Letter from an Editor

In the beginning* was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be. (John 1:1-3)

One of my favorite scenes from the television series “The Chosen,” a television series of episodes about Christ and His followers, is when John the Evangelist sat down to write his Gospel. We will never know how he felt about this holy assignment that was given to him. However, we believe that what he wrote, along with the rest of the contents of the Bible, are not the authors’ own opinions or recountings but are the inspired Word of God.

Having edited articles for CS for two years, I am encouraged by writers who express their love for the Catholic faith and the Church. The greatest impact on me is when each writer expresses his or her thoughts such that I feel they are communicating with me directly. I hope that others who read their articles have a similar experience.

Jesus, the Word made flesh, is the greatest gift that God has given us. Not coincidentally, God has given us words as the primary means by which we communicate with each other. The frequency in today’s world of sending text messages on cell phones comes as no surprise. In years past, receiving a hand-written letter from a relative or friend was a true joy for most people. Parents wait with excitement for their baby’s first word, wondering what it will be. Most people will die having lost the ability to walk but might still be able to speak until their last breath.

We might not always agree with the words that another person has said, but listening to what someone else has to say (or reading what someone writes) can be an exercise in humility. The Holy Spirit might just be using that instance or encounter to remind us of our humanity.

I suppose that John did not need an editor when he wrote his gospel since his words came as a direct inspiration from the Holy Spirit!  As an editor for Catholic Stand (CS), I believe that CS writers also receive their inspiration from and are guided by the Holy Spirit, and I will do my best to keep their messages as close to what was originally intended as possible.

I want to thank each CS writer for sometimes writing about topics I might not necessarily choose to read and for challenging me to think about and pray about my own opinions. I also appreciate the many prayers they have written and the references to Scripture that they have included in their pieces. I believe that all of us in this apostolate are uniquely blessed and directly or indirectly impact many people’s lives.

I also want to express my gratitude to the CS writers whose work I have edited. I appreciate that they have allowed me to have both a preview of their written thoughts and permission to polish them a bit. I am thankful for the courage that they and all CS writers have for sharing their faith, their witness, and their opinions with the world. In their unique way, they are following the Great Commission to go out to all the world and tell the Good News about Christ.