Or just another shooter? Perhaps both, who knows, but one thing's for certain - I want to go to the Tiger Valley ranges outside of Waco for a shoot (thanks for the tip Tom).
This week's out though because I'm on staff at the St. Michael Conference (SMC) for young people, I enjoy it a lot and get to teach a class called "Beginning to Pray." The students are pretty keen; one youngster chimed in nervously this morning:
"Father, I have a question. Is it O.K. to pray when you're hunting?" I was pleased and a little surprised because I'd never been asked before, so I asked him what for. "Deer, sir," came the reply. I said it was definitely right to pray for a good shot because God wouldn't want a maimed animal to suffer needlessly. And as for hunting per se - why not pray for a good hunt if you're going to eat what you kill, and/or the action's beneficial to the countryside?
Not the deepest of arguments, perhaps, but it set the kid's mind at rest. I wish him the best of luck when he next goes out with his family to hunt deer. In the meanwhile, I still have a comittment to help with the hogs on my parishioner's land. More on that after SMC...
Archangel Michael - Defende Nos.
LSP
10 comments:
That was a good question and one that he probably feels better for asking.
It was a good question; I was pretty impressed at a 'young 'un' taking the moral/spiritual dimension seriously. If only more "adults" would do the same...
LSP
Teach him controlled breathing and isometric tension theories to use while praying, it'll help.
:-)
You're right - I should!
Seriously, its not off topic...
LSP
One reason that I abandoned my Episcopal upbringing was that that religion seemed to end at the edge of town.
At least you are acknowledging that hunting has a spiritual dimension, which is a good thing.
Thanks for that. Shooting's definitely spiritual - ie. non material; if your mind's not right neither will your shot be.
Cheers,
LSP
PS. Episcopalianism tends to stop on the edge of town - hope to be the exception to that.
While I agree about the mind's importance in shooting, I was thinking rather of the way that a hunter enters into the realms of life and death when I said "spiritual."
I think that's an excellent point and something we tend to gloss over. Not surprising though, given we live in a culture that seems busy pretending death doesn't exist - then gets shocked & surprised when it discovers it does...
Perhaps hunting helps to bring us back to some of the basic/primal realities - spiritual & otherwise - that most are on the verge of forgetting.
Or something like that!
LSP
I honestly pray at the start of every hunt; I pray for a safe hunt; a fun hunt; and if something happens to walk by and I am fortunate enough to be able to put it on the dinner table....sweet!
I'm glad I'm not alone in my hunting prayers.
Good intentions - I'll recommend 'em.
All the best with hunting & fishing.
LSP
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