In this Sunday’s reading from the Book of Exodus, the Lord has some strong words for those with power and influence who abuse the vulnerable for economic gain. What started in a park near Wall Street a month ago as a small protest against financial abuse and inequality has now spread to four continents. . . .

This Sunday’s second reading closes with a reference to “Jesus, who delivers us from the coming wrath.” Those who warn of the potentially catastrophic consequences of global warming have a new piece of evidence . . .

The psalmist offers praise to the Lord for being “safe from my enemies.” There were celebrations in Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip Tuesday as a complex exchange of prisoners brought safety and freedom . . .

Loving one’s neighbor ranks with loving God with one's whole heart, soul, and mind as the greatest of the commandments, Jesus teaches in this Sunday’s gospel. When your neighbors include wild predators, however, the welcome can be less than warm--and the outcome tragic . . .

“One challenge in Jesus' day [was] people who were religious but not spiritual. In ours they're spiritual but not religious. Both are needed.”

Largely because of the housing market decline, the median net worth gap between whites and minorities in the U.S. has doubled since the beginning of the recession, reaching a new high, according to a recent analsys of census data.