Well, I'm back. My break from the world of technology was very eye opening. The internet now is what television once was--a medium capable of sucking the life right out of life. As people have very rightly pointed out to me, the difference is that the internet is rife with knowledge--and knowledge that we can, in some senses, control. True, but it is also full of potential past times that are addicting and can easily cause the better part of a day to go up in electronic smoke.
The solution is, as always, the difficult one. Balance a la St. Benedict. Ora et Labora. Prayer and work. Sigh. Even before the internet (or tv, or books) people were crying out for a balance in life that would allow them to see God in the midst of everyday drugery. St. Benedict's solution was not to pile on extreme outside mortifications, but to allow the Lord to speak through the every day. A bit like St. Therese's "Little Way". Let the daily grind point you to Heaven. Offer up the little annoyances, and fulfill your state in life as a way to give tribute to the God who created you.
7 comments:
Nicely put. Balance is the key to pretty much everything in our lives. People can become addicted to anything ... anything at all. We simply can't remove every temptation from our lives. But, we can listen ... listen with an open heart and an open mind to hear God's wisdom throughout "everyday drugery." We've all heard that "little voice" telling us important information, directing us. Sometimes we listen better than others, but it's always there if we choose to tune in.
I'm glad your week "away" was a fruitful one.
Technology can make it so hard to "tune in"--that's the difficulty of anything addicting. I think that "tuning in" is the cornerstone of any spirituality. That is where God is. If we are make in His image and likeness, we need to stop running away from ourselves and start listening for that "still, small Voice" of the Holy Spirit.
(Sorry, that should be "made", not "make".)
I struggle for that balance as any should. I am happy to report, though, that i'm making progress. My wife and newborn daughter finally found our way back to church this past fall in our town - it had been a long hard climb since the death of our pastor in a neighboring boro, but we're back now....sort of...but still looking for balance!
Its fascinating to realize that even back in the 4-500s, when Saint Benedict lived, people were striving for balance in their lives. Having said that, though, I think it is an especially modern phenomenon given what we have invented to distract ourselves with, in addition to all the things that existed 1500 years ago that are still with us today.
dymphna, i made a post about OCD that you might find interesting. drop over and take a look. if you want, feel free to comment:)
Ok, thanks, Marilena. I'm on my way!
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