Earlier this week, I wrote about the call to be a Catholic writer. In this article, I would like to explore the responsibilities of a Catholic writer, based on my own experience of writing over the past few years.
The Catholic faith-based genre is not an easy one to write. Many times, I have the feeling that I do not want to write anymore and I stop. Then the discomfort grows in me and I feel that I need to write again. It makes me wonder why I go through these repeated cycles which leave me feeling drained.
Troubled, I talked about this recently to a Scriptural expert and renowned Bible preacher who bases his work on Catholic principles and the teachings of the Catholic Church. After prayer, he directed me to this verse:
If I say, “I will not mention him,
or speak any more in his name,”
then within me there is something like a burning fire
shut up in my bones;
I am weary with holding it in,
and I cannot. (Jeremiah 20:9)
The preacher explains that this is the force that I feel: the Lord propelling me to share about Him in my writing.
I must write about him. He compels me from within and the words come out. But my words are accompanied by a great responsibility to draw others to Him through my writing and to live the words that I write.
This is an exciting mission! My words might draw someone to him who has a great role to play in the Kingdom of God. We have seen this happen many times in the lives of Catholic Saints who were transformed from their worldly lives into tireless workers for Him by reading a book or an article. St. Ignatius of Loyola, St. Augustine, St. Francis of Assisi are just some of the great souls that come to mind. St. Dominic once said about spiritual writing, “These books are my milk. They nourish me.”
Recently, I read about the fall of a storied Christian writer who has published many books and sold millions of copies over decades (because I do not want to cause additional pain for this author, I have chosen not to link the story here). Much of his work focused on the theme of grace. I was saddened by his story. He had fallen to marital infidelity with a married woman and, consequently, had to give up his writing career. His wife issued a public statement forgiving him. So many parties were involved and hurt. It was a fall from grace.
Yet I can understand some of the emotions and pulls that might lead to a fall like this. When someone writes about God, their articles can have a great impact on readers. These readers can express appreciation to the writer and, if one is not careful to give all of this glory to Him who is the source of everything, then human emotions can slowly lead the writer astray. Appreciation can become affection over time, until one day a line is crossed and the writer is no longer living out the words they once wrote about their faith.
The life of Max Scheler is a sobering example to me of what not to be. Scheler was one of the great Catholic philosophers and the writer of many books, but later in his life, he publicly disassociated himself from Catholic teaching.
For me, my beautiful Catholic faith and the vocation to write are for life and I pray for the strength to avoid temptations that could draw me away from the truths that I write.
The two instances narrated above brings one to awareness: we have a great responsibility as Catholic writers and we need to guard ourselves very carefully.
I think that the attitude of John the Baptist is an ideal model for the Catholic writer:
He must increase, but I must decrease. (John 3:30)
We as Catholic writers are always pointers to Him. He must increase and we must decrease.
One of the ways that I deflect positive feedback from my articles and keep it from going to my head is to say, “AMDG” (Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam). This Latin phrase, meaning, “For the greater glory of God,” is the motto of the Jesuits.
Dear readers, while I have a responsibility to write, you have a responsibility to pray for Catholic writers like me. Please pray that we faithfully conduct the mission that is entrusted to us by God and that our words reflect His glory, power, and love always.
The responsibility and divine obligation given to us is spelled out so clearly in 1 Corinthians 9:16:
For I preach the Gospel, this gives me no ground for boasting, for necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel.
There are not many of us on this hard path and there are many challenges that can make us want to stop writing about Him. We need your prayers.
As for me, I am determined to continue on this path until He no longer gives me the words and drive to write. Please keep me in your prayers so that I will not falter in the mission that is entrusted to me and I will be protected from the attacks of the evil one.
And if I ever respond to your comments with the letters AMDG, you will know why, and we can both direct our focus back on Him.
AMDG.
Image: “Printing press” (CC BY 2.0) by pedrik
Tom Thomas is a Catholic entrepreneur and occasional writer based in Bangalore, India. Married for over three decades to a dedicated doctor, and blessed with four wonderful children, he writes mainly reflective articles on family and faith, seeking to glorify Him and make Him known to others through these writings. His articles appear in Catholic Stand, Radio Veritas Asia, Indian Catholic Matters, Aleteia, Christ & Co, The Tabor Kirana magazine of the Archdiocese of Bangalore, Together Magazine of the Franciscans, Logos Voice Magazine of the Vincentians. He has also been a contributing author to two anthologies of short stories published as part of The Writers Collective, Bangalore. Besides writing, Tom likes to keep fit by running and golfing.
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