Encountering People as They Are

“This year, then, I would like to devote this Message [for World Communications Day] to the invitation to “come and see”, which can serve as an inspiration for all communication that strives to be clear and honest, in the press, on the internet, in the Church’s daily preaching and in political or social communication. “Come and see!”  This has always been the way that the Christian faith has been communicated, from the time of those first encounters on the banks of the River Jordan and on the Sea of Galilee.” These are the words Pope Francis used to introduce his Message for the 2021 World Communications Day (May 16).

In this message, Pope Francis stresses the importance of ‘original, investigative reporting” based on personal encounters with the people involved and impacted.  He praises those who share the stories of people whom we would never hear from otherwise.

Journalism too, as an account of reality, calls for an ability to go where no one else thinks of going: a readiness to set out and a desire to see. Curiosity, openness, passion. We owe a word of gratitude for the courage and commitment of all those professionals – journalists, camera operators, editors, directors – who often risk their lives in carrying out their work. Thanks to their efforts, we now know, for example, about the hardships endured by persecuted minorities in various parts of the world, numerous cases of oppression and injustice inflicted on the poor and on the environment, and many wars that otherwise would be overlooked. It would be a loss not only for news reporting, but for society and for democracy as a whole, were those voices to fade away. Our entire human family would be impoverished.

Communicating the Truth of the Gospel

In communications, nothing can ever completely replace seeing things in person. Some things can only be learned through first-hand experience. We do not communicate merely with words, but with our eyes, the tone of our voice and our gestures. Jesus’ attractiveness to those who met him depended on the truth of his preaching; yet the effectiveness of what he said was inseparable from how he looked at others, from how he acted towards them, and even from his silence. The disciples not only listened to his words; they watched him speak. Indeed in him – the incarnate Logos – the Word took on a face; the invisible God let himself be seen, heard and touched, as John himself tells us (cf. 1 Jn 1:1-3). The word is effective only if it is “seen”, only if it engages us in experience, in dialogue. For this reason, the invitation to “come and see” was, and continues to be, essential.

How do we say “Come and See”

One of my takeaways from this message is that we who serve in Catholic communications, whether through preaching or teaching, in print or online have a duty to help people “encounter” Jesus for themselves. We help them to experience Jesus in the sacraments, in scripture, in prayer, in worship, in service to the poor, in the lived experiences of our community, and in our words, looks, and tone as we engage with them.  Come and see Jesus is an invitation, a word of welcome—an invitation we want to offer over and over again.

With that in mind, it is probably a good time to look at our communications, in person, in print and online, and ask if they convey the invitation to come and see.  Come encounter Jesus Christ with us. If not, what can we do about that?

You can read the entire message “Come and See” (John 1:46). Communicating by Encountering People as They Are by clicking here: http://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/messages/communications/documents/papa-francesco_20210123_messaggio-comunicazioni-sociali.html

Your thoughts and suggestions are welcome!