Ok...finally I'm taking the time to blog something again. I currently find it very hard to find time to do anything apart from study, study and ...study. And the minute I'm done here, I will continue to go back and do just that: study.
Anyways, this past Sunday was the first Sunday in Lent. Everybody out there is now debating what they want to abstain or fast from, and everybody has their own little idea on how best to achieve that. First things first: no meat on Fridays and fasting only on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Fasting, in America and within the Diocese of Pittsburgh means: 2 small meals and one large meal on "Fast Days" only. No snacks in between meals. Obviously, what's considered a small meal can also be open to interpretation. But I think that's where you must be led by your conscience and by prudence. If you're in the state of grace, as Catholics would say, then you should be able to handle that and figure out what's right.
Now, there are also always the many priests who think that Lent is a time to stay away from modern technology in general, because so many people get so much pleasure out of watching mindless stuff on TV and blasting their senses (eyes & ears, and therefor also the mind) with all kinds of media.
The priests' objections make sense, are reasonable, understandable, and valid.
Modern technology does have a way of making people sick, if they are not taught how to treat this technology in a healthy way.
And if all the stuff people see and hear is garbage, then this "garbage" will slowly seep into people's minds and lives, and it kind of ends up being like food = you are what you eat. Eat toxic stuff, your body becomes toxic.
Which is why Lent is meant to help rid the body and mind of toxins...unhealthy habits, etc.
But there is a different view-point as well...
In this day and age, we are almost forced to work with modern technology, whether we may like to, or not. Just like eating can be a necessary evil to some, so is modern technology.
I watched a video podcast this morning while eating breakfast which discussed exactly this topic: modern day children and teens and technology, and how it affects their life-style and health. The video podcast was from a European country, and traditionally I would say that European countries have always been a little bit healthier and less obese in comparison with the US. I say this out of my own experience.
To my surprise, the European countries are catching up in regards to kids becoming more obese. But that wasn't all that surprised me: the kids in this podcast were your every-day average kid, and they spent hours and hours on the computer, cell-phones, and listening to music, watching videos, texting, etc.
When they weren't in school, they were at home on their computers.
The main reason for this is because pressure is growing in industrialized countries to get a better education, and there are also less and less play-grounds or roads that kids can play on, walk on, do sports on....or any kind of outdoor activity, for that matter...so since people don't have the ability anymore to simply be outside, they are forced to spend more time in-doors....hence the more activity with computers, etc.
One could lament the way things are going, but it would do no good, because that's the way the world is. And I don't think it's going to get better. Not because God didn't do a wonderful job with His creation, but because of the evil which has infiltrated it.
Therefor: if there are more and more people, especially young, impressionable kids, spending time on their computers and with other media, especially social media, there are less and less kids and/or parents to preach to at a daily Mass in person.
There are less and less people hearing the gospel, either by their own choice, or due to their upbringing, or due to their financial obligations to maintain a job which doesn't allow them to be concerned so much with "Religious stuff".
Either way, if parents feel this way, and if children look to their parents for guidance, then you can only imagine what religious education that child might get....none, to hardly any.
Then keep in mind that those kids spend countless hours on their computers, on social media websites, etc...
Isn't it clear then, that as Catholics we have the obligation to take a stand and be a presence in this otherwise very harsh world?
Did Jesus not make the call for us to go out and look for the lost sheep?
Do you think you will find them in your parish at Mass?
If that's what you think, then you don't yet fully realize what "being lost" means.
The people who still go to Mass and go to church, do need to be kept from going lost....
But they are not lost yet.
The ones we are called to bring home, are the ones who DON'T go to Mass or church at all anymore, or only for Christmas and Easter.
Where do you think you are going to find these people?
Hint, hint.....how about the internet and social media?
If, as a fellow Catholic or priest, you may find all this "new technology stuff" hard to deal with, that's fine.
But how about practicing what you preach (whether or not you are a priest or fellow Catholic) and at least make an effort to understand where people are and where they're coming from nowadays?
That would be a true act of sacrifice: to at least try to learn about Catholic Social Media, learn about the technology out there and how to use it; not to enrich your own life...but those you may touch with it.
To show those who spend hours on the internet watching, reading and listening to junk, a true alternative.....something to enrich them spiritually and motivate them to lead healthier lives, whichever way that may be for the individual.
Consider Lamentations 4:4 (New American Standard Version Bible):
"The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst: the young children ask bread, and no man breaketh it unto them"
Or even take a closer look at the gospel of Luke, in particular Chapter 11.
How can we simply ignore the fact that there are people who will only then learn how to have a relationship with God and the Church, if we can get out of our own convenience, comfort-zone and way of thinking, to stoop down and be present to where they are?
Just a thought.
Here some suggestions for further reading:
http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/ - for those who feel in need of some extra guidance, here and then...
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Catholic-Spiritual-Direction/57335866769?sk=info#!/promotecatholicism?sk=info -->wonderfully filled with all kinds of Catholic Media links/suggestions, etc! Check this out!
http://sqpn.com/ --->this website is fantastic to learn more about Catholic Social Media, and to find wonderful Catholic Podcasts and videos! Please check this out!
Some priests blogging...
http://chingchuirom.blogspot.com/
http://canyoudrinkthecup.blogspot.com/
Great Apps for iPhone/iPad/iTouch/iPod: to be found on iTunes:
Divine Office
iMissal
free & great podcasts (iTunes or on the affiliated websites):
SQPN: Healthy Catholic
SQPN: The Break with Father Roderick
EWTN: Mother Angelica Classic
