The Fourth Watch
Psalm 59:16 "But I will sing of Thy power, yea, I will sing aloud of Thy mercy in the morning; for Thou hast been my defense and refuge in the day of my trouble".
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Morning Prayer
I have been waking at 4am every day of the week for many years. I believe that I started over a decade ago. This practice afforded me time to myself, while the world sleeps, so that I could spend my time in prayer and reflection.
These days this time from 4 to 6 in the morning gives me time for prayer and meditation before daily Mass. This practice in particular, combined with daily Mass has changed everything about my life and everything about me. It has brought me incredibly close to Christ and dramatically changed my relationship with Him. Recently I learned that many refer to this time of prayer as being the Fourth Watch. I did a little digging to understand better what exactly the Fourth Watch consists of and I thought I would share it with you here.
Fourth Watch
What is the Fourth Watch?
Early morning prayer for Christians has been around for as long as the scriptures have been around, and it is probably safe to say that God was calling man to early morning prayer from the very beginning of time. Many Christians throughout the centuries have extolled the virtues of early morning prayer and they have told of the great miracles and movements of God at this time. It has been known as the prayer of The Fourth Watch. The Fourth Watch is the time between 3 and 6am as defined by the Roman military (night) watch times. The Hebrew’s homeland was occupied by Rome. Before Rome occupied the area the Hebrews had a (night) watch divided into 3 periods of time. Over the course of the history of the Church people have noticed that God seems to work in a very profound and special way during the Fourth Watch.
Its pretty safe to say that the average person did not have the hourly calculations that we have today with our modern timepieces and cellphones. However, we can rest assured that they understood when those hours just before dawn were.
Psalm 119:147 "I rise before dawn and cry for help; I have put my hope in your word". Some translations of this verse include "I was up before sunrise, crying for help, hoping for a word from you" "I rise before dawn and cry for help; I wait for Your words"
Is the Fourth Watch Biblical?
In sacred scripture we can see many examples of God moving in the lives of people in the Fourth Watch period of time:
We recall that Jacob wrestled with God and met Him face to face just before entering into his destiny as Israel. The man then said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go until you bless me.” Genesis 32:22-31 At this time Jacob is both wounded and blessed by God’s holy angel. “For you have shown your strength against God and men and have prevailed.”
Moses led the Israelites across the Red Sea. “But during the watch just before dawn, the LORD looked down from a column of fiery cloud upon the Egyptian army and threw it into a panic.” Exodus 24
After Jesus feeds the multitudes with bread and fish his apostles go before him toto cross the waters in a boat which as we recall was caught up in a storm. ”24 But the boat in the midst of the sea was tossed with the waves: for the wind was contrary. 25 And in the fourth watch of the night, he came to them walking upon the sea. 26 And they seeing him walk upon the sea, were troubled, saying: It is an apparition. And they cried out for fear. Matthew 14:25-26
When Jesus reveals his resurrection from the dead it is at dawn. “1 And in the end of the sabbath, when it began to dawn towards the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalen and the other Mary, to see the sepulchre. 2 And behold there was a great earthquake. For an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and coming, rolled back the stone, and sat upon it. 3 And his countenance was as lightning, and his raiment as snow.” Matthew 28: 1-3
Jesus warns of the importance of apprehending the purposes of God in prayer/worship during these hours in Luke 12:35-40:"Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately. Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them. And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” (Jewish third watch which is the fourth watch for Romans)
One might say that to pray in the Fourth Watch is to be prepared, to be watching and to be alert to the new day and the movements of the Lord.
Several passages in both the Old and New Testaments reference the early morning or pre-dawn hours. Here are some significant examples:
The "fourth watch" is a term that originates from the Roman division of the night into four watches, each lasting about three hours. The fourth watch occurs between 3:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. While the term "fourth watch" itself is not explicitly used in the Catholic Bible, certain passages refer to events that take place during this time frame. Here are some examples of where sacred scripture clearly shows God moving during the fourth watch. Even Our Blessed Lord prayed in this manner; "And in the morning, a great while before day, he rose and went out to a lonely place, and there he prayed.” Mark 1:35
To pray in the morning is to keep watch as the Psalmist says "O Lord, in the morning thou dost hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for thee, and watch.” Psalm 5:3 (RSV-CE) And again in Psalm 63:1 "O God, thou art my God, I seek thee, my soul thirsts for thee; my flesh faints for thee, as in a dry and weary land where no water is.” (Note: The phrase "I seek thee" is often understood to imply an early morning or earnest seeking of God).
From the book of Lamentations 3:22-32 we read: ”The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness.” In this we understand that God’s mercy and renewal is upon us with each new day and we can experience that from the rising of the sun and on through the day.
In Isiah the Lord wakes Isaiah in the morning and gives to him divine instruction. "The Lord God has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him that is weary. Morning by morning he wakens, he wakens my ear to hear as those who are taught.” Isaiah 50:4 (RSV-CE)
Abraham would wake early, at dawn, to seek out the Lord and go to the place where he interceded for Sodom and Gomorrah. “27 And Abraham got up early in the morning and in the place where he had stood before with the Lord” Genesis 19:27 Abraham would also rise early to follow the Lord’s instructions when he was asked to sacrifice Isaac. "So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac; and he cut the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.” Genesis 22:3 (RSV-CE)
The Lord moves Moses to encounter Him on Mount Sinai early in the morning. "So Moses cut two tables of stone like the first; and he rose early in the morning and went up on Mount Sinai, as the Lord had commanded him, and took in his hand two tables of stone.” Exodus 34:4 (RSV-CE)
“On the morning of the journey to Bologna, the Saint had awoken feeling so ill that she could not sit upright on her own…”
What have the Saints said about the Fourth Watch?
Early morning, Fourth Watch, prayer is not only referenced by Christians in holy scripture but it is discussed by a multitude of saints.
Saint Anthony the Great who lived in the third century was a monk from Egypt who lived as a hermit and is one of the earliest Desert Fathers and is known for founding organized monasticism in Christianity. "At dawn the monks should rise to pray, and let each one say by himself the Psalms appointed for him.” - Athanasius, Life of Antony, Chapter 37.
The 5th century Saint Benedict of Nursia wasn’t another father of western monasticism establishing The Rule of St. Benedict that would become the rule for many monks and nuns to this day. "The brethren should rise at the eighth hour of the night to sing the Divine Office.” - The Rule of Saint Benedict, Chapter 16.
Saint John Cassian, a 4th century theologian and monk, was a mystic who also brought monasticism to the west. “As soon as the morning bell for the hour of Vigils is rung, the brethren should rise without delay.” John Cassian, The Conferences, Conference 10.
The 6th century Gregory the Great said "Let the monks rise before dawn to sing praises to their Creator, in order to drive away the darkness of the night with the light of prayer.” Pope Gregory I, Pastoral Care, Book 3, Chapter 28. He was Pope Gregory I and is widely known for instituting the first recorded large-scale mission from Rome. This Gregorian mission went out to convert the pagan Anglo-Saxons to Christianity.
Saint Francis of Assisi is one of the most well known saints in the Catholic Church. He was a mystic, stigmatist and the founder of the Franciscans. "When he arose at dawn, he would go alone to pray, to the woods or to some secluded place.” The Little Flowers of Saint Francis, Chapter 18.
Saint Clare of Assisi was one of the first followers of St. Francis. She was so inspired by his teachings that she was moved to the religious life and eventually founded the Order of Poor Ladies (AKA Poor Clares) which is a monastic religious order for women in the Franciscan tradition of monasticism. She said "Let us rise in the night to praise the Lord in the silence of the morning.” The Testament of Saint Clare, Chapter 3.
The 16th century mystic and doctor of the Church Saint Teresa of Avila wrote extensively on the live of prayer and was one of many Church Doctors who wrote on the power of mental prayer. She said "Early in the morning, rise and pray, and commend yourself to God.” Saint Teresa of Ávila, The Way of Perfection, Chapter 26.
Saint John of the Cross extolled the virtues of prayer when the world sleeps "In the early hours of the morning, when the soul is still and the world is quiet, it is easier to hear the voice of God.” Saint John of the Cross, The Dark Night of the Soul, Book 2, Chapter 10
Saint Alphonsus Ligouri said "He who desires to live well must begin by rising early and dedicating the first moments of the day to God.” Saint Alphonsus Liguori, The Way of Salvation and Perfection, Chapter 1.
“In everything we do, we should seek the honor of God and the salvation of souls.” Saint Catherine of Bologna, a 15th century Italian Poor Clare. She is an incorruptible saint and is the patron saint of artists and is sought out by any afflicted with temptations. She was a writer and a mystic. When she was sent to Bologna as abbess she became very ill early in the morning and could not even sit up. Her superior was convinced that she would die before arriving. En route she had to take a morning ferry to cross a waterway and suddenly was rejuvenated. St. Catherine arrived in Bologna to a cold reception but nonetheless spent three days in a zealous fervor tending to a great number of people. No-one could believe she had been sick. Miracles and healings occurred through her upon arrival in Bologna. Apparently her prayerful suffering in the early morning brought great power from God into her life and she shared that with many people not only upon her arrival but for the remainder of her life.
Saint Thérèse of Lisieux said "I rise early every morning to speak to God in the silence of my heart.” Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, Story of a Soul, Chapter 8.
Catechism of the Catholic Church (1548). MIRACLE: A sign or wonder, such as a healing or the control of nature, which can only be attributed to divine power.
Fourth Watch Miracles in the Church?
For Catholics and indeed all Christians it is very clear that the Lord has set aside a special time to engage Him. Its a time for prayer, reflection, watching and dedication of your day and your life to His Holy Will.
Over the course of centuries many of the great miracles that have been recorded, starting with our Lord’s resurrection, have occurred during the early morning hours. It is certain that from personal miracles to well known miracles there are entirely too many to list. Just a few such famous miracles include:
The Miracle of the Sun (October 13, 1917) occurred in Fátima, Portugal. Our blessed Mother appeared to three shepherd children and foretold the miracle. Reports say that the miracle occurred after dawn around 11:30 a.m.This Miracle of the Sun is one of the most famous modern Catholic miracles recorded by the Church. It was witnessed by thousands, to include reporters. The sun appeared to dance in the sky and then plunge quickly to the earth before returning to it’s normal appearance and place in the sky. The heavy rains that night and morning stopped at the beginning of the miracle. While the miracle only lasted mere minutes the ground and the clothes of all who witnessed it were completely dry.
The Miracle of Lanciano, Italy occurred in the 8th century. While it is unclear as to the exact time it has been said that it occurred during the early hours of the morning, likely during the first Mass of the day. A priest who was struggling with doubt in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist witnessed the consecrated host and wine physically transform into flesh and blood. The relics of this miracle have been preserved for veneration to this very day. They have been tested and found to be human blood and heart tissue.
The Miracle of Saint Januarius' Blood occurs annually and has since the 4th Century when it began. In Naples Italy the faithful gather to witness the liquefaction of the blood of St. Januarius. This event occurs several times a year with a major event taking place at dawn of September 19th. The dried blood of St. Januarius is kept in a vial and during these special times of the miracle it will liquefy when it is brought near his relics. Those who live in and around Naples believe it is a sign of protection for their city.
On December 12th 1531 Our Lady appeared to St. Juan Diego for a final apparition in a series of apparitions he had been receiving in the early mornings. During the final apparition the Blessed Mother instructed him to gather flowers on the hill of Tepeyac. It was winter and it was cold so there were no flowers typically there but Our Lady provided. St. Juan Diego gathered them up to present to the bishop as a proof, a sign, that he had requested in order to believe in the apparitions of Mary to St. Juan. To both of their surprise she left her image in a miraculous manner upon St. Juan’s tilma. This image on a cactus fiber tilma is still venerated today though it should have long ago disintegrated from age. It is considered one of the the most important miracles and symbols in the Americas and Mexico.
The Miracle o the Holy Fire occurs annually on Holy Saturday at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem This Eastern Orthodox miracle of fire is significant for Roman Catholics as well. Near dawn the Patriarch of Jerusalem enters the Holy Sepulcher and emerges with a flame that is miraculously lit on its own. It is distributed to the faithful as a symbol of Our Blessed Lord’s resurrection.
The longest running apparitions to multiple seers in the history of Catholicism has been occurring in Medugorje. On August 2, 1981 at dawn countless witnesses reported seeing the sun spin and emit brilliant colors while dancing in the sky. This miracle instantly recognizable as being of the same likeness to the Miracle of the Sun at Fatima helped the faithful to understand that Our Lady is indeed present and appearing in Medugorje.
These miracles, occurring at or near dawn, have played a significant role in the faith and devotion of Roman Catholics throughout history, symbolizing new beginnings, divine intervention, and the enduring presence of the sacred in the world.
How to start the Fourth Watch?
If your desire is to have significant spiritual action from The Lord then this time of preparation, devotion, meditation and watching will likely give to you the divine encounter that you have been seeking.
When Our Lord said ‘7 Ask, and it shall be given you: seek, and you shall find: knock, and it shall be opened to you. 8 For every one that asketh, receiveth: and he that seeketh, findeth: and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened.’ Matthew 7:7-8 He spoke of His Spirit which would He would share with any who pursues Him. Seeking His Spirit at, or before dawn, will bring great miracles and transformation to your prayer life and your overall life in general.
At this point you may be wondering just how to begin a Fourth Watch prayer and meditation session. The reality is that this is very simple and there really is no format. The only requirements are that you rise and begin to pray somewhere between 3:00am and 6:00 am. Many Catholics use the Lectio divina, which translates to "divine reading” for this time. Others read scripture. Some pray in the form of mental prayer which was taught and promoted by many of the Church Doctors. If all you do is sit for 30 minutes or more with the Lord and pour your heart out to him you are doing it. This time can be used for the Holy Rosary, the Seven Sorrows of Mary prayer devotion and many more. It is important to make this time your own and listen to the Spirit of God. Don’t just pray prayers, read readings or practice devotions because you feel you “should” but rather do those things you feel “inspired” by God to do. If you are unsure as to if something is inspired or not just ask yourself if that practice gives you peace. Does it draw you closer to Christ and can you in that practice listen to Him? If so, then you know what you should do.
Ask and seek God’s Holy Will. Try to surrender your will to His during this time. Trusting in the Lord and surrendering to Him at this time will open your entire day, and your entire life, to His actions of love and mercy. Miracles will happen.
