The World Communications Day is celebrated annually on a Sunday before Pentecost. This year marks the 54th celebration of this day with the theme: “That you may tell your children and grandchildren” (Ex 10:2) Life becomes history.
Pope Francis devoted this year’s message with the theme of storytelling because he believes that we have our own truth contained in good stories. “Stories that build up, not tear down; stories that help us rediscover our roots and the strength needed to move forward together,” Pope Francis stated at the beginning of his message for the 54th World Communications Day. He also enumerated 5 focal points which revolves around the communication being a narrative that reveals the interweaving of threads that connect us to one another:
1. Weaving stories.
We are beings who protect our lives by being “clothed” with stories. Clothing is not the only thing we weave, but also stories. The human ability to weave does not just bring “textile”, but also “text”.
2. Not all stories are good stories.
There are messages through storytelling that are used for purposes of exploitation. By sewing together unverified information, we do not weave human history, but scrape other’s dignity.
3. The story of stories.
The story of stories is the Sacred Scripture, the Bible. Psalm 139:13 states that “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.” We are born incomplete, but constantly knitted together to be wonderfully made.
4. An ever-renewed story.
Christ’s history is not just a heritage from the past, it is the story of us and it is always timely.
5. A story that renews us.
When we read the Scriptures, the Holy Spirit writes in our hearts and revives our memory of how God sees us. With this, we can re-weave the fabric of life, mending its rips and tears.
Today, as it is a day celebrating communication throughout the world, we should acknowledge the efforts of every media ministry all over the world. Amid the pandemic, a large congregation is prohibited, therefore restraining the celebration of Holy Mass. This gave media ministries a mission to deliver the Holy Gospel to the people by communicating through the use of technology and social media.
This is our way to communicate in the middle of a struggle, weaving stories and messages bound to mend people’s souls, and creating a history that one may tell to future generations. (Jazlene Jimenez)
