"It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom of God," the disciples assure one another in this Sunday's reading from Acts. The message of hardships and economic austerity delivered to the people of Greece by its government was greeted with protests that turned violent Wednesday, as angry youths rampaged through the city center . . .

The new Jerusalem is front and center in this Sunday's reading where the old order has passed away and pain and death are no more. That we have yet to accomplish this new order was painfully obvious with the recent attempted terrorist attack in New York City.

With their livelihoods and natural surroundings in serious jeopardy because of the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, many coastal residents are praying with the psalmist this Sunday that "God have pity on us and bless us."

In this Sunday's gospel Jesus promises his disciples that the Advocate will teach them everything. Advocacy journalism is at risk around the world, warns Paris-based Reporters Without Borders in their annual report to mark World Media Freedom Day.

"Do we suspect we will find more people? Probably so."

The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission has approved an application from an Indiana company to start a futures exchange that would trade derivatives linked to the box office performance of new movies