Mary M. McGlone

I wonder if Luke had tongue in cheek when he wrote the conclusion to his description of John the Baptist. From Luke’s picture, it seems that although John made clear demands on everybody, the poor got the worst of it.

Scripture for Life: Metanoia is an approach that both hopes and works for the time when things will be as God created them to be. John the Baptist pointed out what that looks like in action.

“The word of God came to John … in the desert.” On this Second Sunday of Advent, unless we live in an area such as the Southwest U.S., the desert is probably about as far from our imaginations as a herd of camels. In today's Gospel, Luke wants us to think about the desert and why John was there instead of protesting around the palace or preaching in the Temple.

Scripture for Life: The desert is where our soul finds room to expand, where we can remember what we really thirst for. This is the desert we can choose when we want its blessing.

Scripture for Life: What are we celebrating with today's feast? Some say that when Pope Pius XI established the feast of Christ the King in 1925, he wanted to combat secularism and also, some say, to remind the nations of Europe that the Catholic Church remained more important than political realms. 

Scripture for Life: The Book of Daniel and Mark's Gospel invite us into the apocalyptic mindset, a point of view that proclaims that the worst of times will give birth to the best of times. Apocalypse simply means revelation or "uncovering."

Scripture for Life: Have you ever cringed at least a little at the story of the widow's mite? Did you ever wonder if Jesus really wanted a poor, vulnerable woman to "give her whole livelihood" to the Temple treasury?

Scripture for Life: Today's Gospel tells the unusual story of a nice encounter between Jesus and a scribe. Whether or not the man started out as a sincere questioner, he and Jesus hit it off as they exchanged theological opinions. 

Scripture for Life: The image that might best portray eleison-mercy is what the father in Luke 15 gave his prodigal son: He didn't simply forgive him but brought him home and gave him a position from which he could be a truer son than he had ever been before.

Scripture for Life: Today's readings beg the question: "Disciple, just who do you think you are?" The true answer comes from knowing what we seek and the company we keep.

Scripture for Life: Today's Gospel reminds us that every Christian is called to participate in Jesus' mission. That call is personal and unique, tailored to the gifts and needs of each person. Each is free to accept or reject it. It calls forth much more than praying an extra psalm or wearing a scapular.

Scripture for Life: When his examiners brought up the question of divorce, Jesus turned it into a discussion of the dignity of each person and the fact that human beings are made for loving one another as truly as we are made to love God.

Scripture for Life: To get to the Resurrection, Jesus had to pass through the shoals of death. He had to trust love to carry him all the way through. It was Jesus' faith and vulnerability that allowed God to raise him. No theory is sufficient. 

Scripture for Life: The disciples' story demonstrates that it takes a long time to grow into sharing Jesus' priorities. What is key is that the disciples stayed with Jesus — and he with them.

Scripture for Life: From the time that Jesus looked at his disciples and said, "Blessed are you poor" to the present time, Christianity has taught that the poor and those who work for justice represent the reign of God among us.

Scripture for Life: Fixing our hearts is a matter of will and grace. The grace is available through the law and the prophets, the Son and the communities led by his Spirit. Do we have faith that makes us willing to accept our need for help?

Scripture for Life: Are we ready to renew our deeply personal, public dedication to Christ? If so, we might use the profession of faith as a solemn reaffirmation of our commitment. 

Scripture for Life: Jesus' last words in today's Gospel offer the invitation to live forever. It's as though after five weeks of pondering the mystery of Jesus the bread of life, we are still not adequately prepared to come to a conclusion. 

Scripture for Life: Elijah's story seems to teach that God listens to the prayers of the beloved and answers by beckoning them toward all that life can offer. This is the message Jesus tried to convey to his companions as he described himself as the bread that comes from heaven.

Scripture for Life: Following the lead of our ancestors in the faith, we may slowly learn to see beyond what the Letter to the Ephesians calls the "futility" of our minds and begin to perceive what God is doing here and now.