The Fourth Watch

It is Thursday, the day after Ash Wednesday. Yesterday is the busiest day of the year for me in my ministry. Nothing compares to it. We start at 6:30 am and end after 8:00 pm. In between we celebrate eucharist and distribute ashes at three services, prayer Morning and Evening Prayer, conduct two Bible studies. In addition I had two counseling sessions and a staff meeting. In the open hour in my schedule I went to the Y to exercise and wake up. This is not a complaint. It is, in fact, one of my favorite days as a priest. It is focused on calling people to repentance and redirecting their lives. It is  the beginning of a journey to Easter, a time of renewal leading to a joyful celebration of God's mercy and grace.

One of my Lenten commitments is to reflect on conversion during this holy season. My model for that is our parish mission statement. We are a worship (eucharistic) community committed to pray, study and work to the glory of God. Yesterday I shared insights from a friend. He drew me to a realization that the work of holiness is God's work, received as a gift. That reception seems to be my own work, certainly great effort is required to die to self, but the deception is a failure to recognize that all my efforts are in vain without His grace and mercy. We give glory to God because it is all about the Triune Deity.

Yesterday in Bible study we looked at Mark 1:35-38//Lk 4:42-43. At first sight it does not seem to be a particularly rich section of scripture. Jesus gets up early in the morning, goes off to pray, people find Him and He says let's move on because that is why I am here. Turns out it is very rich. We spent the better part of an hour on this....

Our parish is committed to prayer. In theory, that means that corporately we establish a regular prayer routine (daily Morning Prayer, Wednesday evening prayer, prayer groups, eucharist twice on week days). However, most members have never ever come to any of that. So, it is important that they have their own discipline of prayer. At the begining of every day we should pause to give thanks and to consecrate ourselves to the Lord. Many prayer books are available, most of the good ones date back hundreds of years. The psalms are also ideal. Perhaps, this Lent, you are inspired to write your own morning prayer of consecration. During the day we are better able to pause to talk, listen and commune with God if we begin with a time set aside.

Much of our reflection on Jesus' prayer centered on the mystery, why does Jesus pray? So often people tell me that they do not pray because God already knows what they have to say. Certainly, there is some truth to that. Yet the conclusion is not accurate. God's knowledge does not preclude spending time with God. Perhaps what needs to change is our attitude about prayer. Did Jesus give the Father a "to-do" list that day? Probably not. My guess is Jesus is more concerned with living into deeper union with the Father. He no doubt expressed His love and worship of the Father. He no doubt enjoyed the love and glorification from His Father. It is a deeper prayer. It is a model for us. Even if at times it seems illogical and pointless.

Jesus prays. Jesus prays early in the morning, way early. In fact, He prays during the fourth watch. This is 3 am to 6 am. The day before He had been in the synagogue. He was preaching when a demon upset the morning service. Jesus exorcised the demon. Then He went to Peter's house and healed Peter's mother-in-law. That evening all the sick and demon possessed in the village were outside His door. Imagine the ruckus. Imagine the need, the despair, the hope. How long did Jesus heal? What was each interaction like? What mercy and gentleness, what strength and power and authority were manifest? How exhausted was the Lord when He finally went back into the house, falling asleep, the deep sleep of One Who had poured out Himself for love of others.

As we reflected on Jesus' day, Rick made a comment, "sort of like your day today." We all laughed. Yes, it was a long day and Jesus' day was similar. Through the Holy Spirit there was some  healing yesterday, most of it spiritual and emotional. Through the Holy Spirit some folks were shaking off Satan's grasp a bit, I assume some territory was recaptured for The Kingdom of God in the hearts and souls of those who spent the day here. Certainly there was teaching and proclamation. So, yes, Jesus' day was much like our day yesterday. Long, draining, yet a blessing.

I told them, yesterday, that the difference was I would sleep while Jesus got up to pray. I fully expected to do just that.... Instead, at 3:30 am I woke. I lay in bed reciting the Jesus Prayer waiting for sleep to recapture me. It did not. At 4:30 I got up. As I sat doing my meditations on the daily office readings (from Deuteronomy, Titus, and John) I suddenly realized that I was awake and praying in The Fourth Watch. It was not a discipline, it was a gift. It was not my choice, it was just what happened. It is a sign. Jesus is at work here, in me, in you. There are opportunities to be grabbed and taken advantage of. Perhaps we are aware, perhaps not. What I know is I said to the folks, I won't be up tomorrow in the Fourth Watch. And I did not expect to  be. But God changed that. And so I prayed, I read, I reflected, and I witness, to you, dear reader, that God is active in our world. Calling you to consecrate yourself to Him. Calling you to pray, study and work in His service. Calling you to proclaim the Kingdom, teach, heal and exorcise. Calling you. Calling again and again.