What Francis of Assisi said of preaching is equally true of voting: do it without ceasing, and do it on Election Day only when necessary.

The paratextual content in modern Bibles goes far beyond basic features, of course, and there appears to be no limit to the marketing creativity of publishers who continuously repackage the Scriptures.

The fear at the heart of the public's down-vote is that the rights of the unborn are being placed above those of those they already know. And that's simply not a sacrifice many are willing to make.

In today's world, the voices of moderation are becoming fewer and fewer, while extremist groups are growing in size and are flexing more and more political muscle.

The temptation at a moment like this is twofold. Unable to see our way forward, we can give into despair. We can also succumb to optimism -- to the false hope that, against the odds, we will triumph as a nation or as the human race.