Haze Grey and Underway

Haze grey and underway!  Deployment 2012 has begun.  The past 48 hours have been ones of great emotion as the crew enjoyed those last moments with their families and those little things we all love about home.  It wasn’t until I woke up this morning that it finally hit me that today was the day.  A bit of uneasiness as I packed my final things from my house quickly melted away as I stepped onboard and felt the energy of my shipmates and the pulse of a ship ready to do what we’ve been trained to do.

 

This morning, the ship was crawling with families.  Many former crewmembers that are still in the local area came to the pier to offer their good wishes.  It is quite a sight to watch the goodbyes, waves, and tears from the families left on the pier as the last mooring line came on deck and the Boatswain’s Mate announces, “Underway!  Shift Colors!”  We did our best to keep focus and get the ship safely to sea.

 

I’m reflecting this evening on what those words really mean from the Gospel, to set out “into the deep”…duc in altum.   What kind of sailor only wants to stay close to their home shores?  We’d not consider them a true sailor at all!  In the same regard, what kind of Christian only wants to stay in “shallow waters” and live merely “comfortably” in their spiritual lives?  God needs Christians who are willing to set out into the deep, just as he directed the apostles at the lake of Gennesaret.  We may give excuses (like Peter), “We have worked all night and caught nothing!”  But beyond our human tendency to doubt, to worry, to fear--we have to, in faith, respond as Peter did, by putting out into the deep and lowering our nets at our Master’s command.  What else are we to do?  Say “no” to our Lord’s advice??  Just as I desire to be a true sailor by proving my seamanship and setting out into deep waters, I desire even more to be a true Christian by proving my faith in His word, trusting despite my hesitations.  Discomfort?  Difficulties?  Unclear future?  Bring it. 

 

Our generation is being asked to set out into deep waters, deeper than ever before.  The waters are uncharted and are most certainly in harm’s way, with persecutions essentially promised to us.  Luckily, our ship is the fastest and best on the seas.  With the Church as our ship, the Body of Christ as her crew, led by the Bishops as our officers, commanded by the Holy Father, our Captain, we can carry out the mission of God’s kingdom to propose Jesus Christ to a world greatly in need of hope.  Time to get underway.  Don’t be the one left behind.

 

“I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast; for I intend to go into harm’s way.”

~John Paul Jones, 1778