Introduction: Why this course?
The spiritual challenge of our time
We are living through an unprecedented revolution. In less than three decades, the digital It has transformed the way we communicate, work, entertain ourselves, and even pray. Our smartphones have become extensions of ourselves: we check them on average more than 150 times a day. Social networks have redefined our relationships. Artificial intelligence is beginning to influence our daily decisions.
Faced with this profound transformation, many Christians feel helpless. How can they live their faith in the age of algorithms? How can they preserve their inner life when everything pushes us towards the external world? How can they discern good from evil in a world where information travels at the speed of light, but where truth seems increasingly difficult to grasp?
This 14-day journey stems from a simple conviction: the Word of God, written millennia ago, contains eternal wisdom capable of illuminating the most contemporary challenges. The Scriptures don't explicitly mention smartphones or social media, of course. But they do address the fundamental questions these technologies raise: our relationship to time, attention, speech, images, community, truth, and our own hearts.
A theological and practical approach
This approach is neither a demonization of the digitalnor a naive celebration of its promises. It offers a path of discernment rooted in biblical and Catholic tradition. Each day, you will discover texts from the Old and New Testaments that illuminate a particular aspect of our lives. digital.
The approach is resolutely theological: we seek to understand what God tells us through his Word about the challenges of our time. But it is also practical: each day ends with concrete suggestions for living differently with the digitalBecause the Christian faith is not a disembodied gnosis, but a life transformed by grace.
The 14 days are organized into three main stages. The first five days lay the foundations: they explore our relationship to time, attention, interiority, rest, and presence. The following six days address our digital relationships: speech, self-image, community, truth, charity online, and conflict management. The last three days open up new perspectives: evangelization digitaldiscernment in the face of new technologies, and hope in a changing world.
How to use this course
Each day includes several elements. First, a presentation of the theme that situates the spiritual issue. Then, biblical texts for meditation, chosen from the Catholic Bible (including the deuterocanonical books). Finally, a theological explanation that connects these texts to our reality. digitalFinally, some concrete proposals for the day.
I recommend you do this route in the morning, before you look at your screens. Give yourself at least 20 to 30 minutes of prayerful reading. If possible, write down your thoughts in a notebook. And above all, really try to put the daily suggestions into practice: it's by doing that we learn to live differently.
You can follow this path alone, but it is even more fruitful in a group: with family, friends, or in a parish sharing group. Discussions on these topics are invaluable, as we all have different experiences of digital and additional wisdom to share.
May the Holy Spirit accompany you on this adventure. May He open your heart to the Word and help you find your way amidst the noise. digital, the path to true freedom.
Day 1
Mastering your time in the age of instant gratification
Theme: Time as a gift from God
The context: constant acceleration
THE digital It has compressed our perception of time. Everything must be instantaneous: replies to messages, deliveries, information. We've gone from letters that took days to arrive to messages that demand a response within minutes. This acceleration is not neutral: it shapes our psyche, our spirituality, our relationship with God himself.
Paradoxically, while we save time thanks to technologyWe feel like we're always running out of time. Studies show that the most connected people are often the most stressed about time. This is what sociologists call "time famine": the more tools we have to save time, the more rushed we feel.
This situation raises a fundamental spiritual question: to whom does our time belong? Who is its master? Is it us, is it the notifications that solicit us, or is it God?
Today's texts
Main reading: Ecclesiastes 3:1-15
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to lose, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time to the war and a time for peace. »
— Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
“What profit does the worker get from his toil? I have seen the task that God gave to the children of Adam to do. He has made everything beautiful in its time. Moreover, he has set all time in their hearts, so that no one can discover what God has done from beginning to end.”
— Ecclesiastes 3:9-11
Supplementary text: Psalm 90 (89), 1-12
“In your sight, a thousand years are like yesterday, like a day that has gone by, or like a watch in the night. […] The number of our years? Seventy, or eighty if we are strong! Their greater number is but toil and trouble; they flee away, we fly away. […] Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”
— Psalm 90, 4, 10, 12
Text from the New Testament: Ephesians 5:15-17
“Be very careful how you live: do not live like fools, but like wise people. Make the most of the present time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”
— Ephesians 5:15-17
Theological Meditation
Time has a divine structure
The poem of Ecclesiastes reveals a fundamental truth: time is not a formless substance that we can mold at will. It has a structure, a rhythm, a quality inherent to each moment. There are times to act and times to refrain, times to speak and times to be silent.
This vision is in direct opposition to the ideology of instantaneity. digitalwhich claims that everything can and should be done at any time. The attention economy pushes us to be always available, always responsive, always productive. But the biblical sage reminds us that this claim is a lie. There is a time for everything, and wanting to do everything all the time ultimately means doing nothing at all.
Saint AugustineIn his Confessions, he meditated at length on the mystery of time. He showed that time truly exists only in our soul: the past is memory, the future is expectation, and the present is attention. Now, it is precisely our attention that the digital It captures and fragments. By multiplying demands, it prevents us from fully experiencing the present, that place where God meets us.
Buying back time
Saint Paul's expression in Ephesians is striking: "Make the most of the present time," or, according to other translations, "Redeem the time." The Greek verb exagorazō evokes the idea of redeeming a slave to restore their freedom. Is our time free, or is it enslaved by algorithms and notifications?
To redeem time is first and foremost to recognize that it does not belong to us. It is a gift from God, a daily grace. Every morning, we receive 24 new hours, not as something owed to us, but as a gift. This awareness should transform our relationship with time. digital : instead of passively enduring it, we are invited to actively receive it, to make it an offering.
Reclaiming our time means exercising our discernment. Not everything has the same value. Some digital activities build us up: learning, creating, maintaining genuine connections. Others destroy us: compulsive scrolling, envious comparison, constant distraction. To be wise is to know the difference.
Eternity in the heart
Ecclesiastes tells us that God “has placed all time in the human heart”—or, according to some translations, “eternity.” This mysterious saying means that we carry within us an aspiration that transcends time. We are not made for the fleeting moment, but for eternity.
That's why entertainment digitalEven when it gives us immediate pleasure, it often leaves us unsatisfied. We've spent hours on social media, and we feel empty. We've watched dozens of videos, and we remember none of them. That's because our hearts are searching for something else: they're searching for what endures, what has weight, what touches on eternity.
Monastic tradition distinguishes between two types of time: chronos, the time that passes and is measured, and kairos, the favorable moment, the instant of grace. digital We are often trapped in chronos, this endless succession of interchangeable moments. But God invites us to kairos, to recognize the moments that matter, to seize opportunities for grace.
Practical application
Today, I'm going to give you three practical exercises:
First, audit your screen time. Most smartphones now offer this feature. Look not only at the total time, but also the breakdown by app and the number of times you unlock your device. These figures are often surprising, even shocking. Accept them without guilt, as a wake-up call.
Secondly, identify your "kairos moments" of the day: those times when you are particularly open to grace, connection, and depth. This could be in the morning upon waking, in the evening before sleeping, or during your lunch break. And decide to protect these moments from intrusion. digital.
Third, meditate on Psalm 90 and make it a personal prayer. Ask God to teach you "the true measure of your days," to help you not waste the time given to you, and to put your heart into wisdom.
Day 2
Attention, this threatened treasure
Theme: Keeping one's heart free from distractions
The context: the attention economy
We live in what economists call the "attention economy." In a world where information is overabundant, human attention becomes the scarce and precious resource. The giants of digital They understood this well: their business model relies entirely on their ability to capture and hold our attention for as long as possible.
To achieve this, they employ armies of engineers and psychologists who design addictive interfaces. Infinite scrolling, push notifications, red dots, recommendation algorithms: everything is designed to exploit our cognitive vulnerabilities and keep us captive to our screens.
The result is alarming. Studies show that our ability to sustain attention has significantly decreased. We find it increasingly difficult to read a long text, to follow a conversation without looking at our phone, to stay focused on a task. Our minds have become like butterflies flitting from flower to flower, unable to settle.
Attention is not merely one cognitive faculty among others. It is at the heart of our spiritual life. To pray is to pay attention to God. To love is to pay attention to others. Attention is the place of encounter. When our attention is fragmented, our capacity for relationship is impaired.
Today's texts
Main reading: Proverbs 4:20-27
“My son, pay attention to my words, listen closely to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your sight, keep them within your heart. For they are life to the one who finds them, and health to all his body. Above all, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Keep falsehood far from your mouth, and perverse lips far from you. Let your eyes look directly ahead, and let your gaze be fixed straight before you. Examine the path where you set your feet, and let all your ways be secure. Do not turn to the right or to the left; keep your foot from evil.”
— Proverbs 4:20-27
Supplementary text: Deuteronomy 6:4-9 (the Shema Yisrael)
«Listen, Israel: the Lord our God is one.”. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and all your strength. These words that I give you today shall remain in your heart. You shall tell them repeatedly to your children, and shall speak them continually, whether you sit at home or travel by way of way, whether you lie down or rise up; you shall tie them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as a wreath on your forehead; you shall write them on the entrance of your house and on the gates of your city.»
— Deuteronomy 6, 4-9
New Testament text: Luke 10:38-42 (Martha and Mary)
“As he went along, Jesus entered a village. A woman named Martha welcomed him. She had a sister called Married who, having seat at the Lord's feet, listened to his word. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and said, “Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” The Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Married He has chosen the better part, and it will not be taken away from him.
— Luke 10, 38-42
Theological Meditation
Watching over his heart
THE Book of Proverbs He gives us a crucial instruction: "Above all, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it." This injunction is extremely relevant today.digital age.
In the Bible, the heart is not only the seat of emotions. It is the center of the person, where thoughts, desires, and decisions are formed. It is from the heart that we direct our lives. Jesus will say: "For out of the heart come evil thoughts" (Matthew 15, 19), but also good thoughts.
To watch over one's heart is to be vigilant about what enters it and what leaves it. Now the digital It pours into our hearts an uninterrupted stream of images, news, opinions, and stimuli. We passively absorb content chosen by algorithms, without discernment, without filter. We allow strangers—or worse, machines—to shape our inner selves.
Biblical wisdom invites us to take back control. Not to cut ourselves off from the world, but to actively choose what we allow into our hearts. Our eyes and ears are like doors: we can decide to open them or close them, to direct them toward what builds us up or toward what destroys us.
Listening to the Shema in its entirety
The Shema Yisrael is the fundamental prayer of Judaism, which Jesus himself recited daily. It begins with an imperative: "Listen!" But this is not passive or distracted listening. It is listening with one's whole being: "with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength."
This total listening is the antithesis of the "multitasking" mode into which we are plunged by the digitalWe think we can listen to someone while looking at our phone, follow an online conference while checking our emails, pray while being interrupted by notifications. But this divided attention isn't really attention. It's an illusion of attention.
Neuroscience confirms what spiritual tradition has long known: multitasking is a myth. Our brain cannot truly do several conscious things at once. It switches rapidly from one to another, at the cost of reduced efficiency and depth. When we believe we are doing several things simultaneously, we are actually doing several things poorly.
The Shema calls us to unified attention. To love God with all one's heart is to give Him undivided attention. It is to be fully present to His presence. It is to silence the inner and outer noises in order to hear His voice.
Marie chose the best portion
The episode of Martha and Married is often misunderstood. It's not about opposing action to contemplation, nor about devaluing service. Martha is doing something very good: she welcomes Jesus, she prepares the meal. Her mistake is not in acting, but in being "preoccupied with many tasks."
The Greek word used is periespato, which literally means "pulled in all directions." Martha is scattered, fragmented, torn apart. She does many things, but she is not fully present in any of them. And above all, she is not present to Jesus, who is nevertheless there, in her home, now.
MarriedShe, however, made a choice. She... seat She sits at Jesus' feet and listens. She is not passive: truly listening is an act, indeed the most important act. She has recognized that Christ's presence is "the only thing necessary" and she gives him her full attention.
This story makes us question: in our lives digitalAre we like Martha, pulled in all directions by multiple demands? Or do we know, like Married, choose the better part, take the time to sit at the feet of the Lord?
Practical application
Today, three concrete proposals:
First, turn off non-essential notifications on your phone. Keep only those concerning people (calls, messages from loved ones) and delete all those from apps that seek your attention for commercial reasons. You can go further by activating "Do Not Disturb" mode during your times of prayer and focused work.
Second, practice "Shema listening" today. Choose a time—a family meal, a conversation with a friend, a time of prayer—when you are fully present, without any screens nearby, with undivided attention. Observe the difference in quality this makes.
Thirdly, in the evening, before going to sleep, instead of looking at your phone, take five minutes to be quiet. Like Married At the feet of Jesus, simply remain in his presence. You can silently repeat the Shema: "Lord, I want to love you with all my heart, with all my soul, with all my strength."
Day 3
Cultivating inner peace amidst the noise
Theme: Silence, the gateway to encounter
The context: the disappearance of silence
THE digital world It's a world of constant noise. Not just the sound of notifications and videos, but the mental noise of information, images, and demands. Our minds are constantly fed, stimulated, and distracted. Silence has become rare, almost threatening.
Many of our contemporaries can no longer tolerate silence. They turn on the television as soon as they get home, put on music as soon as they start walking, and check their phones whenever they have a spare moment. Silence seems empty, boring, and anxiety-inducing to them.
Yet, all spiritual traditions recognize that silence is essential to the inner life. It is in silence that one can hear the voice of God, who does not speak in the noise. It is in silence that one can find oneself, beyond masks and roles. It is in silence that one can truly think, create, and meditate.
THE digital It gradually deprives us of this vital resource. And with it, our spiritual life is impoverished, our capacity for prayer atrophies, and our sense of God is dulled.
Today's texts
Main reading: 1 Kings 19:9-13 (Elijah at Horeb)
“Elijah went into a cave and spent the night there. And behold, the word of the Lord came to him: ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’ He answered, ‘I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. The children of Israel have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me.’ The Lord said, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, for he is about to pass by.’ As the Lord approached, there was a great and violent wind that split the mountains and shattered the rocks, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. After the fire came a whisper of a gentle breeze.” As soon as he heard it, Elijah covered his face with his cloak, went out, and stood at the entrance of the cave.
— 1 Kings 19:9-13
Supplementary text: Psalm 62 (61), 2-9
“I find rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. […] I find rest in God alone; yes, my hope comes from him. He alone is my rock, my salvation, my fortress: I will not be shaken. My salvation and my glory are found with God; with God is my refuge, my impregnable rock!”
— Psalm 62:2, 6-8
Text from the New Testament: Mark 1:35
"The next day, Jesus got up very early, before dawn. He left the house and went off to a solitary place, and there he prayed."
— Mark 1:35
Theological Meditation
God in the gentle breeze
Elijah's experience at Horeb is one of the most profound accounts in the Bible of God's presence. The prophet, exhausted and discouraged, takes refuge in a cave. God tells him that he will pass away. And then spectacular phenomena occur: a hurricane, an earthquake, and fire. These are the traditional manifestations of theophany, of divine appearance.
But the text insists: “The Lord was not in the hurricane… was not in the earthquake… was not in the fire.” God defies expectations. He does not manifest himself in the spectacular, the violent, the noisy. He comes in “the whisper of a gentle breeze”—literally in Hebrew, “a voice of stillness” (qol demamah daqqah).
This paradoxical expression—a voice of silence—says something essential about how God communicates. He doesn't impose himself. He doesn't shout. He whispers. And to hear him, one must be silent oneself.
THE digital world It is full of hurricanes, earthquakes, and fires. Spectacular news, heated debates, and sensational content capture our attention. But God is not there. He is in the profound silence we no longer hear, too deafened by the clamor.
Rest in God alone
Psalm 62 expresses a fundamental spiritual experience: the rest of the soul in God. The psalmist repeats, “I have no rest but in God alone.” This rest is not laziness or inaction. It is peace profound, like that of one who has found his center, his anchor, his source.
Saint Augustine He beautifully expressed this truth: “You have made us for yourself, Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.” Our hearts are restless, agitated, as long as they seek their rest in creatures. And the digital multiplies these creatures in which we vainly seek rest: entertainment, social approval, information, stimulation.
Silence is the path to this rest. Not primarily external silence, although that is helpful, but inner silence: silencing the thoughts, desires, and fears that agitate us, so that we may rest in God. This is what mystics call "rest in God" or "tranquility."
Jesus is looking for the desert
The Gospel of Mark shows us Jesus at the heart of his ministry. He has just experienced an intense day: teaching in the synagogue, healing a demon-possessed man, healing Peter's mother-in-law, and then the whole town gathering at his door to be healed. It's a day of success, crowds, and overflowing activity.
And what does Jesus do? “Well before dawn,” he gets up, goes out, and goes to a deserted place to pray. He doesn't let himself be swept away by the whirlwind. He steps back. He returns to the source. He is silent before the Father.
If Jesus himself, the Son of God, needed these times of silence and solitude, how much more do we! The disciples will come looking for him: “Everyone is looking for you” (Mark 1:37). The pressure of demands, expectations, and requests is constant. But Jesus does not give in. He knows that without silent prayer, his ministry would lose its source.
We too are constantly being sought: by notifications, messages, emails, social media. “Everyone is looking for you” could be the slogan of the attention economy. But like Jesus, we must know when to withdraw, even before dawn if necessary, to find the silence where God awaits us.
Practical application
Today, three suggestions for cultivating silence:
First, create a "daily desert." Choose a moment in the day—even a short one, even ten minutes—when you will disconnect from all screens, all noise, all distractions. No music, no podcasts, not even reading. Just silence. At first, this may be uncomfortable. Welcome that discomfort. It reveals how dependent we have become on noise.
Secondly, practice "noise fasting." Choose a familiar route—going to work, running errands—where you won't listen to anything in your ears. Let your mind wander, pray, contemplate. Rediscover the simple pleasure of being present with your surroundings.
Third, in the evening, turn off all your screens an hour before going to sleep. Use this time for quiet activities: reading, praying, writing, simply being. Observe how this changes the quality of your sleep and waking.
Day 4
The digital sabbath
Theme: Resting as God rested
The context: the permanent connection
One of the most profound changes brought about by the digital It's the disappearance of boundaries between work time and rest time, between professional and private space. Thanks to—or because of—our smartphones, we are potentially reachable 24/7. Work emails follow us even to bed. Notifications wake us up at night.
This constant connection has serious consequences for our physical and mental health. Burnout is on the rise. Anxiety is increasing. Sleep is deteriorating. But beyond these measurable effects, something more fundamental is at stake: our ability to stop, to truly rest, to take a break.
For rest is not a luxury or a weakness. It is a divine commandment, inscribed in the Ten Commandments of Sinai. God himself rested on the seventh day, not out of weariness, but to show us the way. The Sabbath is a sacred institution that protects humanity from its own excesses.
Today's texts
Main reading: Exodus 20:8-11
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.”
— Exodus 20, 8-11
Supplementary text: Genesis 2:1-3
“Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their array. By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing, so he rested on the seventh day from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creation he had been doing.”
— Genesis 2, 1-3
New Testament text: Mark 2:27-28
“Jesus said to them, ‘The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. Therefore the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.’”
— Mark 2:27-28
Additional text: Hebrews 4:9-11
“There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God. For he who has entered his rest has also rested from his works, just as God rested from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest.”
— Hebrews 4:9-11
Theological Meditation
God's rest
The story of Genesis It presents us with a God who works for six days, then rests on the seventh. This divine rest is obviously not the rest of someone who is tired. God does not tire: "He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep" (Psalm 121:4).
So why does God rest? Jewish and Christian commentators have pondered this question at length. God's rest is not an absence of activity, but a contemplative presence. After creating, God pauses to contemplate his work, to rejoice in his goodness: "God saw all that he had made, and it was very good" (Gn 1, 31).
This rest is also an act of trust. By ceasing to create, God shows that he trusts his creation to continue to exist and develop without his constant intervention. He leaves space. He withdraws so that creatures can be.
For us, the Sabbath digital It can have this double meaning. It's a time for contemplation: we stop producing, consuming, reacting, to simply be present to the beauty of what is. And it's an act of trust: we accept that the world continues to turn without our constant supervision, that our emails can wait, that we are not indispensable.
The commandment to rest
The Sabbath is one of the Ten Commandments, on par with "Thou shalt not kill" and "Thou shalt not steal." It is not an optional piece of advice for those who have the time. It is a sacred obligation, for our own good and for the glory of God.
The commandment is remarkably inclusive: it concerns the head of the household, but also his children, his servants, his animals, and even the stranger who stays in his house. The Sabbath is an institution of social justiceIt protects the weak from the exploitation of the strong. It guarantees that no one will be forced to work tirelessly.
At thedigital ageThis social dimension is crucial. Constant connectivity creates pressure that falls particularly on the most vulnerable: employees who don't dare not respond to their boss on weekends, young people who fear missing out if they disconnect. The Sabbath digital It is an act of resistance against this pressure. It is an affirmation that our value does not depend on our constant availability.
The Sabbath Made for Man
When confronted by the Pharisees who criticized him for healing on the Sabbath, Jesus reiterated the profound intention of the commandment: "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath." Rest is not a legalistic constraint, but a gift of liberation.
This saying frees us from a rigid practice of the Sabbath. digitalThe goal is not to create new, guilt-inducing rules, but to rediscover rest as a blessing. It's not about counting hours of disconnection like points, but about savoring the freedom of not being a slave to our devices.
At the same time, this freedom must not become an excuse for inaction. Jesus did not abolish the Sabbath; he refocused it on its purpose. Similarly, Christian freedom does not exempt us from observing rest, but it invites us to observe it in spirit, not in letter.
Practical application
Today, I suggest we think about establishing a Sabbath. digital regular in your life. Here are some suggestions:
First, choose a weekly time to disconnect. This can be a whole day (Sunday for example). Christianswho celebrate the resurrection), half a day, or a few hours. The important thing is that it's regular and protected. Write it in your calendar as an essential appointment.
Secondly, prepare for this Sabbath digitalInform anyone who might need to contact you. Set an out-of-office message on your emails if necessary. Put your phone away in a drawer or another room. Eliminate temptations.
Third, fill this Sabbath time with activities that make you feel good: prayer, mass, reading, walks in nature, family games, conversations with friends, cooking, rest… The Sabbath is not an emptiness, but a different kind of fullness.
Day 5
Being present for those who are there
Theme: The temptation of elsewhere digital
The context: bodies present, minds absent
A scene that has become commonplace: a family at a restaurant, each person engrossed in their smartphone. Friends gathered but not truly together, their eyes glued to their screens. A couple watching television while simultaneously scrolling through Instagram. We are physically present, but mentally elsewhere.
THE digital It offers us an unprecedented ability to be "connected" with people far away. But it often disconnects us from those who are right there in front of us, in the flesh. We maintain virtual friendships with people on the other side of the world, but we don't know the first name of our next-door neighbor.
This situation raises a fundamental theological question about the Incarnation. Christianity is the religion of the God who became flesh, who dwelt among us, who made himself present in a body, in a place, at a moment in history. Physical presence is not a detail, but the heart of the Christian mystery.
Today's texts
Main reading: John 1:14
"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."
— John 1, 14
Additional text: Matthew 18:20
"For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them."
— Matthew 18:20
Text from the wisdom tradition: Sirach 9, 10
"Don't abandon an old friend, for a new one will not be worth as much. New wine, new friend: when it has aged, you will drink it with pleasure."
— Sirach 9:10
Text from the New Testament: 1 John 1:1-3
“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and our hands have touched, concerning the Word of life—for the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness to it—we proclaim to you the eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us. That which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you also may have fellowship with us.”
— 1 John 1, 1-3
Theological Meditation
The scandal of the incarnation
The prologue to the Gospel of John announces the heart of the Christian faith: «The Word became flesh.» This statement was a scandal to John’s contemporaries, both to the Jews, who could not conceive of the transcendent God entering into matter, and to the Greeks, who despised the body as a prison of the soul.
But it is precisely this scandal that makes the ChristianityGod did not remain in the heavenly heights, communicating with us through spiritual messages. He came down. He took on flesh. He felt hunger, thirst, sleep, and fatigue. He wept, laughed, and became angry. He was touched and touched. He looked people in the eyes.
This physical presence was not a stopgap measure while waiting for better communication technologies. It was God's deliberate choice. He could have sent dreams, visions, or texts. He chose to send his Son, in flesh and blood, to live among us.
This divine choice has something to tell us about the value of physical presence. Relationships mediated by screens have their value, but they cannot replace embodied presence. There is something irreplaceable about being there, physically, with someone.
The communion of presences
Jesus promises: “Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.” This presence of Christ in the midst of the assembled community is the foundation of Christian ecclesiology. The Church is not primarily an institution or a doctrine, but an assembly, people gathered in one place.
Catholic liturgy emphasizes this physical dimension of gathering. We cannot celebrate the Eucharist alone. The priest needs at least one parishioner present. And even though the Covid-19 pandemic showed that broadcast masses could be a spiritual aid, it also confirmed that they did not replace physical participation.
Because in the physical gathering, something happens that the connection digital It cannot be reproduced. Bodies are present to one another. We breathe the same air. We sing together. We exchange a sign of peace. We eat the same Bread. This corporeality is not incidental; it is constitutive of Christian communion.
The testimony of the senses
The beginning of the First Letter of John is extraordinary. The apostle places great emphasis on sensory experience: what we have heard, seen, contemplated, touched. This is not an abstract doctrine, but an encounter with someone real, tangible, and physical.
John writes against the early Gnostics who denied the reality of the Incarnation. But his testimony also resonates with us. It reminds us that the Christian faith is not a virtual connection with ideas, but an embodied relationship with a person. We encounter Christ in the sacraments, which are physical realities: water, bread, wine, oil, the touch of hands.
And we encounter him in our brothers and sisters, who are also physical realities. “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40). This saying of Jesus calls us to see his presence in the concrete faces that surround us, not in avatars and online profiles.
Practical application
Today, three suggestions for being more present for those who are here:
First, establish "screen-free zones" in your interactions. When you're at the table with family or friends, put your phone away. When you have an important conversation, place the device out of sight. When you're with your children, give them your undivided attention.
Secondly, look people in the eye. Instead of staring at your screen as you walk, observe the faces around you. Greet the people you pass. Exchange a smile with the cashier. These micro-encounters are precious.
Third, take an initiative of embodied presence this week. Invite someone for coffee. Visit an elderly or isolated person. Suggest a walk to a friend instead of exchanging messages. Rediscover joy to be together.
Day 6
Weighing one's words in the public sphere
Theme: The life and death power of language
Texts of the day
James 3:1-12 (the tongue, this little fire) • Proverbs 18:21 • Matthew 12:36-37
Meditation
Social media has amplified our voices. What we write can be read by thousands of people. This new power demands a new responsibility. Jacques warns us: language is a small limb, but capable of great conflagrations. Every tweet, every comment, every post can build up or destroy. Words carry a weight we don't always realize.
Jesus warns us that we will be held accountable for every careless word. How many of our online contributions are truly necessary? Before posting, let's ask ourselves: Is it true? Is it helpful? Is it kind? Is it the right time? These four questions can transform our online presence. digital.
Day 7
Self-image in the age of selfies
Theme: Created in the image of God, not in the image of filters
Texts of the day
Genesis 126-27 (created in the image of God) • 1 Samuel 16:7 (God looks at the heart) • 1 Peter 3:3-4
Meditation
We are created in the image of God, not in the image of Instagram filters. This fundamental truth is threatened by the selfie culture and the constant self-presentation. We construct digital personas, idealized versions of ourselves, and end up losing ourselves in them.
The Bible frees us from this tyranny of appearances. God looks at the heart, not outward appearances. Our true beauty is inner: "the incorruptible adornment of a gentle and quiet spirit." What freedom to no longer depend on likes and external validation!
Day 8
The real community vs. the virtual community
Theme: Where is the Church in thedigital age ?
Texts of the day
Act 242-47 (the first Christian community) • Hebrews 10:24-25 • 1 Corinthians 12, 12-27
Meditation
The first Christian community devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. This communal life was not optional; it was fundamental to the Christian experience. The author of Hebrews urges us not to abandon our gatherings.
Online communities can be a valuable complement, but they cannot replace the embodied community. It is in real encounters that we learn to love people we haven't chosen, to bear each other's burdens, to live patience And forgiveness on a daily basis.
Day 9
Seeking the truth in the ocean of information
Theme: Distinguishing truth from falsehood
Texts of the day
John 8:32 (the truth will set you free) • John 18:37-38 • Proverbs 14:15 • 1 Thessalonians 5:21
Meditation
“What is truth?” Pilate asked Jesus. This question resonates with particular urgency in the age of fake news and disinformation. We navigate an ocean of information where truth and falsehood are mixed together, where algorithms trap us in bubbles.
Christians are called to be seekers of truth. “The truth will set you free,” says Jesus. But this freedom requires effort: verifying our sources, cross-referencing information, questioning what flatters our prejudices, and accepting the complexity of reality. “Test everything; hold fast to what is good,” Saint Paul tells us.
Day 10
Online charity
Theme: Loving one's neighbor digital
Texts of the day
1 Corinthians 13:1-7 (the hymn to charity) • Romans 129-21 • Ephesians 4:29-32
Meditation
The anthem to charity Saint Paul's teachings also apply to our lives. digital. Charity She is patient: she doesn't react impulsively to provocations. She is helpful: she uses digital tools to assist others. She is not envious: she doesn't compulsively compare herself to others on social media.
Behind every screen is a person created in the image of God. This truth should transform the way we interact online. “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouth,” says Paul. This also applies to our keyboards.
Day 11
Managing digital conflicts
Theme: Reconciliation in the Age of Controversy
Texts of the day
Matthew 18:15-17 (the fraternal correction) • Matthew 523-24 • Proverbs 15:1 • Romans 12, 17-21
Meditation
Social media platforms are controversy-generating machines. Algorithms favor content that is contentious because it generates more engagement. It's easy to get drawn into pointless arguments, public settling of scores, and verbal escalations.
Jesus gives us a method for resolving conflicts: first in private, then with witnesses, and only as a last resort before the community. This is the exact opposite of the Twitter logic where every conflict immediately becomes public. When a disagreement arises online, do we instinctively send a private message rather than respond publicly?
Day 12
Evangelizing in the digital world
Theme: Witnessing the Internet to its very limits
Texts of the day
Matthew 2819-20 (Go therefore and make disciples of all nations) Act 18 • 1 Peter 3:15-16
Meditation
The missionary command also applies to space digitalBillions of people spend hours there every day. It's a new continent to evangelize. But how do you proclaim Christ in an environment so different from traditional methods?
Saint Peter gives us a key: “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” Evangelization digital It is not the aggression of proselytizers, but the humble and joyful testimony of what Christ does in our lives. Our online presence can be a presence of light.
Day 13
Discerning in the face of new technologies
Theme: Artificial intelligence and beyond
Texts of the day
Genesis 11:1-9 (the Tower of Babel) • Wisdom 9:13-18 • Philippians 1:9-11
Meditation
Artificial intelligence, virtual reality, brain-computer interfaces… Emerging technologies raise unprecedented ethical questions. The story of Babel warns us against the Promethean temptation to "make a name for oneself" by defying the limits of the human condition.
But the Bible is not technophobic. Technology is a gift from God, an expression of the creative intelligence He has given us. Discernment consists of distinguishing what humanizes from what dehumanizes, what draws us closer to God and our neighbor from what distances us from them. This discernment is an ongoing process, requiring prayer, reflection, and dialogue.
Day 14
Hope for a digital world
Theme: Towards the Heavenly Jerusalem
Texts of the day
Revelation 21:1-5 (a new heaven and a new earth) Romans 818-25 • Isaiah 65:17-25
Meditation
This journey might give a pessimistic impression: so many warnings, so many dangers. But the Christian horizon is not fear, it is hope. We believe that God makes all things new, that he is preparing a transfigured world where "there will be no more death, no more mourning, no more crying, no more pain."
This hope does not absolve us from acting now. On the contrary, it gives us the strength to work from today for a digital More humane, more just, more fraternal. We are not condemned to passively endure technological changes. We can be agents of transformation, witnesses to another way of living with technology.
In conclusion to this journey, I invite you to reread the notes you took over the days. Which texts particularly resonated with you? Which practices do you want to keep? What concrete changes do you want to make in your life? digital And above all, keep faith: the one who began this good work in you will bring it to completion.
Conclusion: Towards an embodied digital wisdom
At the end of these 14 days, we have not exhausted the subject. Technologies evolve faster than our understanding. New challenges will emerge tomorrow, challenges we cannot yet imagine. But we have laid solid foundations, rooted in the Word of God.
Biblical wisdom for thedigital age This can be summarized in a few fundamental principles. First, time is a gift from God to be received and given, not a resource to be exploited. Second, attention is the place of encounter with God and with our neighbor. Third, silence is essential to the inner life. Fourth, rest is a divine commandment that frees us from the idolatry of productivity. Fifth, embodied presence is irreplaceable.
Sixth, our words online carry the same weight as our words face-to-face. Seventh, our true identity is in God, not in our image. digitalEighth, the Christian community is first and foremost experienced through physical encounter. Ninth, the search for truth is a permanent duty. Tenth, charity must govern all our interactions.
These principles are not rigid rules, but guidelines for discernment. Every situation is different. Every person has their own unique calling. The Holy Spirit will guide you in the practical application of this wisdom to your life.
I leave you with a prayer that you can make your own:
Lord, in the age of digitalTeach me the true measure of my days. Keep my heart from distractions. Open my ears to your voice of utter silence. Grant me the courage to rest. Make me present to those who are here. Purify my words. Free me from the tyranny of images. Root me in your community. Guide me toward the truth. Fill me with your charity. Make me a witness to your Gospel in this new world. Amen.
✝
