We have one daughter we call the “Fish Whisperer” because she is a remarkably gifted angler. She once caught a bluegill in our neighborhood runoff pond without bothering to put any bait on her hook. She always hauls in the best catch, so when we found out that Texas A&M recently stocked their pond with fish tagged for scholarships, we thought about planning a trip to get her down there!  Several years ago, my father-in-law asked her what her big secret is and she replied, “I just wait.”

Advent is a season of expectant waiting, so it is fitting that it begins on the Sunday closest to today’s feast of the famous fisherman, St. Andrew.  Some scholars say that St. Andrew’s feast begins Advent because in John’s gospel he was the first disciple that Jesus called.  But it’s equally important that St. Andrew’s example of how to wait models the spirit of Advent.  In Matthew’s gospel today, Jesus finds Andrew and his brother Peter casting nets, waiting for the day’s catch.  Like our daughter learned, fishing teaches how to wait with the hopeful expectation of yielding something good.  

But Andrew wasn’t only an expert fisherman practiced at physically waiting in hope, John’s gospel tells us that he was also a disciple of John the Baptist. The Baptist was sent to prepare the way of the Lord for the Jewish people who had been waiting for about 1,000 years for God’s promised Messiah.  As John’s disciple, Andrew would have been preparing his mind, body, and soul while waiting with expectant hope for the Good News that God delivered in Jesus. 

In today’s world of instant everything, the practice of waiting has become virtually obsolete. But experienced fishermen like St. Andrew confirm the maxim that, “good things come to those who wait.” How do you prepare while waiting for Christ’s coming not only this Advent, but every day?  

Sarah Fellona holds an MA in Theology and is a Certified Spiritual Director. She and her husband Mike have been married for over 20 years, have lived all over the world, and are blessed to be raising 4 teenage daughters!