Recently, I was struck hard by the news that a member of my congregation is going through the trial of sickness. Many people around us are affected by cancer, diabetes, heart problems—name it, it is there. It seems that almost everybody is affected, either directly or through a family member or close friend who is suffering. How should we be responding?

Last Friday, EU leaders met in Brussels to discuss an intergovernmental treaty that will enforce stricter financial laws among EU members.  Four nations initially rejected the treaty but with “a strong diplomatic push… the Czech Republic, Hungary and Sweden entered the fold later.”  Britain was the only one of the 27 EU nations to reject the treaty.

The gushing torrent of bad news has become a flood. As each day unfolds it seems that more disturbing developments occur on the world scene. Serious analysts and economists are predicting the collapse of major world currencies. All agree that impending disaster has been brought about by decades of profligate spending at every level of government. This lack of self-discipline, plus widespread corruption in government, has resulted in a sorry state of affairs.

As of last Monday, the whooping cough (pertussis) outbreak in three Illinois counties included more than 500 diagnosed cases.  Public health officials say the actual number of cases is much higher, but that the 500 represent solely “medically diagnosed” cases.  In McHenry County alone there were 172 cases on Monday—up from just nine cases during the entirety of last year.  Officials do not know the exact reason for the outbreak.

When British Prime Minister David Cameron exercised the United Kingdom’s national veto last Friday at the European Union Summit in Brussels—the first EU national veto ever exercised by a British Prime Minister—he surprised most observers and sent shock-waves through the Union as never before in the UK’s 39-year involvement in the grand European project.