Five years ago, my Facebook account got hacked. I got so frustrated that I deleted my account. Shortly after, I also deleted my Twitter and Instagram accounts. I got tired of scrolling through endless cultural and political debates.
Social media was not only upsetting my peace, but it kept me mentally disengaged from my wife and children. Not long before my Facebook account got hacked my wife and I were on a date. During our time together all I could think about was a theological debate I was having with a former classmate on Facebook. While physically being present to my wife, I was disengaged mentally.
Photo by Hasan Almasi from Unsplash
Destroying the Prison Walls
I felt as if I was in a prison and the only way out was to destroy the walls that kept me trapped. The walls were constructed of social media. In Isaiah 61:1 the prophet proclaims that he was sent to liberate captives and release prisoners. Isaiah is not referring to physical liberation, but liberation from a spiritual prison that the Israelites have become accustomed to due to their complacency in worshipping false idols and rejecting God’s Word. Do you feel trapped in a spiritual prison? What are the “walls” made of? What is holding you back from seeing God’s light beyond the walls? How can we begin tear down these walls? What’s the antidote to our spiritual complacency?
Praise and Gratitude
It may seem simple, but the answer is gratitude. In Luke 1:46-55 Mary proclaims her Magnificat – a hymn of praise and thanksgiving. In her Magnificat Mary expresses her gratitude to God for setting her aside for the honour of bringing the Messiah into this world.
In his first letter to the Thessalonians, St. Paul echoes Mary’s sentiments when he writes, “…rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thessalonians 5:16). It is only by offering God praise and thanksgiving for our blessings that we can break down walls of misery, cynicism, and nihilism that the world tries to entrap us in.
Magnifying the Lord
The first line of Mary’s Magnificat is “My soul magnifies the Lord.” As Catholics our goal is not to find personal peace for the purpose of self-care. We exist to “magnify the Lord” by our life. Our peace, joy, and love are graces received from God to testify to the light of Christ (see John 1:6). If you are baptized Catholic, you have been claimed by God to be His light in the darkness of this world.
Break down the prison walls the devil has entrapped you with and be a light to others so that they may encounter Jesus, the Son of the living God, this Christmas season.
