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Like many of us, the start of COVID-19 was a shock to my normal routine. I welcomed the “two-week” lockdown as a nice retreat from my normal busy life, but as it continued for months, I started to welcome more vices into my life. The lockdown meant more screen time, more food, and no friends. My laziness took over! We had an excuse to be lazy, and I definitely took advantage. I could have called my friends, but I did not want to join another Zoom call that week. There were several weekends I could have gone watched any Mass I wanted, but, alas, each weekend I did not partake in Mass, did not receive Jesus into my soul. I could have carved out time for prayer, reading, and exercise… but I did not want to. Instead, I decided to play video games all weekend, stare at my phone for hours on end, and eat snacks at all times. The lockdown was my excuse to be excessively lazy.
After months of living for myself, I started to feel empty. Despite being constantly entertained, often by two devices at a time, I found myself bored. I did not enjoy who I was becoming and needed it to end. Being a former seminarian and college missionary, I knew exactly what I needed to do: pray, accountability, community, and self-sacrifice for others. Therefore, I made plans to pray every day. I failed. I set up an accountability buddy with my best friend to help make sure I prayed, read, and worked out, but I failed to check in every day. I planned to attend a small men’s group each week for community and, of course, failed. I started to sacrifice my “precious” free time to call my long-distance friends, but I would not be present in the conversation. I knew all the steps to get closer to God and to start being fulfilled by Him, yet I did not have any motivation to act.
The one step I forgot was to fast from my vices, to cut them completely out of my life. You see, I had two gods in my life. I placed my laziness and selfishness above all things, even God. So, I decided to sell my PlayStation and placed screen time limits on my phone. The two biggest distractions or “gods” of my life had to be gone in order for me to come back to Jesus. Although He and I still have a lot more work to do in my life, I already feel more fulfilled. Lent is amazing because it makes you self-reflect and actually cut out the “gods” of your life while replacing them with good habits. I’m excited for the Spark Your Spirit campaign this Lent and hope that it will bring several parishioners closer to Jesus Christ after the world of distractions we have been thrown into. Even if one soul chooses to say “yes” to Jesus this Lent, then we have succeeded!
Please pray for the Spark Your Spirit Campaign and say your “yes”!
- David Koch, OLMC Stewardship Director