Thirteen months ago, I never fired a gun, never hunted. Thirteen months later, I’ve harvested three deer with a rifle, muzzleloader, and crossbow. As I sat in my stand on opening weekend and the days that followed, I had lots of time to think. As a priest, naturally my mind turned towards Advent, which was quickly approaching. And as I thought, I couldn’t help but realize how my time hunting was actually preparing me for the season of Advent.
For starters, any good hunter takes time for preparations. This started weeks before opening day, which included sighting in one’s gun and taking some practice shots. It was going to the store, buying ammo, and acquiring a hunting license. It meant preparing the snacks and getting the stand ready for one’s sit. All of which might take several trips to do. Advent requires a preparation too. Just like we decide what we are going to give up for Lent, we should give careful thought to how we want to engage the Advent season. Is there a prayer I want to pray daily? For me, it’s the Angelus. So I set reminders on my phone. It’s seeing who is offering email meditations and deciding to which one I want to subscribe. It’s hearing about a new book like Oriens: A Pilgrimage Through Advent and Christmas, and placing my order to have it in time. How have you prepared for the four weeks of Advent.
As a hunter sits in the stand, it’s important to stay awake or be alert. A person can get distracted, especially these days with our phones. Or because of early mornings or late nights, a person can be tired and fall asleep. And if you aren’t awake or alert, you just might miss the deer as he or she will prances in. Advent is a season of alertness- especially for the coming of Jesus. We have four weeks to engage the season and prepare for Christ’s coming in our heart. Don’t let the time get away from you. Keep watching for the coming of the Lord.
As a hunter waits in the stand, they know for what they are waiting. Some hunters will take any deer because they are looking to fill their freezer with provisions. Others are trophy hunters, hoping for a nice 8, 10, or 12 point buck, or even a bigger monster. The hunter knows for what deer they are waiting, putting in anywhere from a handful of hours a day to sitting in a stand for an entire day, for several days of the season. During these four weeks of Advent, we know for whom we are waiting — the Christ child in Christmas morning and also the return of Christ in glory. We are waiting for his mercy and forgiveness as we stand in line to celebrate the sacrament of Penance. We are waiting to sing those songs of Christmas and with longing in our heart to adore the Christ child in the manger.
Last, a hunter needs virtue. Here, I’m thinking of patience, humility, and generosity. Patience because you might go days without seeing a deer. Humility, because in our age of social media, you see all the deer others have harvested and maybe you become jealous or are embarrassed that you have not yet pull led the trigger. Generosity because if you are blessed with several kills, you might be able to donate a deer to the poor. Our Advent celebration teaches us patience. We won’t decorate the Church for Christmas until after the Fourth Sunday of Advent and we won’t hear Christmas music until Christmas Eve. The season of Advent teaches us not to rush and also to be humble, knowing we don’t need everything we see or might want. And in the weeks leading up to Christmas we are generous by helping the less fortunate to celebrate Christmas with gifts under the tree.
For the religious hunter, hunting can be a time for prayer, especially with a rosary in hand. But this experience can teach us much more and without even realizing it, it has already put me in the Advent spirit.
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