s a teenager, I am all too familiar with the habits of misusing technology. Unfortunately, it seems that the new generation doesn’t appreciate all the good that can come of these advances, and they take them for granted. Teens often get criticized for being “wired,” always connected to some kind of electronic device — an iPod, a computer or a TV. Often, the assumption follows that we are polluting our minds with negative music, watching shallow programs or playing violent video games. To say these technologies can benefit us spiritually goes beyond adding the Pope on Facebook or listening to Christian rock every once in a while.

I listen to music in a very spiritual and reflective way. Whether a song has lyrics or is instrumental, music always makes me reflect on my life and think about the world around me. In the same way, it is a way to find God. “Bis Orat Qui Cantat” is Latin for “He who sings prays twice,” and this accurately shows how music is a way to speak to God through song and to listen for Him as well. Instead of shutting out the world when I put on a pair of headphones, I feel as though I am becoming more connected to it.

A friend of mine who is in the process of becoming a Jesuit said if cellphones had existed many years ago, all the Jesuits-in-training would have been forced to have one. This seemed counterintuitive to me at first, as I associated cellphones with cheap communication and meaningless text messages, but he explained how Jesuits have an obligation and a duty to stay connected and foster relationships.

I saw from this that these technologies are not truly distractions, and are not wrong in and of themselves. When we learn to use these tools in the right way, we can benefit ourselves and others. It is important that we see that the faith side of technology is more than being part of a parish’s MySpace group. Joining the group is like going to Mass; it’s the starting point.

It is through living what you learned at Mass that is the benefit of the experience. In the world of technology, this means letting your faith guide you in all your online actions, to be a witness to Christ even on the web. Instead of mindless chatter and rumouring, use these opportunities to maintain bonds with those who you care for, help a friend in need or spread a good message to those around you.

So next time you are on a bus with a teenager whose music is louder than the engine or see your own teen surfing the net, consider that perhaps they are finding God in their own way. They very well could be.

(Rinaldi, 17, is a Grade 12 student at Brebeuf College in Toronto.)