TO JUMP OR NOT TO JUMP ACROSS THE SNAKE PIT

160 years ago, Don John Bosco had a dream of a snake pit that is worthy of as much careful analysis as we can give it in our times. This dream will be important for Catholics for all time; until the end of the world. 

Prior to the dream, Don Bosco had been trying to teach the boys in his care how to prepare for a happy death. Don Bosco had been dissatisfied because despite his best efforts to inform them as to the inevitability of death and the need to be ready at all times, some of the young men did not take it seriously, in fact, they felt it had no relevance for them and rejected his teachings out of hand, almost flippantly. As was his way, Don Bosco did not react angrily and he wasn't hurt that they'd paid scant attention to him; he knew they were shortchanging their chances at salvation and they needed patience. He yearned to help them, and the Holy Spirit gave Don Bosco a dream which he shared with the boys and enlightened them as to the real danger posed to their souls when they deny the need to be always ready for death and simultaneously risk falling into the devil's hole. 

The dream opened in the playground, he was with the boys at recreation, and then they decided to go for a walk to a meadow, where the boys played jumping games; perhaps like hopscotch and leap-frog. Don Bosco, however, was met with a disturbing sight; in the middle of the field was a gaping hole, and he feared for the children's safety. Had he known it was there, he hardly would have brought them there. He was in for a further shock, as he peered into the pit, he saw, "a short, yellow-spotted, mean-looking serpent coiled at the bottom. It seemed as huge as a horse or even as an elephant." This vicious viper was low-sized but enormous at the same time. 

Suddenly a large group of the boys congregated around the pit and started jumping over it. The younger boys were lighter and did the jump more easily than the older, bigger boys. The older ones were barely making it across, and they scrambled to make it to the edge of the other side. They were so near to the viper that it snatched at them with his fangs and tore into their flesh. But they kept leaping across the pit, even though they were getting attacked. One boy commented cavalierly and callously about his peer, "He'll jump once and barely make it. Then he'll jump again, and that will be the end of him."

Don Bosco pleaded with them, "Why did you jump over the pit and keep it up even after you got hurt?" He got the arrogant reply, "We're still not too good at jumping."  He rejoined, "Then you shouldn't have jumped!" But they rebutted him again, "We couldn't help it. We're just not too good at it. Besides, we didn't think it was so risky." The debate between Don Bosco and the boys was abruptly ended when one boy fell into the pit and was gobbled by the viper who vomited him.  He looked as scorched as burning coal, but was still alive. The sight of him, however, made the other boys panic. 

This is a dream about gambling with one's soul. We who are alive now, either dance around this same pit or know that instead of trying to have victory in a game of gymnastics held over the manhole to Hell, we need instead stay as far away as possible. Quite a few of us, myself included, are part-time dancers on the hem of Hades. 

We are on the cusp of that time of year, the vigil of the Feast of All Saints, and the month dedicated to the holy souls, and so our minds are on the souls in eternity, those who have made it. We are not yet among them. Many of us are like the boys in the dream, thinking that if we could only get better at the same game of sin; that we can leap over the devil's crater and that with enough practice we can play as we wish and win against the infernal foe. Denial of death and persistence in entertaining the devil and personal sin are often one and the same thing. If we don't do the opposite; embrace the inevitability of death, the need to be ready at every moment and try to be as free from sin as humanly possible; we'll never be a holy soul, let alone a Saint. The pit awaits. 

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This post was informed by the extraordinarily important Forty Dreams of St. John Bosco which is available at The Spirit Daily bookstore.