“The people were filled with expectation,” we hear in the gospel for this Sunday’s Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. With suspect James Holmes on trial for the July massacre at a suburban Denver movie theater and President Barack Obama’s promise in the wake of the December shootings . . .

The optional reading from the Acts of the Apostles this Sunday reminds us that “God shows no partiality.” Church leaders in Wisconsin would like to remind politicians and the public at large of this fact and encourage more civility in political debates as well as everyday life. Let’s hope . . .

In the Psalm 29 option this Sunday we respond, “The Lord will bless his people with peace.” The Jewish people, to whom this promise was made so many centuries ago, under no circumstances can be labeled as “enemies” of the Catholic Church, the Vatican affirmed on Monday, repudiating comments . . .

Memorable words from the Book of Isaiah greet us this Sunday: “A voice cries out: In the desert prepare the way of the Lord! Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God!” If heating trends in the U.S. continue on their current trajectory, future citizens may find themselves crying out for salvation from just such . . .

“Anybody living in the strength of Christ’s baptism lives in the strength of Christ’s death.”

The new U.S. Congress may be the most religiously diverse ever, but it does not represent the country religiously in all cases. For the first time less than half the U.S. popula-tion is Protestant, while 56 percent of Congress is. Catholics have about 30 percent of members (MCs) to around 27 percent of the population, and while the number of those claiming no religion is around 20 percent, only one MC openly does.