This Sunday’s readings focus on questions of justice and its wise application. There is no more timely theme for the U.S. justice system, which has the largest level of incarceration . . .

The psalmist offers sound advice on how to live blamelessly before the Lord, doing no harm to others. Sadly, not all follow this advice. This week a judge in Colorado sentenced movie theater gunman James Holmes to 12 life sentences and the maximum . . .

Authentic religion is marked by avoidance of worldly ways, says Alice Camille in Exploring the Word for this Sunday. Martin Luther, the church reformer excommunicated nearly 500 years ago, in retrospect had legitimate grievances about the worldly ways of the church of his age. With time, reconciliation has begun. The Vatican has given its backing . . .

Jesus upends expectations and criticizes those who focus on outward signs of religiosity, who “disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition.” Defying expectations and traditions, a young Muslim woman has been elected . . .

“The degree of civilization in a society can by judged by entering its prisons.”

By some estimates, the coffee beans required to create a typical cup of coffee need 140 liters of water to grow.