2024 Notes Part 2: Wheat and Weeds
Often, I take a look at others’ lives and wonder what it takes to make my life as good as theirs. Everything, and I mean it when I say everything, looks better on social media. All the accomplishments, the traveling, the concerts, the scholarships, the happily-ever-after couples. With the world within my reach, I inadvertently stand in awe riding the digital rollercoaster up and down.
Even though social media has been useful in making our lives easier daily, it is worth noting that social media also takes part in one’s mental state. As an indispensable aspect of life (especially for young people), social media has the potential to unknowingly devour our time; resulting in social media overuse. Several studies regarding these two prove that the amount of time spent online is one of the reasons why the number of depression, anxiety, and suicidality has been sharply increasing lately (Beyari, 2023; Orben & Blakemore, 2023). However, the impact of social media on mental health is not limited to negative outcomes. It can sometimes behave differently. For instance, there has been a widespread social media movement promoting the importance of mental health.
I was a person who distracted myself from social media for my own sake in a so-called “social media detox”. Yet even though it sounds appealing, I am aware that excluding myself from it, slowly but surely, somehow leads me to feel isolated and lonely. Detox isn’t the answer; striving for the balance of the digital world is. I cannot turn a blind eye that social media is indeed important.
Thus, how should the Catholic church take part in this phenomenon?
Responding to this call, the Pontifical Mission Society in Indonesia under the Diocese of Malang held a three-day seminar on how to spread Christianity in the digital world. Well, as this Medium is my hamlet, I wouldn’t make a kind of report here. I will just write how I feel and what I got throughout the process instead.
It has been ages since the last time I took part in this kind of thing related to the church. I recall that the last time was in 2018 if I’m not mistaken. I would proudly say that this might be one of the bravest I can be in my life thus far. Everything happened in a flash with people who I barely knew and only met once. To be frank I wasn’t much of a help as I was a bit sick. Yet, fortunately, this is just one of the multiple “ports” I’d sail together in this squad. Jesse Choi wrote this in his blog, “The opposite of happiness is hopelessness, and by extension, happiness is the presence of hope.” And here, amid the bleak mid-March day, I feel the presence of hope.
The hope of a better religious life ahead. The hope for a better alliance between me and the Creator of Life.
There is an abundance of things I could learn, but especially things I need to contemplate. A padre in this seminar told us one thing, that is to do a mission (spreading Christianity) with joy and pride. But what makes me proud to be a Catholic? And why should I be proud of that? I may not have an answer to this query yet, but that is when the journey begins. The journey that I have no idea when or where it will end, but I’m sure that it will build me into a person who’s more resilient, compassionate, and committed to my own beliefs.
One day I’m sure I’ll take a look back on this note and cringe. But I am not me without all of these things I’ve experienced and will experience in life. All of us are each a patchwork quilt of people who love, trust, and even hate us. Whats more, all of these cringe thoughts I have in mind are also puzzle pieces that complete me.
I recognize that the Catholic Church has fallen behind in today’s digital age. Recently, I’ve come across some TikTok accounts that use their platforms to promote the Catholic Church. As far as I know, the most well-known Indonesian artists are Walma J | Your Mantila Lady and Romo Koko. However, in comparison to other religions, there has not been a large-scale push to preach Jesus’ love through social media. It is limited or occasionally outdated. One thing we as Catholics may overlook is that the young generation is transforming and the Catholic church should transform as well.
Catechism shouldn’t be done in an old-school way, it should be transformed into something that fits the modern trends; just like what Walma J does. It doesn’t mean that the rites and traditions which have been done for centuries should be wiped out. Yet, like it or not, if the Catholic Church remains the same, it will lose the young generation within several years. Especially as a part of the Pontifical Mission Society in Indonesia that deals with children and the propagation of faith, there should be a smart breakthrough to be present in this swiftly moving world.
Our presence in social media can be the wheat among the weeds. It might be able to heal someone’s soul; or even moves one’s heart to be the salt and the flame to the others. [chtrn]
