Every journalist faces “blank page syndrome” at some point. Similarly, the challenge for every preacher is to have something to say; to know how to explain the Word of God and share it; to get the main message of the Gospel right without drawing a blank... Brevity, conciseness, moving lives and hearts are all part of this challenge. A mixture of cold sweat and tremendous excitement characterizes the struggles and anxieties of those who rack their brains to convey the Good News to others. A funny paradox: when it comes to writing about the risks and advantages of using AI (Artificial Intelligence), the first impulse is to turn to “it” to see what it thinks about the subject, how it approaches it. Something like “searching” before “thinking.” In any case, this is nothing that has not been done before, albeit in a more rudimentary way: turning to encyclopedias, books, or scholars to organize ideas and consider enriching approaches.
I think the dream of a mediocre preacher would be to wake up in the morning, drink a cup of coffee, and ask the central computer in his “smart home” for a good homily. The movies have warned us about the “rebelliousness” of some artificial “brains” (for example, “Hal” from 2001: A Space Odyssey). And although it introduced us to honest and loyal robotic “intelligences” at the service of humans (such as the ingenious “Tars” from Interstellar), we cannot expect from them a “spiritual act” such as “preaching.”.
The three classic purposes of communication (to inform, entertain, and persuade) are not foreign to the Gospel, nor to Jesus' own style. But the Lord is not a businessman who seeks only performance and efficiency. He desires to enter into people's personal lives out of love, not to gain followers or convince them that the products he sells are the best and must be purchased. When Jesus reaches his listeners, in addition to his powerful and truthful message, he convinces them with his own life; he is credible and touches their hearts.
A priest wrote his script based on several “reliable” sources. He then passed it on to a young parishioner who was somewhat “on the fringes” of the Church but an expert in new technologies. With that material, he prepared a beautiful presentation, with images, visuals, and order; even highlighting the main points and marginalizing the incidental... It was colorful and educational. He even composed a curious melody to condense the theme, ideal for young and old alike to memorize!
Because AI has the advantage of speed, conciseness, and illustration... It summarizes without losing the essence. It comes up with the usual questions that focus on the topic, thus helping to avoid digressions or being “out of touch” with reality. It provides context and practical ways to respond. It is specific. When asked for an anecdote that exemplifies the topic, it usually comes quite close (it provides a generic story that the preacher can then use; sometimes it specifies it, if it “finds” one that someone has written or used before). AI needs to be well fed, but it does provide direct and quick access to a multitude of content, comments, and homilies in a compilation.
When it comes to preaching well, there are few shortcuts. Mere “efficiency” is idolatry. You need to understand Jesus: what he thinks, what he feels, what he would do... and why. That is prayer. The vertigo of the good preacher is having to speak of something Sublime, Pure, Omnipotent, knowing himself to be splattered with his own sin, without strength, without knowledge... without sufficient grace from God. But grace pursues him. He seeks the unquenchable fire of Truth. He does not expound, he proclaims! He conceives appropriate “headlines” because he “receives” them from within. The machine has read millions of texts, but without making them flesh, without soul.
Currently, a bird of ill omen flies over the nest of content: manipulation. There are websites that try to “shield” themselves from this. Thinking and learning remain essential. So do humility and repentance. The preacher who embodies the Gospel carries it like the tan of someone who has been exposed to the vitamin-rich sun.
AI is a tool: you cannot give it your heart or blindly delegate to it the task of preaching, catechesis, conversation... Jesus Christ persuades because he is trustworthy. The Church is asked for much or all of that transforming integrity of the Holy Spirit, the Principal Author.
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