Several weeks ago, on a Sunday afternoon, a few of the nuns and I went to the home of a family we’re friends with for a couple of hours. Immediately upon arrival, the kids beckoned for Mother Natalia and me to play with them, but feeling obliged to our adult duties, and promising to play later, we went inside to chat with the other adults. The kids had been patient so when they came back to us asking that we jump on the trampoline with them, we agreed. I’m not sure how many of you reading this have been on a trampoline since you were a kid, but as an adult it’s both terrifying and exciting. Especially when the trampoline is on a slight slant, full of children, whom you’re trying not to crush, and two adults.
After we had played “Crack the Egg,” a timeless classic in trampoline games, and the children had thoroughly mocked me for any fear I had, one of the kids suggested we play the game “Resurrection.” Mother Natalia and I agreed but admitted we were not familiar with the trampoline game-rendition of Resurrection. The kids quickly explained the game to us. One of the kids would be Jesus, while another one would be Satan. The kid playing Satan had to remain on their knees and would have to try and tag all the other people on the trampoline. If Satan tagged us, Jesus could come, touch us, and resurrect us. Satan couldn’t tag Jesus and the only way for Satan to win and end the game was if he or she tagged all of us before Jesus could resurrect us. The only other rule being that we had to stay on the trampoline. As the game commenced, children scattered everywhere and I found myself sliding on the slick surface of the trampoline trying not fall, step on any kids, or get tagged by Satan, while trying to establish a strategy.
It quickly dawned on me that the best way to success in this game was not just to stay away from Satan, but simply to stay as close as possible to Jesus. As I thought this to myself, I chuckled because of how true this is of the spiritual life as well. It’s not enough to only run away from Satan. We need to be running towards something, Someone. Eventually we’re going to slip, trip, or get cornered and tagged by Satan. Jesus is there to resurrect us from our sin, but we must keep turning to Him, pursuing Him, allowing Him to be our shield. While I may have said this trampoline game was simple, I did not say it was easy and neither is the spiritual life. However, Jesus just wants us to keep trying and allowing Him to touch and heal us. To keep staying near to Him no matter how much we might slip and nearly fall off in doing so.
