fragility of all life and our universal need for solidarity?"

Scripture for Life: Jesus would probably remind us that our greatest powers do not come from our physical or intellectual prowess but from the attitudes that motivate our actions. 

Scripture for Life: Taking the invitation and challenge of today's Gospel to heart, we will do all we can to be and become a church of disciples who continue the mission of Jesus.