Making Spirituality & Theology in the Internet Work for You

Introduction
This article does not intend to use too much jargon or dwell entirely in the academic. Rather it seeks to bring the big terms of spirituality and theology to the level as much as is possible, of everyday language. Instead of being scholarly and erudite, it will be more descriptive and touch on the experience of most Catholics using the Internet as part of their lifestyle in the faith.

What is Spirituality?
Generally, spirituality just means a way of life - a way of practicing your faith and beliefs. Thus, there is Buddhist spirituality and there is Hindu spirituality. In our Christian world, there is Protestant spirituality, Anglican spirituality, Orthodox spirituality and Catholic spirituality. Within these mainline spiritualities, there are particular spiritualities: spiritualities that focus on a particular aspect of the mainline faith. Within our Catholic faith, these particular spiritualities fall within the range of the contemplative-active lifestyle. Those Catholics whose personalities and temperaments prefer a more prayerful life tend towards the contemplative pole of Christian life. On the other hand, those Catholic whose personality and temperament prefer a more active and socially involved life tend more towards the active pole of Christian life. By this general measure we can gauge what the general direction of a Christian community follows - whether it be more directed towards contemplation or prayer or directed towards more social action and involvement in the world.

Expressions of Spirituality in the Internet
From the previous description of the dimensions of our Catholic spirituality, we can easily deduce that those who construct webpages in the Internet will express a spirituality that contains both the contemplative and the active dimension - though at different degrees and emphases. For those in the Internet public who are more contemplative in their temperament, then it would further and deepen their growth in the faith if they search for websites that are prayer-oriented and devotional in content. However, they should also search for websites that make them aware of issues in the world and in the Church through websites that give news updates from a Catholic perspective. This will help balance their spirituality and infuse in them a more socially-oriented outlook. On the other hand, for those Catholics who are already very active and much involved in their communities, they would not generally be interested in sitting down before a computer monitor. For Catholics with such temperament, when they do get the opportunity to open their PCs or notebooks, it is best to search for websites that invite reflection, give meditative material, and spiritual writing that can serve as good inputs for their memory which they can bring with them in times of silence and contemplation. The ideal Catholic spirituality is one that would bring out the best of Jesus' qualities in ourselves. This depends on many factors like as has been mentioned, personality and temperament, and the circumstances of life and work we find ourselves in. Whichever would bring out the best of Christ in us, we go for it. We search for content and material in the Internet which would bring out the contemplative Christ in us; and we search for issues, news and socially-involved websites that would bring out the active Christ in us - the Christ-teacher, Christ-preacher, the Christ-healer. Let Christ be our standard of excellence for contemplation and action.

What is Theology?
Theology is the formal study and discipline of everything that pertains to our official Catholic faith. This is usually a subject that should be tackled in a classroom and a formal set-up such as a university environment, but a simple method of theologizing can be given which you can apply to your life as a Catholic in whatever state of life or personal calling or vocation you are obliged to perform. The method that will be given here is a method used after Vatican II and thus may be detached from what you have known of the faith before Vatican II. Anyway, it is simple and can easily be integrated with the tradition of our faith.

The Theological Method
You know how we see in all t-shirts and bumper stickers and all sorts of places where it can be advertised, this question? "What Would Jesus Do?" They even make an acronym of it in lapel pins - WWJD. This question, "What Would Jesus Do?" is the language we will use for our theological method. Let us divide this method in three steps with three questions:
(1) "What is happening?"
(2) "What would Jesus do?" - WWJD
(3) "What is my personal response?"

"What is happening?"
This is an easy step. All we need to do is to go to the mainline Catholic websites in the Internet that give news on what is happening in the Church and update ourselves. We can also look at the news of secular sites which give political updates of what is happening around the world. Or we can simply just check our household, our workplace, our parish, or our neighborhood and see what is happening. Whatever event or issue we tackle, whether local or global, will make us be aware of the present conditions of our lives and those around us in our area or in the other side of the globe.

"What would Jesus do?"
After we get to know and then pick out which event or issue to tackle, then we would ask ourselves, "What would Jesus do?" In this step, the best source to go to is the Gospels. We can check out what principles or teachings Jesus may have said that can be related to the issue at hand. If one has a spiritual director, he or she can also consult the spiritual director in this matter. If one has a bit of theological background, he or she can check the documents of the Church and all the material the Church releases in relation to the issue involved. The most ideal and best way to optimize this step is to use all three: Scriptures, Church teaching, and a spiritual director.

"What is my personal response?"
After finishing all the processes involved in the first two steps, then we are faced with the question, "What am I to do with this issue given my state of life and my own personal calling and vocation?" The response is indeed a personal one. It is one that calls us to respond as Christ would given the modern-day issue or situation. When we have an inkling of what Jesus would do to a certain issue or situation, as followers and disciples of His, we too are called to respond in His Spirit. His ministry is also our ministry: either as baptized lay faithful, as consecrated people, or as clergy. The quality of our response depends on the generosity and magnanimity we ourselves give. Christ responded generously and wholeheartedly when He taught the people about the Kingdom of God; when He preached about the love of the Father; and when He healed the many sick who came to Him. We too are called to do the same generously in whatever state of life or personal calling we already have.

Conclusion
As Catholics who would like to commit themselves more to Christ through the Catholic church, we do not have to really immerse ourselves too much or intensely involve ourselves in so many spiritualities and theological disciplines that we may find around us and in the Internet. Just simply knowing the basics of both Catholic spirituality and theology as what has been discussed above is enough to help us grow deeper and richer in our Christian lives. Unless we are called to a teaching position, an academic responsibility or a professorial chair, then what is simply asked of us is to "do as Jesus did and continues to do through His Spirit in the Church." God bless and have a good day!

Dennis-Emmanuel Cabrera
November 29, 2004