I regret that I have gotten too lazy to do the morning watch very often. In fact, I am usually up before dawn. But typically I’m nestled on the sofa, steaming cup of coffee at hand, checking the news and playing solitaire on my phone. I enjoy it.

But that little morning ritual is not to be compared to “the morning watch,” which to me must be outdoors, preferably near water, watching the rebirth of the world–the return of color, the song of birds, fragrance of dew on soil and plants. This daily resurrection speaks to me always of the Divine Love that animates this universe.

Note: The scene above occurred in 2017. I was in Chicago and made it a point to keep morning watch on the shore of Lake Michigan.