This Sunday's reading from the Letter to the Hebrews informs us that God neither desires nor delights in sacrificial offerings. Many poor women, however, are being forced to sacrifice good health care because of budget shortfalls.

The psalmist this Sunday prays that the Lord "take care of this vine, and protect what your right hand has planted." The goal of the United Nations climate summit in Copenhagen is to get humanity to take better care of the environment.

The people of Israel dreamed of the time to come when a great leader would be born in Bethlehem. For the Boeing Company the time finally came Tuesday to launch the new 787 Dreamliner on its maiden flight, albeit 28 months late and billions of dollars over-budget.

The infant in Elizabeth's womb "leaped for joy" when Mary approached, we hear in this Sunday's gospel. Small businesses that approach banks for loans are not getting a similar reaction.

"Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved," says this Sunday's psalm response. The issue with teens texting messages while they drive is quite the contrary: They have their faces turned toward their cell phones instead of the road. 

"There shouldn't be a white or black Christmas, only a merry Christmas for everyone."

In the past 12 months the print publishing industry has lost 86,800 jobs, and in the past month payrolls fell 4.2 percent, due in part to large layoffs at Time Inc. and other publishers.