The Jesus Feed

The Jesus Feed

“He said to them, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.” ~ Mark 16:15

   Any of us who have Facebook or watch the news knows the term “ News Feed”. It keep us in the “know” and the “now”  with the world and on Facebook our friends, families, stars, interests etc... So, what about the “Jesus Feed”? I will explain this over the next few paragraphs but first I am asking for you to keep an open and imaginative mind. Maybe also some latitude as well for the next few paragraphs. 

   We live in a world where anything and everything can be out for the world to see within seconds of it happening and even live.  It can range from pictures and video of a war or conflict to a picture of the dessert that looks just to good to eat right away. Yes, I know it is a huge difference but this is the world we live in. There is a constant feed of information and photos traveling all around us to our phones, computers and tv. It is a social media world that we live in. From Facebook and Twitter to YouTube and Instagram the world is there for our viewing and reading no matter where we are or where it is happening. I know I scroll down on Facebook’s News Feed to see what is going on with friends, family and what I “liked”. Now, imagine, if Jesus and the Early Church had the social media outlets we have today. 

    This is where I am asking for that latitude and open mind. There is no disrespect at the event of which I include but look at it from todays view. You would have had tweets and status updates from the wise men about their travels. The shepherds would have their status saying “ A Savior is Born” and that would have been sent around the world in a second. People would have “checked in” at the Sermon on Mount. People would have taken pictures with instagram of the gathering of the loves and fishes and even the waiters would have taken pictures of the miracle of wine at the Wedding of Canna. Paul’s updating his information to Christian. Peter’s status updates about the Church.  Let us even go back before Jesus, Noah blogging how much he hates the rain and the problems with the animals. Jonah tweeting about being stuck in a whale. Lot changing his status from living in Sodom. Joseph blogging about his dreams and last Moses blogging about the plagues and trip into the desert. What I am getting at is think how all those who followed God could have and would have used all ways to get His message across and how today we should be doing this for them. 

    We have the opportunity to be able to spread the Bible, Jesus’s Messages, the Faith, our Beliefs through social media. It is the quickest and easiest way to get it out to people around us and to the other side of the world.  We should be using social media for “The Jesus Feed”. Spread the “Good News” of Jesus via your twitter account. Update your status with a quote of a Saint. “Check in” at a church or adoration. Take a picture of a church or cross and upload it to your Tumbler account or instagram account.  These message or pictures may be the only message of God some people will ever see or read. Not everyone will step into a church or pick up a bible to get that message. Social media is there for us to use as another form of out reach to those who are outside of the faith or away from God. Yes, social media does have its problems and are not always used for the good. That makes it more of the reason to use it. We have to be that counter to the darkness and hurt that it can be. Use it to be a light in a world where darkness settles in. Some people may not like to see or read it and you are opening yourself to comments but know that you are spreading the message you need to be. Let people know what you are doing and how it is just as part of your life as other things you post. Let your social media outlets be the reflection of who you are and who you want to be. This can change peoples lives as you share your day.

  Using social media can also keep us united as a people of faith and be used to strengthen us as well. Pope Francis has a twitter account as well as the Vatican having a Facebook page, YouTube Channel, Flickr account and several other social media outlets. What does that tell us as a church? That we are to use whatever means we have to stay connected with the church and our brothers and sisters in Christ. As a community of believers we can also be a social media church. We can use it to create pages that promote our Parishes, the Ministries, the Faith, and Prayers. Parishes can promote what they are doing like Adoration, Benediction, Mass times, Confession, etc.... to those who do not belong to their parish or those who did not take a bulletin. Ministries promote what they do, when they meet and can even use it for prayers for its members. It can be a way for us as a community to post our prayer requests and more can pray for us from the second it is posted verse waiting for it to be in the bulletin or mentioned at the next meeting. By using social media, we can expand the sunday community to be a 24/7 community.  The Universal Catholic Church can get a boost from Social Media and by that the faith of the community. 

   Social Media is not perfect by any means but it message is greater then the problems. It just means we have to be watchful and pay attention to what is being put out there and be ready to answer any comments that come our way, are we not to be doing that anyway without using social media?  To watch our actions and what we say and be ready to defend our faith. Those who do not agree or believe in God have no problem sending their message through social media, so we do we stand silent and not use the weapon they use for good.

    We can get the message of Jesus to people’s phones and computers in seconds using these avenues. We can lift up or be lifted up in prayers in a matter of seconds. We can defend our beliefs and the truth of the faith in seconds. These are the things that can be done in a simple and quick way. They may start a spark in someone that can change their lives and change their hearts. Jesus used parables and told stories to get His message across and to the most people. Why not use social media to get the faith, prayers, church and the Trinity out there?  Saint Francis of Assisi said “ Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words.” Well, maybe, just maybe we can Preach the Gospel 24/7 with using Social Media. Let us create that “Jesus Feed” because it is not just messages but messages that can feed our souls and those of others. It will be a spiritual feed that nourishes the hearts and souls and change some hearts and minds. Is it not what we are called to do? 

Until tomorrow, God Bless, and may your status updates show that you are a child of God and will reflect the Good News in the world.