Republished from Saint Joseph’s Advocate Scotland. Originally published in Spring-Summer 2024
We meet many waves over the course of our lives. The one I recall now still rests in my memory
It was a Saturday night, in an open boat, nearly 50 years ago. She was 40-45 ft. (14mtrs) long, with an in-engine (about 35hp). There were about twenty of us aboard – I was a passenger. We were heading southwest from the island I lived on to Sibay, an island about seven miles away, part of Mill Hill’s mission to the Philippines
The stars were bright. I don’t remember a moon. The sea was fair-not a strong wind, but a big swell – big waves, but not angry. They were moving with us – not, thank God, side-on. Just after halfway, they became bigger. Crew and passengers became silent. The helmsman reduced speed a little. We were going up and over these waves as if they were hills – I think they were coming from behind us…..the biggest waves I’d ever met. We were pointing downwards into this valley of water. I glanced over my shoulder, expecting to see the stars – to my amazement we were still lying on this wave. Our whole vessel was on the downward slope of this hill of blue-black water – so, fifty feet from the crest of the wave to the trough ahead…..
Would the wave, towering over our stern, break and, crashing down, swamp us.
Our prow dipped into the trough, and the wave was moving under us, lifting the prow
upwards and we began our climb up the slope ahead, staring at the stars, ahead and above
us now – another backward glance, and sure enough, our stern lay deep in the trough behind
us, till we crested the wave ahead. Staying with the wind and waves, I close with a
few lines, ascribed to Sir Francis Drake – not a
regular contributor to Catholic magazines –
“Disturb us Lord, when
We are too well pleased with ourselves.
When our dreams have come true
Because we have dreamed too little.
When we arrived safely
Because we sailed too close to the shore.
Disturb us Lord, to dare more boldly,
To venture on wider seas
Where storms will show your mastery;
Where, losing sight of land,
We shall find the stars”
Our Lady, star of the sea; Pray for us!
St. Brendan the navigator; Pray for us.
All the Saints of Scotland: Pray for us.
Fr. John Doran, MHM
