Smartphones in Lent: Avoid Them or Use Them to Help? Maybe Both…

 
              Pope Francis and others have invited us this Lent to re-examine our relationships with our smartphones and similar devices. If we have the opportunity to be around other people (something we lost during social distancing) but still spend more time looking at our screens than looking each other in the face, we need to do something about that. This Lent we can look for ways to cut back on how much time we spend on non-essential screen time. Social media, silly videos, puzzles and games are not inherently bad; but to the extent they become time wasters that keep us from our relationships with others and our relationship with God in prayer, these uses of smartphones can become obstacles and even occasions of sin. We need to take some time “in the desert” like Jesus did to refocus on what is most important in our lives.

On the other hand, many of us are running around a lot and may need our smartphones to stay connected with family members or coworkers while we are on the go. Between our attendance at Mass and other services in church, busy people find it challenging to bring our spiritual focus on Lent and spiritual renewal into our daily lives. As with so many other topics, “there’s an app for that!”

Catholic smartphone apps abound, and several stand out as great overall tools to help us grow in faith and prayer throughout the week. These two apps, for example, both offer many prayer guides, Bible readings, inspirational talks, and guided meditations for Catholics. Amen is an app provided by the Augustine Institute for free (though donations are encouraged). Hallow is an app run by Bishop Robert Barron’s “Word On Fire” ministry, which provides a good amount of free content and some additional content by subscription ($5-8/month) – but Hallow is offering a free trial of their whole package during Lent (be sure to mark your calendar for the end of the trial so you can decide whether to continue the premium content before you get charged).

Whether our lives are busy or quiet, we can benefit from spiritual reading, reflection, and prayer time these two apps (and others) can provide. So, let’s use all the tools in our spiritual toolchest wisely this Lent: making sure we use them to bring us closer to God, as well as the people He has placed in our lives.