The gift of faith makes us watchers. In the modern age, we have security devices, systems, and firms – we trust in professionals and protocols to keep us safe. While this is very good and practical because it enables us to go about our daily lives without constantly looking over our shoulder, we must never forget spiritual vigilance. We are sentinels, but the first thing we are keeping watch over is not the earthly city. We are watchers over the kingdom of God – a Kingdom (as Jesus reminds us) that is also, and most importantly, within us. When we pray, we are actively fulfilling our duty to keep watch. They eyes of faith enable us to know what is invisible – a kind of paradox of the Christian life. We are to become sentinels and watchers of the invisible. Setting the eyes of our heart upon the invisible God and eternity, we are better situated to warn our fellow brothers and sisters in humanity about the dangers they ignore because they aren’t looking. The vigilant Christian remembers. Remembering is a form of keeping watch for what is invisible. The vigilant Christian remembers constantly that he or she will be leaving this earthly existence behind and only their soul – which is also invisible – will appear before its Creator.
Fr. Francis Therese Krautter csj