Dear Catholic writer, who are you writing to?
Do you write for fellow Catholics like you? Or do you write for those who do not share your faith? Are you writing to strengthen the faith of believers? Or are you writing so you could share your faith with the world?
Sometimes I forget my target audience.
I feel that I’m writing for the whole world in general, for everyone. I would realize a certain truth and I just want to share it. I feel that the truth would somehow be recognized by all of those who would read it.
But lately, I have come to realize that I may need to think deeper about my readers when I write. Am I getting my message across without a specific audience in mind? Or am I just writing to myself like all of those times that I write in my diary?
If I am writing for fellow Catholics, I have to think about what kind of Catholics I’m writing to.
Are they new believers who need to be taught much about the faith? Are they fervent Catholics on the way to sainthood? Are they lukewarm believers whose faith needs to be rekindled? Because it’s very difficult to speak to all of them at the same time.
On the other hand, if I’m writing for non-believers, I should keep in mind that many of them don’t have much knowledge about my Catholic faith. Many may even have preconceived ideas about what Catholicism means. Still, there are those who have sufficient information about our faith but continue to reject any possibility of conversion.
When I write for unbelievers, am I writing for those who refuse to believe despite all substantial arguments in favor of the faith?
Or am I writing for those who have no idea at all about Catholicism, people who could believe given the chance to know the right path? When I write then for unbelievers who are merely lost, I should write with more understanding and patience, giving them the benefit of the doubt, and letting them know about the infinite love and mercy of God.
Even Jesus did not speak in the same way to everyone.
While He spoke sternly to Pharisees who refused to believe in Him, He spoke gently to repentant sinners. To the woman caught in adultery, He granted forgiveness. To the repentant thief crucified with Him, He even promised paradise.
Dear Catholic writer, who are you writing for today?
“I still have many things to tell you, but you can’t bear them now. However, when he, the Spirit of truth, has come, he will guide you into all truth, for he will not speak from himself; but whatever he hears, he will speak. He will declare to you things that are coming. He will glorify me, for he will take from what is mine and will declare it to you. All things that the Father has are mine; therefore I said that he takes† of mine and will declare it to you.
- John 16:12-15, WEBBE
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