In Sunday’s gospel Jesus asks a pointed question of the disciples of John the Baptist who are following him: "What are you looking for?" Diplomatic observers are worriedly asking the same of Iran as the country challenges the West. Iran sentenced a dual U.S.-Iranian citizen to death Monday . . .

On his way to becoming a prophet, young Samuel learned how to hear and respond to the call of God, we learn in Sunday’s first reading. In many countries Christians who dare to do the same openly risk persecution. The international Christian organization Open Doors released its annual World Watch List . . .

“I come to do your will,” says the psalmist this Sunday in offering to serve the Lord. President Barack Obama this week named an immigration expert with longstanding ties to the Catholic Church as his top domestic advisor and an Orthodox Jew as his new chief of staff . . .

“God raised the Lord and will also raise us by his power,” promises Saint Paul in this Sunday’s excerpt from 1 Corinthians. Pope Benedict XVI would like to see world economic powers raise their ethical standards and create systems that benefit . . .

“Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided missiles and misguided [people]. . . . Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

Unemployment is hitting Europeans under 25 especially hard. In Spain the jobless rate for people in that age group is 49 percent; in Greece: 45 percent; Portugal: 30 percent; Italy: 29 percent; and France: 24 percent.