Are we Phubbing Jesus?
Smartphones, cell phones, social media, and videos are a big part of our modern world. In one way these things keep us informed, connected, and entertained. In another way these things can keep us distracted from our relationship with one another and with Jesus.
Phubbing is snubbing someone you're talking to in order to look at a cell phone. In other words, ignoring someone by paying attention to your phone. Are we letting the electronic media (or other things in our life) distract us from our relationship to Jesus? Are we phubbing Jesus by paying more attention to our phones, other people, or other things, then we are to our relationship with Him?
Prayer is how we maintain a relationship with Jesus. Jesus wants a personal relationship with us. Prayer is how we experience Jesus’s desire for this relationship with us. Jesus thirsts for us that we may thirst for Him. (CCC 2560) To have a relationship with anyone we need to make time and commit to be with that person. Allowing media to distract us from people can ruin our friendships and it can also hurt our prayer life and friendship with Jesus.
What does a prayer relationship with Jesus look like? A prayer relationship is more than just reciting verbal prayers. Verbal prayer is good because it raises our mind to Jesus. But a personal relationship with Jesus requires mental prayer. Mental prayer is a conversation with Jesus.
A simple method for mental prayer is called ARRR, (Acknowledge, Relate, Receive, Respond). Acknowledge – recognize Jesus’s presence in your heart. Acknowledge your thoughts, feelings, and desires. Relate – speak to Jesus, tell Him everything. Receive – listen to Jesus, spend time silently receiving Jesus’s presence. Respond – thank Jesus for His blessings and His presence in your life.
Another method to mental prayer is Lectio Divina, which is Latin for Divine Reading. This is the prayerful reading and reflection on the bible or other spiritual reading. There are 4 steps; Read, Reflect, Respond, Rest. Read – slowly, prayerfully read and reread a short section of the bible. Reflect – meditate on the reading and the words. What is Jesus saying to you? Respond – talk to Jesus. Rest – sit silently in Jesus’s presence.
We should spend 30 minutes a day in mental prayer. St. Francis de Sales tells, “Every one of us needs half an hour of prayer a day, except when we are busy – then we need an hour.”
We should pray at all times. If we treat Jesus as a friend who we love and who loves us, then we can and should tell Him everything, our plans, sorrows, fears, and concerns. When we begin work or any task, we can offer it to Jesus. Doing things doesn't stop prayer and prayer doesn't stop us from doing things. The only requirement is a raising of the mind to Jesus and praying short prayers, I love you Jesus, or I trust you, or I believe in you, or I need you now.
If we make time for Jesus and avoid phubbing (snubbing) Him because of media or busyness, then our friendship with Him will grow. In time we will begin to experience the deep peace and the exchange of love reserved for friends of Jesus, even in the middle of suffering.
Blessings on your Lent
Deacon Michael Braun