 NOTE: about every 5 weeks, I show up on Salt and Light Radio’s Blessed & Beautiful Segment for 15 minutes to share thoughts and experiences on an assigned topic. While the interview plays out spontaneously, this is a more composed and comprehensive reflection. “Thoughts on Screens” took place on Friday, September 13, the memorial of St. John Chrysostom. My thoughts on screens takes me to a spiritual maxim expressed in St. Ignatius’ Principle and Foundation of the Spiritual Exercises. “Man is created to praise, reverence, and serve God our Lord, and by this means to save his soul. The other things on the face of the earth are created for man to help him in attaining the end for which he is created. Hence, man is to make use of them in as far as they help him in the attainment of his end, and he must rid himself of them in as far as they prove a hindrance to him” (#23). Keep in mind that that “man” in many Scriptures, Church documents and ancient spiritual writings can be substituted with “the human person” or “humanity” and therefore “his/her” or “their” follows. This quote means that something is to be measured and used to the extent it aids our union with the Lord and the attainment of eternal life. If this is the case, how do we measure screens? Screens, our smartphones, iPads, computers, TVs, are here to stay. They are a neutral objects, neither morally good nor bad. Rather, it all depends on how they are used by the human person. On the one hand, we can watch the Chosen, listen to Bible in a Year, use Hallow to pray with, call our friends to stay in touch, facetime our grandkids, play candy crush to relax, follow the election news, evangelize and catechize, connect with likeminded people, pay bills, get map directions for our destination, etc. These things build us up in faith and wholeness of life. On the other hand, we can escape and numb life, avoid duties, relationships, and nature, watch trash like porn, violence, vulgarities, and superficialities that diminish our humanity and faith. Isolation, shame, and despondency often follow. Screens also have an addictive quality, use algorithms that funnel our searches, create echo chambers, and sometimes utilize propaganda and censorship. My recommendation is evaluation. Individually, the question is, “do I have a healthy relationship with my smartphone? Does my phone help me grow humanly and spiritually? Or is my screen a form of escape from real life experiences? What am I looking for when I turn to my phone? Perhaps, I need to go on a tech detox retreat? Take some time out? Delete certain apps? Park my phone in a certain location while at home? Get Covenant Eyes or Bark? Leave my phone in the car when I go to dinner with people? If incremental steps are not enough, consider counselling or going cold turkey for a while (Lent and Advent). We cannot grow spiritually if we are addicted to our phones? How often do I check my phone when I should be checking in with the Lord, instead? This tendency to auto-open screens cause dispersion, the opposite of what the spiritual masters call “recollection” or the ability to stay centered in the heart, renewed in mind, and in touch with the Lord. Small but helpful tips for the serious Christian are journal with pen/ paper and use a hard copy of the Bible, liturgical readings, spiritual book or sit in nature rather than using one’s phone to access prayer material. For evening examen or preparation for confession, ask, “have I allowed screens to cause me to neglect God, myself, family relationships, or work? If so, why?” If I am a parent, coach, or educator, I am called to steward my children or those in my care. Parents are the primary educators of their children! Coaches and educators spend more time with children than most parents. To the extent that I have control, I am responsible for what my kids watch, read, see, and hear. Am I diligent in this task? If not, why not? Is this helping or hindering their full and integral development? Am I unwilling to put the effort and sacrifice into their proper care and education? Am I afraid that they might miss out, afraid of their reactions, other’s responses? What is the balance that the Lord is asking for in today’s world? St. John Chrysostom reminds us, “What greater work is there than training the mind and forming the habits of the young?” (St. John Chrysostom). My prayer for myself and all of you is His, “I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one” (Jn 17: 15). Comments are closed.
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