There was an episode on the Seinfeld sit-com in which George Costanza notices that a security guard in a clothing store was always standing up and he wondered why the fellow had to do his job standing up all day. Certainly he must get tired standing all day long. So George succeeds in getting a rocking chair for the guard to sit in while he is keeping watch in the store. The guard promptly falls asleep in the very comfortable rocker and the store is robbed while he is sleeping soundly. There are certain postures and stances that are not conducive to being alert and keeping watch. In the military they speak about “standing the watch,” not sitting the watch or laying down on the watch. In fact if you are “laying down on the job” you are certainly not alert and active.

If a person is called to stand watch, to be alert and watchful, then they must adopt a stance in life that will keep them awake and ready. The body will grow tired and want to rest but the person standing watch has to resist the urge to fall asleep or to nod off into some revelry or dream state. This requires training and practice so that one does not give into the desires of the flesh. A well-trained watchman is able to “make no provision for the desires of the flesh.” A watchman’s life and the life of those under his care is dependent upon staying alert and ready.

On this first Sunday of Advent Jesus is cautioning his disciples to “stay awake!” They must be prepared when the time for action comes upon them. When one is standing the watch one never knows the time when action will be required so they must be ready and awake at all times. St. Paul urges members of his community to “awake from sleep” for the day of salvation is closer now than it was when they first believed. Disciples must take up a stance and posture in life that will help them to stay alert and watchful. When we give into the desires of the flesh and are weak we grow lazy and weary. We must avoid what we might consider nighttime activities for we are children of the new dawn in Christ and we must live as in the day when we are called to be active and busy in the service of Christ.

The proper stance for a Christian disciple of Jesus while watching and waiting for the return of the Lord is prayer, charitable service, ascetical training, study of the Word of God, worship, evangelization and other practices of the spiritual life. All of these things help to prepare us for what might be coming in the night of faith. If we are actively growing in our Christian discipleship then we are less likely to allow our enemy to sneak in like a thief and steal away our inheritance of eternal life. When we grow lazy in prayer and worship and fall into sinful behavioral patterns that involve the gratification of the flesh then we fade away into the night. To awake from sleep means to be reconciled to God, to confess our sins and rid ourselves of the burden of sin and guilt, and to begin again to look forward to a new life of grace.

Advent is a time in which we become aware of the need to be watchful and prepared for the coming of God into our lives in whatever ways he chooses to manifest his presence to us. We actively encourage the Lord to come and we wait in joyful hope for his coming again into our lives. We stand ready. It is a time to “get back on our feet” in the spiritual life and to live again as children of God in the world. We don’t know when or how he will come, we don’t know who will be taken or chosen to live in his presence, so we need to follow a way of faith and trust that he will come when we call upon him in love.

It is good to be a little uncomfortable in the world for it helps us to be ready. Don’t make the mistake of settling into the rocking chair of the world’s enticements and traps. The Thief in the Night is just waiting for you to grow weak and weary, don’t let your guard down. Take this time of Advent to prepare yourself for the coming of the Lord.