Bishop's Lenten Message:
Pray More, Scroll Less

Lent is, for many, a woefully underappreciated gift. If you are ready to dismiss this season as a tired exercise in giving up chocolate, I urge you to stop and think again. If you are like most folks in our country right now, I’ll wager that a well-observed Lent is exactly what you need. 

 Studies on the compounding effects of technology on life are clear. We know the constant tug and temptation of our news feed and inboxes. Texts and alerts ping our phones all day long. Podcasts fill our daily commutes, and social media fills our idle moments. Most of us have not spent a day without television or the internet in years. And even with hundreds of digital connections at our command we increasingly feel isolated, tired, and worried. Though we trust less and less what we see online, our reflex is to look there to shape our opinions or reinforce what we already believe. Our attention span is shrinking even as we wish we understood more. 

No doubt, most new technologies can be genuine benefits to modern life. But when such wonders pour upon us in a daily, unbroken stream, they overwhelm our senses. Much like water is a blessing, too much of it can be dangerous. A long, unyielding rain will eventually flood a home. At its worst, it could even destroy a life. 

There is, to quote St. Paul, a better way. Paul was talking about love; here, I am talking about a season that points us relentlessly to God’s love.  

Lent is brilliant in its simplicity. It steadily places our focus on God, the source of peace, hope, and the true power for positive change. By calling us to reflection, humility, and self-denial, Lent teaches us to shut out chaos and return our gaze to the holy. Here is an example: many people lament that God feels distant and unreachable. But Lent is a wise season: it remembers that God has never left our side. We rather have lost sight that God remains as close to us as our next breath. We struggle to comprehend that the best things in life — peace, hope, and the power to change — are within our grasp if only we look closely at the living God and hold fast to those things which truly matter. 

My prayer this Lent is that, if chocolate matters to you, enjoy it. More importantly, choose to actively seek out the God of peace, hope, and change. Open your eyes to God’s presence. Give up social media — you can do it! Fast from the daily news and turn off the phone and television. Resolve to pray more and scroll less. Dedicate ample time for sabbath rest away from technology. By doing this you begin to reclaim your physical, mental, and spiritual health. Lent may be simple, but its effects can be profound and life-altering. These next forty days, in a wilderness apart from the “necessities” of modern life, you just might find the God who stands before you with open arms. 

Blessings,

The Rt. Rev. Kevin S. Brown