Using Facebook as a Force for Good this Lent, Part 3: Fasting

Intro:

The purpose of putting our smartphones on grayscale for Lent is to choose a form of Lenten penance that requires sacrifice while also allowing us to regain an element of thoughtfulness and recollection in our use of these devices, which can distract us from purposeful Christian lives. However, while this Lenten resolution is a good first step, it may not "solve" all our usage struggles.

Perhaps that is why so many people, instead of grayscale, choose other specific resolutions, such as giving up online shopping or social media. At times, we may feel that it the struggles come with impulse control in the little bits of time we have free. We look for distractions on our phone, and find them easily, but we are left feeling that online window-shopping or mindless social media scrolling was not the best use of our time. It lacked a sense of purpose and increased our sense of a lack of impulse control or meaning in our usage.

The question for today is how we might approach Facebook during Lent, using it as a force for good, rather than mindless, time-filling, quasi-entertainment. We consider this question with the traditional Lenten penances in mind: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving and offer concrete suggestions for using Facebook well this Lent, rather than simply giving it up.

Fasting:

The Lenten practice of fasting is, first and foremost, about food. The fasting that we still practice on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday consists of only one full meal and two smaller snacks. Until the Lent of 1967, this fast was kept on all the days of Lent (excepting solemnities). The changes to penitential practice for Lent in the United States now allow for a much broader interpretation of fasting, and people voluntarily choose to "give up" or fast from various foods or items during Lent.

The idea of going grayscale for Lent is about fasting from the color on our screens, and, like the traditional practice of fasting, it allows us to regain a sort of thoughtfulness or recollection that comes from a constant reminder. Every time we see our phones, we recognize that they look different. Many other people choose to fast from social media, such as Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. There are various good reasons to consider such a fast, as well as other reasons to avoid this fast.

First, it is helpful to recognize that the traditional fasting encourages abstaining from something that is fundamentally good for us; food is necessary for our very survival. Lenten resolutions may allow us to work on sin struggles, but our Lenten sacrifices should not be about "giving up" a particular sin. For example, if we struggle with gossip, we should try to give that up during Lent, but not as a Lenten resolution. Rather, we should always be making efforts to combat that sin, not looking to take a 40 day break from it before we plunge back in.

So, when it comes to Facebook, a good question for examination is whether it regularly causes us to sin or is sometimes a near occasion of sin causing a struggle. If we recognize that we become insensitive, rude, or careless on Facebook, insulting others perhaps, or demeaning them, or using Facebook as a way to make a name for ourself, presenting ourselves as amazing people, then Facebook itself may be an occasion for sin for us, and we may need to give it up - not for Lent, but forever!

However, we may see that Facebook helps us to maintain long-distance relationships with family or friends, to find ways to help those around us in need, allows us to feel supported by others, and sometimes to engage in meaningful conversations on important topics. That doesn't mean we might not sometimes struggle with wanting to make rude remarks or wanting to show off our kids. But, especially if we are using it purposefully and thoughtfully, Facebook does not have to be an occasion of sin, and fasting from such a good may not be the best Lenten resolution for us. It may, rather, contribute to our feeling isolated from others.

Nonetheless, we may still recognize some problems with how we use this "good." Like food, we may turn to it when we're bored for entertainment. We may fill our bits of time with it, absent-mindedly looking through it when we might do other more productive or prayerful things. In such cases, there can be value in adopting some discipline here. In addition to using Facebook as a force for good by intentionally looking for almsgiving and prayer opportunities, we may want to limit our time, by setting a screen time limit on our phones or by purposefully setting aside a set time period designated to social media. We often think in terms of "all or nothing," but sometimes the best solution is, instead, something thoughtful and intentional. If we have our phones set to grayscale, we will already find less pull and enjoyment from social media, such as Facebook. Thus, rather than simply giving up Facebook, we may want to discipline our use of it, making it a force for good guided by the Lenten practices of fasting, prayer, and almsgiving.

Using Facebook as a Force for Good this Lent, Part 2: Prayer

Intro:

The purpose of putting our smartphones on grayscale for Lent is to choose a form of Lenten penance that requires sacrifice while also allowing us to regain an element of thoughtfulness and recollection in our use of these devices, which can distract us from purposeful Christian lives. However, while this Lenten resolution is a good first step, it may not "solve" all our usage struggles.

Perhaps that is why so many people, instead of grayscale, choose other specific resolutions, such as giving up online shopping or social media. At times, we may feel that it the struggles come with impulse control in the little bits of time we have free. We look for distractions on our phone, and find them easily, but we are left feeling that online window-shopping or mindless social media scrolling was not the best use of our time. It lacked a sense of purpose and increased our sense of a lack of impulse control or meaning in our usage.

The question for today is how we might approach Facebook during Lent, using it as a force for good, rather than mindless, time-filling, quasi-entertainment. We consider this question with the traditional Lenten penances in mind: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving and offer concrete suggestions for using Facebook well this Lent, rather than simply giving it up.

Prayer:

Prayer is one of the most basic prayer practices of Lent. Of course, Lent should not be the only time of the year when we make efforts in our prayer life. And yet, it is a special time where we may take on extra or different prayer practices than usual, such as adding a daily Rosary, attending daily Mass, or reflecting on the daily Mass readings. If we are not adding anything specifically, we may try to be more intentional about prioritizing our prayer or using our times of prayer well.

While Facebook may not be the first forum we think of when it comes to prayer, there certainly is no shortage of opportunity for prayer on Facebook. If we have faithful Catholic friends, we have probably at some point, possibly even frequently, encountered prayer requests on Facebook. In fact, even those who are not regular churchgoers will occasionally request prayers or respond to friends' posts by noting that they are praying for them.

Perhaps no lie is so common among Christians as the false promise to say a prayer for someone. The falsehood may not be intentional, but, especially if we are quickly scrolling through posts, we may intend to pray for someone and then fail to do so. Or we may recognize that someone seems to be in need of prayers, even if not requesting them, and we want to pray for them later in the day but forget.

Lent is a wonderful opportunity to use Facebook as a force for good by actually praying for those who ask for it or would seem to benefit from it. And if we find ourselves getting frustrated by friends on Facebook, perhaps for their political postings or unkind comments to ourselves or others, we should make an extra effort to pray for them during Lent. Here are some ideas about how to be more intentional about prayer on Facebook.

First, if someone is requesting prayers, let's pray for them. Stop the scrolling, pause for a minute, and immediately say a prayer. There are many quick prayers that we can say mentally, such as: "Lord, for Michelle as she mourns the loss of her father-in-law and for the repose of his soul: Hail Mary..." Or, "Dear God, for my friend Nicole and her son who has a high fever right now: Our Father..." Again, "For Tom, who was just in a car accident, may his angel keep him safe: Angel of God, Tom's guardian dear..." It is great to choose a prayer in advance, such as the Memorare or, the ancient (and slightly briefer) prayer Sub Tuum Praesidium. If we are prepared, we can easily pause and say a prayer for the person in need, and, then, when we are finished with the prayer, we can comment on the friend's post: "Just said a Hail Mary for you guys. Hope your son gets better soon!" It lets the person know that we really did say a prayer for them!

Second, for those who aren't requesting prayers, but clearly have some need, whether it's because of a bad day in general or a specific challenge they are facing. There are also those who seem to be negative, angry, or purposely antagonistic toward others in their comments or posts. For such occasions, it's probably best NOT to let them know they have our prayers, as that may simply seem to be sarcastic or offensive. And yet, we can still pray for them, using the same procedure as above. Pausing and offering a prayer right then and there takes our concern or frustration and turns it toward God, sharing our worries in a way that can help us to grow closer to God during Lent and maybe also help our friends who are struggling.

Third, if we are incorporating specific prayer practices this Lent, such as a daily Rosary, it is a good idea to keep a list of intentions on a slip of paper in our pocket or on the notes section of our phone. This way we can keep track of our friends in need of prayer and remember them at another time of the day. Praying for others in need is a great way to strengthen the body of Christ, and we will find it easier to pray for friends if we have some written reminder of these intentions.

Finally, what about requesting prayers for ourselves or others? This is usually a good idea, so long as we don't overdo it; some people may weary of constant requests for prayers for ourselves or others.  Asking for prayers should not be a way of seeking attention; we should ask for prayers only if we really desire the prayers of others for a particular situation. If we believe in the power of prayer and know that we have good Catholic friends who will pray for us, it is a good idea to ask for prayers for difficult situations, such as our own loss of a loved one, the serious illness of a child, etc. We also may see benefit in asking for prayers for someone else that we know is in need, but may not believe in prayer or want to ask for prayers so publicly. In such cases, it's good to ask permission, and generally not to name the person if we know they don't want attention this way.

Prayer may not be the first thought that pops into our head when we think of Facebook, but there are many invitations to do so when we are more recollected and intentional in our use of Facebook. We know we have friends facing difficult situations, writing rude remarks, celebrating a birthday, or having a rough day. Rather than zipping through these posts, we can take the time to pause and offer specific prayers for these friends. We can commit to remembering them in our prayer later in the day as well. And we can be willing to open ourselves to others praying for us in our times of need. By embracing this opportunity for prayer, we can use Facebook as a force for good this Lent.

Using Facebook as a Force for Good this Lent, Part 1: Almsgiving

Intro:

The purpose of putting our smartphones on grayscale for Lent is to choose a form of Lenten penance that requires sacrifice while also allowing us to regain an element of thoughtfulness and recollection in our use of these devices, which can distract us from purposeful Christian lives. However, while this Lenten resolution is a good first step, it may not "solve" all our usage struggles.

Perhaps that is why so many people, instead of grayscale, choose other specific resolutions, such as giving up online shopping or social media. At times, we may feel that it the struggles come with impulse control in the little bits of time we have free. We look for distractions on our phone, and find them easily, but we are left feeling that online window-shopping or mindless social media scrolling was not the best use of our time. It lacked a sense of purpose and increased our sense of a lack of impulse control or meaning in our usage.

The question for today is how we might approach Facebook during Lent, using it as a force for good, rather than mindless, time-filling, quasi-entertainment. We consider this question with the traditional Lenten penances in mind: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving and offer concrete suggestions for using Facebook well this Lent, rather than simply giving it up.

Almsgiving:

Fundamentally, almsgiving is about giving money directly to the poorest in need of basic resources. During Lent especially, we see this giving as made possible by our own sacrifices of little comforts that we can give up for a time in order to focus on others. Facebook is currently used for various fundraisers, providing us with opportunities to donate money. However, we can find many other important opportunities simply by paying attention to our friends' situations and needs.

The idea of almsgiving can be extended to include the corporal and spiritual works of mercy, and each day, if we are attentive and reflective as we look through the posts of our friends and acquaintances, we will see openings to perform these works. Just recently, members of my family (including myself) had flu, and my husband posted about it on Facebook. I was moved by a number of friends who reached out to me to offer picking up groceries, dropping off Tylenol, and helping with rides for my children. And I was grateful to the friend who dropped off a meal, groceries, and Tylenol for our family.

Each day, as we scroll through Facebook, we will find people mourning the loss of a loved one, struggling to overcome illness, frustrated by logistics of family life, adjusting to a new baby, or going through some other hard times. Rather than casually passing by these posts, we can use them as a way to practice works of mercy during this season of Lent. To be more concrete, I suggest choosing at least one per week to address off Facebook, in real life, as we might say. Such actions would include sending a real, physical sympathy card or buying flowers for someone who has lost a family member, dropping off food for a sick family or family with a new baby, offering a ride to basketball practice for someone struggling with logistics, or sending some cash to someone who seems to be struggling financially.

There may be times, due to our own family circumstances, where we feel limited in our capabilities to reach out in charitable acts. While mailing a thoughtful card may be a possibility, making a meal or offering to watch someone's children may be untenable. However, during those times (including Lent) where we find such obstacles to physical works of mercy, we can still use Facebook as a force for good by offering encouraging words and making affirming, positive comments that express our concern and support for our friends with current challenges.

Because of Facebook, we often know events, including difficulties, that we might not otherwise hear about it. This Lent is a great time to put into practice the idea of almsgiving, using these posts as openings to reach out, inconveniencing ourselves to assist those in need and support those who could benefit. When we make such a choice in our use of Facebook, we can take it beyond mindless distraction to purposeful penance, using it as a force for good this Lent.

Outside the Walls Radio Interview

It was a pleasure to speak with Timothy Putnam about the project Go Gray for Lent. The interview can be accessed at this link:
Outside the Walls with Timothy Putnam

Yes and No of Going Gray for Lent

"Sometimes, I have felt it was like an eye looking at me. and I am always wanting to put it on and disappear, don't you know; or wondering if it's safe, and pulling it out to make sure. I tried locking it up, but I found I couldn't rest without it in my pocket. I don't know why. And I don't seem able to make up my mind."

These are Bilbo Baggins' words in Chapter 1 of The Fellowship of the Ring, as he speaks to the wizard Gandalf about his ring. A smartphone, of course, is not a magic ring, and yet, we may echo Bilbo's words to some extent here. Many smartphone users are always wanting to take out their phone and perhaps "disappear" from whatever or whoever surrounds them: disappearing from the household chores, the work responsibilities, or the strangers in the waiting room. Like a magic ring, a smartphone can be very useful.

Unnecessary checking on phones is not altogether different than Bilbo's wondering if the ring is safe, and pulling it out to make sure.

Sometimes, we recognize the pull that the device has on us, so we put it away from us, only to realize we can't rest without it in our pocket. What if we miss out on something important while it is tucked away in a drawer?

And, like Bilbo wanting to let go of the ring but not making up his mind on it, we often are indecisive  and inconsistent about how, where, when, and why we want to make use of our phones. Even with good intention and practical resolutions, we may find ourselves reaching to our pockets absent-mindedly, like Bilbo with the ring. And we may find ourselves checking our email when we set out to make a phone call!

Going grayscale for Lent is one way of addressing the ambivalence we feel about the pull of the screen in our pocket. It's a resolution that requires changing a setting and nothing more: no active monitoring or maintenance.

Lenten resolutions are penances, and penances always indicate both a "yes" and "no." Going grayscale for Lent is a way of saying no. Grayscale is a no to the brightness and attraction of the screen. It's a way of trying to address the pull of the screen in our pocket. Ultimately, like all penances should be, going grayscale is a way of saying no to ourselves.

It's a way to acknowledge bad habits that have slowly crept into our lives, and to say no to them. It tames an impulse, and reminds that we use the phone as a tool, rather than letting the phone use us, as a magic ring might, exercising control over thought and action. Like a magic ring, our phones were designed to catch our attention, to draw our usage, and to ensnare our commitment. Technology developers seek out and depend upon our desires and uses. Phones and apps were thoughtfully and intentionally designed, not simply to be useful tools, but to be indispensable tools: tools that we may feel we cannot live without. Going grayscale is a way of saying no to this illusion. It aims at detachment, a no to this object that so easily attaches us.

The Lenten resolution of going grayscale is an attempt at saying yes to what really matters. God is our ultimate reality, our beginning and end. This penance helps us to say yes to recollection, conscious choice, and practicing the presence of God. The gray screen seems dull and boring, throwing into relief the vividness of our surroundings, the gift of this life in this world, and the unbelievable beauty of the world to come. The boring screen reminds us to say yes to the people near us, who - whether strangers on an airplane or our own family members - are children of God, with souls! The gray screen is a way of saying yes to ourselves as God's beloved children, capable of using our free will to grow in virtue and cooperate with the abundance of grace given to us by God.

The willingness to go grayscale for Lent shows that we recognize the pull in our pockets and have the courage to say no to that attachment. This resolution also shows that we say yes to what really matters, to serving God in the best way we can.

Social Penance, Social Media

The practice of having a Lenten resolution is still very much alive in our American Catholic culture. Given that many penitential practices in the U.S. have fallen by the wayside, Lenten resolutions are all the more commendable. Each year brings another time of discernment for the faithful who want to make a sacrifice to mark the preparatory and penitential season of Lent. The traditional triad of fasting, prayer, and almsgiving can be conceived of broadly enough to allow for everything from giving up soda or chocolate to keeping a gratitude journal to volunteering at the parish food pantry.

Even putting a smartphone on grayscale can fit with this traditional Lenten triad!

The diversity and multitude of Lenten penances in contemporary American culture can be misleading, however. It can give the appearance that Lent is only, or primarily a "me and Jesus" type of thing. Lent can be mistaken as an individualistic pursuit of proving one's willpower to oneself. That is far from the meaning of Lent.

Prior to the Lent of 1967, Catholics shared a common penance for the season of Lent. That penance involved daily fasting, as is now obligatory only on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. It also allowed for meat only once a day, excepting Friday, which was a day of complete abstinence throughout the year. This may seem a difficult penance, but the ordinary faithful were able to do it, in part because they did it together. Because daily fasting was required, it was a common experience with social expectations and practices in place that supported it.

Partly because it was obligatory, over the years this Lenten fast became routine for many Catholics, who fasted out of habit but perhaps were lacking in the spiritual meaning behind Lenten fasting. For this reason, the bishops in the U.S. decided it might be better to let individuals exclusively make their own Lenten resolutions that would be more meaningful.

Thus the social nature of Lenten penance was largely lost, to be replaced by the faithful discerning their own individual resolutions. This gave rise to the situation of also having to discern whether to conceal these resolutions from friends and family or share them. Hiding them might seem to prevent pridefulness, but it could actually add to it. Sharing them might bring the support of others, but a comparison might make one person or another feel their resolution was inadequate. Not telling others the resolution would prevent embarrassment if the person failed, but telling others might help keep the person more accountable. Suddenly the internal struggle seemed to convey that Lent is an individual, competitive pursuit, rather than a team sport.

If Lent had, in the past, tended too much toward an unthinking, routine, social penance, Lent now tends too much toward this overthinking, individual, competitive penance. In fact, the social nature of penance is crucial for the Catholic Church. Why?

1. Biblical reasons. When Jonah approached Nineveh, he was sent to a people. So also, throughout the Old Testament, we see the Hebrew people performing penitential acts together, as a people.

2. Traditional reasons. Throughout Christian history, the faithful have partaken of penance as a group, at times simply out of custom, and at other times due to official regulations, i.e. canon law.

3. Effectiveness. Most people have experienced the ability to stick with something difficult because they are surrounded with others doing likewise. Sharing a penance with others who are doing the same sacrifice can be both inspirational and helpful in surmounting difficulties and maintaining the Lenten resolution.

4. Meaningfulness. Social penance gives people the opportunity to be supportive of others. Although each person may have a unique experience of the penance, he or she does not feel it as a solitary pursuit. We know we are ecclesiologically linked in the mystical body of Christ.

5. Individual resolutions. There is nothing inherently wrong with individual resolutions. In fact, when people are part of a penitential culture, knowing that penance is something shared, as a team sport, they are better able also to commit to individual penances as well.

6. Loving Christ and his cross. The mystery of Christ's love for us to the point of his death on the cross inspires in us a response of love for Christ and for that cross, which we must take up daily as individuals, but which we also take up together, as the body of Christ.

Smartphones are perhaps at once the epitome of individual and social. They are personal devices, often carried around on the person, with unique settings and apps tailored to the individual. But they are inherently intended to be social in nature, connecting us to each other through phone calls, messages, and social media.

It is fitting, then, that going grayscale for Lent is something best done together. Its impact on the individual may be remarkable or not, but the shared experience of going grayscale has the potential to link the faithful to the biblical and traditional social penances, to help people to stick to the penance, finding it to be meaningful while also encouraging other individual penances and to grow in love of Christ and the cross.

Grayscale and the Traditional Lenten Triad of Prayer, Fasting, and Almsgiving

Putting your phone on grayscale for Lent may seem like quite an unusual Lenten resolution. In fact, if we look back over 2,000 years of Christianity, I think we can be pretty certain that this particular Lenten resolution was not ever a popular voluntary Lenten penance. So we might ask ourselves why go grayscale, especially when it is not a traditional Lenten practice?

First of all, what are the traditional triad of Lenten penances?

Prayer- spending extra time in prayer or increased intensity in prayer, e.g. attending daily Mass during Lent, saying a Rosary daily, dedicating extra time for mental prayer, reading the Gospels using  lectio divino, keeping a gratitude (to God) journal, etc.

Fasting- giving up those foods that we enjoy. Before the Lent of 1967, all Catholics practiced daily Lenten fasting with partial abstinence from meat, excepting Fridays, which were days of complete abstinence from meat. Voluntary fasting since 1967 has come to include many things, such as fasting from chocolate, snacks, meat, dairy, soda, alcohol, coffee, etc.

Almsgiving- dedicating additional funds toward the poor. Especially given a more simple Lenten menu, there should be extra money available to give to those in need. Almsgiving can include direct giving to the poor and beggars, as well as charitable giving to organizations dedicated to helping the poor. It can also include the corporal and spiritual works of mercy, such as visiting the imprisoned and clothing the naked.

Now, where might going grayscale on our phones fit into this schema? The answer is...everywhere! In his book, The Strangest Way, Bishop Robert Barron borrows the Buddhist idea of "monkey mind," to describe what sometimes happens when we begin to pray, placing ourselves in the presence of God. Even with the best of intentions and desires, our mind eagerly jumps from topic to topic, distracting us from the presence of God.

Smartphone usage is a sort of a training in monkey mind, an easy way of exacerbating a tendency that we already have. Jumping from app to app, from bright red circle notification to the next, scrolling quickly through a social media feed, or skimming news headlines and emails. There are a multitude of ways we use our phones - often to good purpose as an amazing tool - and yet, it feeds a sort of monkey mind, where conscious choice can be minimized as we follow the whims engineered by app designers who study how to distract us and employ those means to win our attention.

There are wonderful prayer apps that we can download to our phone...but, lovely and useful as they are, they nonetheless appear as one app among many. Even with dedication to a particular prayer practice, we can easily fall into a desire to get that breviary done so we can go back to FaceBook. Having a smartphone does not preclude having a good prayer life, but we must admit that facilitating and encouraging monkey mind through training ourselves with these screens can detract from and diminish the quality and quantity of our time in prayer. Going grayscale has been evaluated as increasing conscious choice, meaning we are ruled once again by our reason and not the drunken monkeys jumping around in our head. Those who advocate a grayscale phone setting claim that it also diminishes overall usage on the phone, which means the minutes available for prayer time increase.

Fasting from certain foods during Lent is also a way of increasing consciousness, of thinking more carefully about what we are consuming. It can help us to live more simply and be aware and appreciative of our resources. The bright colors of the screen are highly consumable, albeit not by our mouths and stomachs. Many of us have had that experience of having our attention drawn to the bright red notifications, feeling like we must click in order to get it erased. Push notifications draw our attention to breaking news, and we feel a desire to consume this news immediately. Fasting from food is a way of slowing us down, and so also is fasting from color. Our phones become less attractive and less consumable.

Almsgiving is a practice that ultimately has its root in seeing God in others, acknowledging the truth that when we give to others, we are giving to God and showing him our love. Many of us have had the experience of feeling ignored by others who are looking at their phones. Many of us have also had the experience of knowing that someone near us feels ignored because WE are looking at our phones! The attractiveness of entertainment or communication with others that we love can easily distract us from the people that surround us. It can prevent us from recognizing God in others and from identifying their needs. We can miss out on opportunities for the corporal and spiritual works of mercy because we are buried in what is happening on our screens. If going grayscale, combined with an intentional desire to be more present to those around us, can help us to decrease our overall phone usage, we can be more present to others, recognizing God's presence in them.

So, in short, while going grayscale on a phone is very new as a specific Lenten practice, it is nonetheless in continuity with the tradition of Lenten penances. The aim of the U.S. bishops in making Lenten penances voluntary in 1967 was precisely so that the faithful could identify penances that would be meaningful and appropriate to the current situation. Going grayscale is a great example of a penance that addresses the needs of our times.

Going Grayscale for Lent

What is "Going Grayscale"?

Smartphones have a display setting that limits the colors of the screen to shades of gray. Switching a screen to grayscale reduces the attraction of looking at the screen, thus reducing overall phone usage and increasing conscious choice, rather than simply responding to bright colors designed intentionally to attract attention and cause distraction. For more on the results of going grayscale, see this piece by Nellie Bowles, entitled, "Is the Answer to Phone Addiction a Worse Phone?" You may also be interested in a TED talk by tech ethicist Tristan Harrison on "Time Well Spent."

The Phone Temptation

A mere two years ago, I finally got a smartphone, with the hopes of finally being able easily to read the texts from my daughter's soccer coach. When I told my brother, he said, "You'll be a slave to your phone in about a month." I laughed. I didn't think I'd be like those people who always have their phones out. But before long, his words started to become more and more true. Like many people, I started using my phone for everything from prayer to driving directions to email to FaceBook to weather checks to recipes to, well, you get the point.

Smartphones are dead useful, no doubt. And yet, lately there has been a new round of concerns about the effects they have on us individually and on our society as a whole. Jean Twenge, writing for The Atlantic, asked "Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?" Another piece noted, "Your Smartphone Reduces Your Brainpower, Even if It's Just Sitting There," citing a study indicating that even a silent, powered off phone can be distracting. Many of us can't imagine going back to not having this useful tool. But on the other hand, we acknowledge it would be great if we had more control over the phone than it has over us.

Lent: 40 Days of Gray

Having recognized the particular temptations to distraction represented by their phones, Lent often finds my friends trying to find a way to limit their time. Some give up FaceBook for Lent. Others try to give up games on their phones. Some try to make a point of doing something positive or religious on their phone. The creativity of Lenten resolutions around phone usage is amazing, and even inspiring. It shows that we can recognize the way we feel like slaves to our phones. Even more so, it shows our desire for exercising our free will in a conscious and recollected way, particularly during Lent.

The traditional penitential practices of Lent are fasting, prayer, and almsgiving. Going grayscale, while not a dietary fasting, nonetheless is a sort of fast, from the flashy and inviting colors of the screens we carry around with us. Grayscale is a choice to abstain from the color we would ordinarily see. Grayscale users find their overall screen time decreases, and this means there should be more time available for intentional prayer.

Together is Better

For the last fifty years, Lenten resolutions have largely been individualistic. But before 1966, all American Catholics shared the same Lenten fasting practices, including daily fasting (one meal, two snacks not totaling a full meal) during the 40 days of Lent. One reason these vigorous practices were possible was that the faithful did them together. Lenten penances were never meant to be a contest of creativity or difficulty; instead they are an opportunity to support one another.

This blog is connected to a FaceBook group for people who are committed to going grayscale for Lent. While members are encouraged also to take up other Lenten resolutions, the Go Gray for Lent group is meant as a way to recognize a shared struggle. Those who are not on FaceBook (or have given it up for Lent!) can follow this blog and let others know about the shared penance by referring others to this post.