Social ME-dia

“… so he (Zacchaeus) run ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus  who was to pass that way. When Jesus came to the place, He looked up and said to him,

‘Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house.’ ”

(Luke 19: 4-5)

Facebook, Youtube, Google, Blogger and Yahoo! These are four websites that I often visit. I enjoy sharing stories with relatives and friends through blogs especially when it comes to essays, videos and photographs. Accessing these becomes a part of my routine especially during our home vacations wherein my schedules are so vacant. In fact, one time it became so vacant that I was too playful in using Facebook.

It was a fine summer time. Our vacation just started and we’re all very happy. Before the vacation I planned a prank for April Fool’s Day to upload the photo I used for our activity in Speech and Oral Communications about Eulogy (funeral speech). It was a smiling photo of me with a caption which says: “Rest In Peace 1995-2014” and I even added a dedication “I will never forget that infectious smile. We might have not seen it often but once we see it, it radiates a message of brotherly love.” Out of my naughtiness the plan materialized. The news spread widely. My parents received strange phone calls which made them panic as well. Well, my dad suspected that I was just playing around and he was laughing the next day. Anyway, I’ll continue. I was caught unaware that lots of people were already lamenting before I admitted my fault. I know that it was not a good joke as I was already facing the consequences after the event. No one is to be blamed. Not my family, not my friends, not the formation. Simply ME.

ATTENTION: Never ever imitate what I did. It is DEAD-ly

I felt guilty that I played around with the feelings of the people who loved me so much. But what made me guiltier is that I was not able to help them see Christ in me due to my playfulness and I found it difficult to move on those days.

My dear friends, the sycamore tree which Zacchaeus climbed in the Gospel story does not remain as an inanimate object. In reality, we are supposed to be like the sycamore tree helping people to see Christ and bring them to greater heights toward His glory. It is our mission. Time may be different now. Preaching the Good News may have evolved but there is one thing that will never change – a faithful person’s longing for his God. That’s why social media should be used not as a tool to project ourselves but to bring the “Truth” about the Creator. After the incident I vowed myself to blog only about our joyful preaching and childlike happiness. That I do not want to focus on myself anymore to be noticed especially in an unpleasing way and that I will use my talent in preaching for the better. And with the help of prayers to be enough of the ME but to proclaim who is HE.

My friends, are you willing to be a sycamore tree for others?

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