I reasoned that public pay phones had become obsolete in recent years with the introduction of cell phones. In our country the majority of people own a cell phone and find no need to use public pay phones. A Pew Research Study says:
“83% of American adults own some kind of cell phone” ~ Pew
Of course this doesn’t mean that people are making less phone calls—in fact they are more in touch with friends and relatives—but they are using a different means of communicating.
Same Script, Different Way
It’s not to say the content of the conversations has changed, but it has become much easier to communicate with others. You can get in touch with someone wherever they are, whenever you want. For example, from my smart phone there are numerous ways in which I can contact someone:
- Call them (dial manually or with voice commands)
- Text them
- Email them
- Send a message via Facebook
- Send a message via Twitter
And the list goes on. We are more connected than ever. We know more about our “friends” than we really want to, simply because their information is coming to us in so many ways. As technology advances more channels of communication open allowing us different paths to the same goal. These new media are tools which we can use for good or bad. But just like that pay phone was covered with graffiti and defiled by taggers and gang members, so things like Facebook can easily become sources of sin and temptation. We have to remember who we are when we use these tools. Are we using them for good or for evil?
The Message Over the Means
Lately, many people have been discussing how we as Catholics can better utilize these new media to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. It’s true that we can use new media to share the Gospel and we should, but it’s also important not to become so focused on how many new forms of media we’re using that we lose sight of the reason we are using them. We have to remember that the message—Jesus in our case—is always more important than the means.
I personally use Facebook, Twitter, email, business cards, and word of mouth to promote this website which I created with the sole purpose of bringing the Gospel to life in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles—the largest diocese in the country. As I and the team here at Evangelize LA pursue this goal, it’s essential to not lose sight of Jesus. After all, it is He who has sent us out to proclaim His Good News. It is He who is the Son of God who suffered, died, and rose again in glory. It is He who is with us “until the end of the age.” So it is He, His Church, His Gospel, and His teachings that we seek to share with the world—beginning in our community of course.
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” ~ Hebrews 13:8
Although technology advances and the ways in which we communicate change, Jesus never changes. And whether through our words or our actions we should give witness to Christ. The way we carry ourselves at work, at school, and online should be an example to others just as He is to us.
“Be Bold. Be Catholic.” ~ Matthew Kelly
You are a Catholic on Sundays, but you are also a Catholic on Facebook.
You are Catholic every moment of every day and your life should be a reflection of that.