Taking the Plunge

A few years ago I was on an Alternative Spring Break with a group of Merrimack College students.  It’s a week of service opportunities in various parts of the world, that most colleges now offer.  We were using a Girl Scout Camp as our home base that year and on our free day decided to use the canoes that were sitting there by the lake. So two by two we went into the canoes.  We had races and enjoyed ourselves thoroughly – without incident. When it came time to dock, we did so, each hopping with ease out of the canoe, until the last one came in. One of the students on this canoe thought it was close enough to the dock to get out.  As she attempted to get out of the boat, she ended up straddling the dock and the canoe to the point where she looked like she was doing a creative split.  And she said with full confidence, “That is it, I have made my decision, I’m going in.”  With that, she realized there was no way she was going to complete this task without getting wet, so she decided to give up and take the plunge.  Now it wasn’t that deep, like maybe a foot and half, but still.  We were in hysterics the rest of the day, of course never drawing attention to her “decision.”

As this blog begins, and really as the new Augustinian vocations website launches, I think of this story and really Tuesday's gospel focusing on Peter getting out of the boat and walking on the water towards Jesus.  Certainly, Peter's call to make a decision, to get out of the boat, to take the plunge, to get his feet wet, is really what we friars are doing with these new online endeavors - we are taking the plunge into the waters of the blogosphere!  Sure they may be waters somewhat unknown to us, but that is the excitement that comes with risk and trust. 

At the same time, it is our hope that this blog will be another way for us to invite others to take the plunge into Augustinian life, to get out of the boat, and step into the water of discernment of religious life and priesthood following the footsteps of St Augustine.  And so, both the website and blog will be places for you to "come and see," to get a closer look at our way of life, to hear from our friars currently in formation, and to learn more about Augustine himself and what he has to say.  Of course, your comments are always welcome, especially to keep the conversations going!  Together, let us step out of the boat and take the plunge....