We Have Room for Everyone on this Boat

One of the perks of getting a new car is now having satellite radio. Programmed #1 is Catholic Radio, for many reasons, hopefully some of them obvious. One of the many things I enjoy about Catholic Radio is even the commercials between shows teach something.
I believe it was Mark Hart who gave a very brief explanation of how the ark... aka a big boat, was an early symbol of Christianity. He explained how all are welcome on the boat, just as Noah brought all kinds onto the boat.

I think this is a perfect way to look at the Church today. We have Tradition and the Bible, the building blocks of our faith. They make up the structure of the ark of the Catholic Church.
Trying to steer the boat through a sea of death and destruction is the Magisterium.
On the boat, diligently working for all those aboard are the faithful priests, with a great deal of support from the faithful nuns and brothers.
As passengers are all the faithful laity. We are on the ship, with the support of the religious, floating on the one stable boat in an ocean of death and misery.
Clinging to lifelines are many women religious and priests. They want to be on the ship but for some reason can't quite pull themselves up onto the safety of the deck where they could stand and stretch. Instead the chose to keep floating out in the sea, clinging to rope but letting it slip through their hands day by day.
There are other boats out there, floating ever so slightly above the water, yet gradually filling with water.
Many loan souls are adrift, gasping for air. Some are looking for help while others are content to keep drowning for fear of what might be required should they find the ark and be pulled on.
As a youth minister I feel like a lonely deck hand who is trying very hard to throw out lifesavers to youth and families who are adrift on the sea. Many have in their arms the life saving flotation devices, and I am trying to pull them in, but the currents of the sea of death keep pulling against me.
The story of Noah's ark doesn't say much of the sea it was adrift in. My mind wonders what it looked like though. It had to have been riddled with death. Dead bodies of animals, humans, plants and debris. Very similar the how I see the world is today, a culture of death.
I will continue to pull on those lifelines and throw many more out to those in need. My greatest fear though is ever saying or doing anything that might cause someone to just ship.
Lord, please don't ever allow me to cause anyone to jump from your life giving ark.

Peace all