Responsible Social Media Revolution

“Let no one have contempt for your youth, but set an example for those who believe, in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity.” – 1 Timothy 4:12

As a Catholic Youth, we are greatly encouraged to evangelize the Good News through the social media and internet today. It is a gift, a great gift that must be used and utilized as a new way of evangelization that we must first start ourselves.

But sometimes, we tend to overuse the social media by being imprudent and self-absorbed. We allow the likes and comments on our posts and statuses to boost our confidence and define our worth. But we don’t need to prove our worth through these things, for we are already worthy in the eyes of the Lord even before we were conceived, without somebody else’s approval.

A sad truth is that social media also perpetuates our focus on self. Instead of focusing on the ‘real relationships’ that we have, we tend to use social media to fulfill our human drive for the benefit of ourselves. We become narcissistic, thus sometimes forgetting to show empathy and love for others.

The use of technology is both constructive and destructive depending on how we would make use of it. As the youth of today, we are all called to be missionaries of our faith – the Catholic Faith, which is the faith that is given to us. Let us allow and use social media to evangelize, so others may be reminded of God’s love for them through our own experiences.

Since we are already communicating and have a certain interaction in the community, we also have ethical responsibilities that must be addressed. As emphasized in the Youth Catechism of the Catholic Church (YouCat), a simplified version of the Catechism of the Catholic Church which is suitable for the youth, it states that in CCC 2493-2499, “Media producers have a responsibility toward media consumers. Above all they must truthfully inform. In both the gathering and the publication of real news, the rights and dignity of individuals must be observed.”

In whatever we are posting on different social networks, we are held liable and responsible to every word that we say. Words can heal or kill relationships, and thus, discretion of certain affairs should be observed. We may have different thoughts, but let us not allow them to hinder us in both spreading the good news and evangelize our brothers and sisters. Let us allow them instead to be examined, and make sure that they’re quite discerned well. “Is it necessary?” “Will it be helpful to the readers?” “Will these words bless the people?” “Will this glorify God?”

As Online Missionaries of God (OMG), we must bring salvation to people, not condemnation. We must bless them, not forsake them. The words that we use every single day are very essential just like bread to our bodies and souls. CCC 2496-2512 states that “Many people, especially children, think that whatever they see in the media is real. If in the name of entertainment violence is glorified, anti-social behavior is approved of, and human sexuality is trivialized, this is a sin both of those in the media who are responsible and also of those supervisory authorities that ought to put a stop to it.”

It is not bad to use social media, but overusing it could lead to community’s destruction. As youth, we must engage in the activities of our parishes, dioceses and even on our different communities and Church’s activities. We must use it to educate the people on how to use responsibly and inspire those who are lost and have gone astray. Let us offer and allow ourselves to be transformed as well as to how the Lord would use our thoughts, our minds, as we foster professionalism and proper etiquette on how to use social media to work with Him in spreading the Good News of salvation. By this, we can evangelize, just by being online missionaries of God.

Our thoughts and ability to think and discern well are God’s gift to us. The love which is freely given to us by the Father must be used to bless people, allowing ourselves also to feel blessed. So if we bless other people through the posts that we have on social networks, we have not only blessed ourselves but others as well. Therefore, let us make the most of social media in enhancing our new ways of evangelization.

The use of social media isn’t just for the youth, but to the whole society involved. Happy indeed is the one who would utilize it for the Lord’s joy. (Beverly L. Rabaja)