Where fear and doubt prevail

“I have never talked about impurity. . . . But I have spoken many times, as I have to do, about chastity, purity, and the joyful affirmation of love.”--St. Josemaria Escriva

I don't know about you, but I feel like news and life events lately have been...heavy. Whether it's world news, a situation the Church is dealing with, or something going on in lives of people I know, everything seems weighty, urgent, and difficult.

I think it's turbulent times like this that sometimes open the door to new dangerous trends. The new one is the "game" that took over the internet last weekend amongst teens...using balancing pencils over a piece of paper to ask a deceased boy/demon/unknown spirit named "Charlie" to answer their question. Whether you chalk it all up to gravity, or see the eerie semblance this has to ouija boards, it's dangerous and scary...but is it surprising?

The youth are being oversaturated with negative images and all too often experience negative life events. They have questions. They want answers. This new game emphasizes a couple points:

• This is an amazing reminder that parental supervision of web browsing and internet use is essential. I think it is all too common for parents to throw up their hands at pop culture and think that they can't keep up with what "kids these days" are doing. But it is so important that parents do know and keep up with the latest trends, no matter how fast they move, so that they know how to respond and protect their children. Even in harmless things. Remember the ice bucket challenge? It took some observant people to realize that even that had its downside of where money was being donated and for what it would be used...so many Catholics started donating money to a Catholic research group instead. We need to be aware of movements in our lives.
• We need to be willing to address children's and teen's fears, questions, and anxieties. Though questions made during such games are usually surface level fun and games, these are some ultimately deep questions: Does *such and such* like me? What will I do when you grow up? Are you here, Charlie? We need to assure our youth that their questions are valid, and that they are best taken up in prayer.
• Along the lines of addressing demons... The many wise educators in my life I think did best to not focus on satan and demons. But they did tell stories of exorcisms and spiritual activity when teaching moments arose. This new trend is such a teaching moment. One of the best articles I read on the new pencil game emphasized that satan is boring. Jesus Christ is dynamic and exciting. While stories of spirits and exorcisms can be wisely used, they should not be made to be exciting or to be sought after. They should be reminders that such spirits do exist, but ultimately do not  have the power of Jesus Christ. Remember always: "We are the Easter people, and hallelujah is our song." 
• For example: I know a young priest who would use exorcism stories at TEC events as teaching tools. He did this, not to scare the candidates, but to show them the power of the spiritual life. Stories of ouija boards reappearing after being thrown away and of a lonely old lady who allowed evil spirits to possess her were used to show the power of prayer over such scary instances.
• In contrast, stories of Eucharistic miracles, incorruptible saints, and miraculous healings offer hope, protection, and peace. This is so much more needed in our lives. They address the uncertainty and scariness of our times while at the same time offering the real hope of grace received through Christ. These are the stories we need to be sharing over social media. These are the impactful spiritual occurrences that should be drawing us in, not a pencil game.