Our friend Fr Michael Denk published an article for Our Sunday Visitor.
The link to the entire article is found at the bottom of the page.
Prayer, Fasting, Almsgiving Observing this penitential season in the Digital Age by Father Michael Denk.
Every Lent the Church invites to the three traditional practices of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. I have to admit that most years I’m scrambling to try and think of something by Ash Wednesday. So I’m writing this in hopes that it will give us all some time to reflect on and pray about how we would like to increase our prayer, fasting and almsgiving this Lent.
It seems that the digital age provides us with a unique opportunity for Lenten practices. The Catechism states “In many circumstances, the Christian is called to make promises to God.” The hopes of this article is to allow us all an opportunity to reflect and pray over promises we make to God during this penitential season.
The number one Christmas gift last year was the Kindle Touch, and I can’t believe the number of children that have iPod touches. We all probably need to ask ourselves the following question: “Is the media that I am using drawing me closer to God or away from God?” We might also take time to read Brandon Vogt’s book The Church and New Media: Blogging Converts, Online Activists, and Bishops who Tweet.
Here are a few different examples that can be reflected on: What do I find myself watching on TV? What do I listen to on the way to work? What am I surfing for online? How often am I on my smart phone, or iPad, or Kindle? What relationships am I forming on Facebook? Are these generally drawing me toward God and intimacy or taking me away from God and intimacy? Lent is a time for us to turn back to God — we can do this with our use of technology as well.