Fumbling Toward Heaven

God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.  Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. John 3:16-17

The other day I woke up with this phrase in mind, ‘fumbling toward heaven.’ It didn’t seem to be connected with a dream or anything – it just was there in my mind.

But it got me thinking about football. A fumble is when someone on the opposite team makes you drop the football and recovers it for their side. 

I am going to stretch this metaphor so run with me on this one. 

Jesus is the football we carry through life tucked under our arm close to our heart.  When we are advancing downfield through the game of life toward our goal; heaven, certain circumstances of everyday life dislodge Jesus from our heart and make us drop the ball. How do we get it back?  In the second letter to Timothy St. Paul writes, ‘God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but rather a spirit of power, and love and self-discipline.’ 2 Tim 1:7   

Relying on the Spirit of Jesus we gain the power of the practice of self-discipline to scoop up the ball of Love and continue to carry it to our final destination. If we are Jesus to each other, and the world, as is written in our Constitutions, it shouldn’t be so hard to stoop down to lift up Jesus, to lift up one another.

Sometimes, we feel like we drop the ball constantly but thank goodness we have fans to cheer us on whether we are in possession of the ball or not.  Who are our fans?  Family, friends, the Redemptorists, our Associates, the Sisters of the Metropolitan Association of Contemplative Communities and even the Communion of Saints and the Blessed Virgin are all our fans cheering us on!  Most of all, our team, the Redemptoristine community who offers up prayers and lends support to one another, especially when the everyday cares and set backs get us down. 

To all eyes, Jesus’ death on a cross seemed like the biggest fumble ever.  But those who gathered below his cross: his mother Mary, John and Magdalene, his biggest fans, believed in him and hoped for salvation; the eternal life Jesus promised us.  And we know their hope was not in vain. 

So, let us not be like Lucy who whips the football away just as Charlie Brown comes up to kick it.  Let us be like Charlie Brown who, even though he is timid, he always believes and hopes.  Let us never give up on one another.  Let us continue to fumble our way to heaven believing in Him who comes to save.