THE WATCH
RESEARCH ASSEMBLY
SUMMER '72
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| SUMMER `72
RESEARCH ASSEMBLY | THE WATCH
Second WeekWeek |
FRIDAY BREAKFAST:
I. This is the summer of corporate discipline. We are experimenting with the wearing of the "yes as a sign of chastity. We would like to have a period of fasting/feasting to symbolize our corporate poverty, and celebrate the Movement's Great Turn with a grand ball. To rehearse our common engagement, we have been discussing the practice of the watch night service.
II. The night of wakeful watching is dramatically presented in the scriptures as the Garden of Gethsemane, with a threepart vigil. On numerous occasions Jesus went aside to pray, or to watch through the night.
III. The Church participated in the watch night service on the occasion of some concrete historical event. Perhaps we could say that our event is the Great Turn. But the Church has a1ways said that the night is not just for sleeping, but for keeping the lamps burning as a sign of life.
IV. The Night Watch dramatizes the paradox of engagement or obedience. One must look into the dark where things seem still or dead, and perceive the moving of the spirit. We watch for the coming of tho spirit. In the New Testament and in the early Church, the watch is for the Second Coming. Watching for the eternal call and return of the Word is our obedience.
A. At this point, pull back with a statement like "this is exciting, but I don't know whether we shall do this," or "I'm always a little afraid of these kinds of things."
B. Whole mood is to be tantalizing, humorous, and teasing.
C. Avoid phrases like "staying up all night" or "going without sleep." D. Do not encourage questions or moments at this point; but receive a few comments if they are forthcoming. | |
| SUMMER `72
RESEARCH ASSEMBLY | THE WATCH
Second WeekWeek |
FRIDAY LUNCH:
Now I don't know about this watch business. I keep getting pictures in my mind of shepherds and sailors. How is it I could keep watch? Why?
I. Inner suffering -- watching and waiting has to do with inner suffering -- the suffering of the world. That's what a watch would be for in the Church. Doesn't have anything to do with physical suffering, but it's the interior suffering. It's inner suffering that sustains the spirit of those on a watch. The experience or having one's whole life utter agony is what's pointed to. That which sustains and nurtures the spirit is the insight that comes in recovery of spiritual exercises.
II. Awareness intensified is what is going on in a watch night. The activity of engagement, utter engagement, releases the self in awareness of the situation and of his relationship to the suffering. The intensity is what allows him to be ready to pounce on the enemy that's struggling to surface within. The struggle will be there, the self that wants to block out this awareness will be there, but the Other World stance -- intensified in the night watch -- enables one to hold in check the enemy.
Well , now -- I don't know -- do you suppose we ought to try this? What would happen to us in a watch night? What would we be doing?
CONVERSATION:
a. What experience have you had with watch night services?
b. What is there in the history of the Church that informs us about the night watch?
Looks like maybe we wil1 be having this watch night. I think we will keep it experimental, and piddle around with it. You piddle and have fun with these things to keep your objectivity and detachment, while at the same time you're serious about what you're doing. We can be nonchalant here -- now you libertines -- that doesn't mean you opt out in the middle of things. I mean if you decide to play around with this watch, you take the piddling seriously. You decide ahead of time to just say, "Shoo, demon!" to all the ones that are going to be knocking on the door and lurking in your ears. You get that all straightened out before you start. And us pharisees - a word to you, too -- there's no glory in this -- we'll try it one night, and talk about it, and that will be the end of it. No rewards in heaven, no need to put on your stoic's hat and march through. Let's just do it and see what happens. | |
| SUMMER `72
RESEARCH ASSEMBLY | THE WATCH
Second WeekWeek |
CONVERSATION (Continued):
That Christmas -- shepherds keeping watch over their flocks by night-all the Christmas plays I've seen -- bathrobes, towel turbans -- Well, what would that mean in the Other World -- to have a watch?
FRIDAY SUPPER
I. You know -- the thing that makes us able to have an authentic watch and wake, to keep vigil in the night, is that we know we are even more blind than other people. We are the ones who close our eyes to life around us. We have no more vision than others. But it is in the knowing, the knowing which enables us to decide to open our eyes and watch. II. The watch wi11 expose our contingency. Now we know about our contingency, about the fact of our death, and then we will know, we will really know our contingency. Thus, as with all the religious
exercices, the watch is out to enable mission as the church. The training here is spiritua1 training, the kind Joseph was talking about Sunday.
All of the research, and future research, and carrying out the NSV, is dependent on the spirit training we undergo.
So let us experiment with a watch and wake. Maybe at 9:00 tonight.
HAND OUT PARTICIPANT LOGS
CONVERSATION:
1. Choose an occasion or event for your watch. (What are you, yourself, ''doing" a watch about?)
2. Choose a short book or selection of readings for your watcb.
3. Walk through Log and Flow chart for participants.
4. Any questions? Instructions for gathering at 9:00 p.m. | |
| SUMMER `72
RESEARCH ASSEMBLY | THE WATCH
Second WeekWeek | |
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| OFFICE
OF COMPLINE | (TO BE DONE BY ECCLESIOLA)
Compline is night reflection or the hour of the evening prayer. All of us have bedtime prayers. Compline is the time of our corporate reflection. | |
| THE
CONTEXTUAL STATEMENT | LIFE IN ITSELF:
Watching is an ontological reality. All of our life we are on a watch. Even in our sleep we see dreams and visions. Watching has nothing in the first instance to do with piety, morality, or Christianity. It is a spirit reality grounded in the way life is.
By means of fire, tools, and symbols, primitive man was able to keep watch at all times for natural dangers. But more than a practical use, the watch by the fire was for sheer fascination. The dancing flames and their capture was the symbol of the adventure that separated mankind from the beasts. Our contingency today is not in the natural dangers primarily, but in the historical vissisitudes. We watch historical phenomena. But the meaning is not apparent; there is more than the occurrence. We look deeply into life itself. We must watch for the spirit. This is our call to obedience. This is our adventure into new humanness. Tonight we watch for all of history. | |
| THE
LOG REFLECTIONS | NAMING THE VIGIL:
It is extremely important to create the categories of time in the night. By naming each vigil, one builds his journey and relates selfconsciously to the watch. Name each vigil sometime during the three hours. What name would you give to the vigil to start your reflection?
INDIVIDUAL OCCASION FOR WATCHING? Remember in the Journey to the Last, there was both the corporate and the individual "goal" for the journey. In your reflection on the watch, jot down: What is your individual reason for watching? Or, what is the occasion for your watch? | |
| SUMMER `72
RESEARCH ASSEMBLY | THE WATCH
Second WeekWeek | |
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| OFFICE
OF COMPLINE | (TWO OR FOUR PEOPLE SHOULD BE APPOINTED TO SAY THE OFFICE REPRESENTATIONALLY.) | |
| THE
CONTEXTUAL
STATEMENT | INNER SUFFERING:
Inner suffering cannot be compared withany physical suffering. For it is the experience of one's whole life as constant agony.
The experience of lostness, fogginess, floating is the eternal rack of objectless doubt. Now is the time of uncertainty; yet, do you not now feel a sense driving onward?
The experience of purposelessness, unclarity, and no vision is the eternal rack of objectless blindness. Now is the time of fainting on the way, yet this is a corporate exercise and do you not now grasp a strong feeling of belonging?
The experience of rage, fire, and antagonism is the time of apostasy and our very irritation is the motivation for turning matter into spirit as we watch for the word. Jesus had no answer or authority for the problem of having to deal with his own spirit struggle and simultaneously with the individuals who intruded and occasion his struggle. This period of external calm and quiet is also the time of intense inner suffering. | |
| THE
LOG REFLECTIONS | MEDITATIONS ON THE PEOPLE OF GOD: As you now move to reading or reflection, jot down what figures have been coming to mind relative to dialogue with the People of God. With whom have you conversed that catapulted you into the communion of saints? | |
| SUMMER `72
RESEARCH ASSEMBLY | THE WATCH
Second WeekWeek | |
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| OFFICE
OF
COMPLINE | (TO BE DONE BY TEAMS)
Compline is the time when day's events are examined and events are evaluated so that solitary sorting takes place out of which the future is forged and promises are claimed. | |
| THE
CONTEXTUAL STATENENT | INTENTIONAL ENGAGEMENT:
This is the awareness that to live is to be involved. Involvement is a life dynamic. Participation in - the watch is the selfconscious rehearsal of one's engagement. It is a symbolic act of traveling the distance. Unless you engage in the watch, one does not know what obedience is about. Being clear about a life dynamic comes from intentional experimentation, not ideas about it. Watching is a discipline for obedient doing; it is a spirit exercise for corporate engagement.
It is not just action, dogoodism, or business. But it is work. This is the work for sustaining spirit. Everyman works. Everyman works for sustenance. The watch transparentizes your effort. Sleep is the symbol for transparent work. In it, you rest while you work. Yet you are not oblivious to what is going on; you completely allow your conscious and unconscious dimensions to participate in the act of sleep. You now intend your sleep. You possess it. You do something to it by watching. This is your power of investment of life. But this is not just any investment of time and energy. This action is built on concern for the spiritual care of mankind. All participate through you in the Great Turn. | |
| THE
LOG REFLECTIONS | INSTRUCTIONS FOR WRITING A HOMILY: Thus far in the vigil we have been preparing for the activity of writing a homily. You will find in your guide instructions for this. You will want to find a place where undisturbed you can complete your homily by midnight. Do you have any questions about the instructions? | |
| SUMMER `72
RESEARCH ASSEMBLY | THE WATCH
Second WeekWeek | |
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| OFFICE
OF
MATINS | (TO BE DONE BY ECCLESIOLA)
Matins holds the theme of the Holy Mystery. Reflections on the Second Coming is imaged by the Virgins watching for the Bridegroom's return. | |
| THE
CONTEXTUAL STATEMENT | INTENSIFIED ATTENTIVENESS:
The intensification that occurs is relative to your sensitivity to the situation. One's selfconsciousness of his relatedness is increased. Physically and spiritually things seem more real and there the unrelated and tangential seem to come together.
One is aware of the sin of inadvertance or thoughtlessness. One realizes how unaware he has been to the situation. one is overwhelmed by the things he has Missed or not paid attention to. One is conscious of things he has been unconscious about. This consciousness of consciousness is the action that is inaction that is attentiveness. This is life within itself. This is spiritual awareness which is all that God requires of you. He doesn't require that you get on top of it; only that you are in it, and you must not let a second out of this 24 hours deliver you. Then one more omission arises and you think it's hate but it's love and you are it. Then the discontinuity. | |
| THE
LOG REFLECTIONS | CONSCIOUS STATES:
1. What was on your mind while you worked? 2. What state of being do you experience? (Have most of Ecclesiola respond by going around) | |
| SUMMER `72
RESEARCH ASSEMBLY | THE WATCH
Second WeekWeek | |
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| OFFICE
OF
MATINS | (TWO OR FOUR PEOPLE SHOULD BE APPOINTED TO SAY THE OFFICE REPRESENTATIONALLY.) | |
| THE
CONTEXTUAL STATEMENT | ULTIMATE BETRAYAL:
Jesus went to watch three hours. In the first hour his response was "Let this hour pass....Not my will but shine be done."
Then he thought he would go back to the disciples, but found them sleeping. "The spirit truly is ready but the flesh is weak," was his reply. Then he thought he would just go and march on into the betrayer's
hand, ''Take your rest, I must go on."
Then Jesus decided I am the man and proceeded with the vision of the "Son of man sitting on the right hand of power and coming in the clouds of heaven." Watching flushes the real tempter out into the open. It takes all of one's struggles and focuses them before the Lord. The only betrayal is to refuse to be the Son of Man. Only have one temptation before the Lord. You can really handle all other temptations. The only struggle is with being the son of God, being the called one. | |
| THE
LOG REFLECTIONS | THE PEOPLE OF GOD:
What has the watch done to Summer '72? What does it objectively mean, relative to the Great Turn? Jot down notes to yourself in the log as you read and reflect. | |
| SUMMER `72
RESEARCH ASSEMBLY | THE WATCH
Second WeekWeek | |
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| MATINS | (TO BE DONE BY TEAMS)
Matins is the first hour of the morning as preparation for rising as the new day is anticipated, the spiritual theme is set for it. | |
| THE
CONTEXTUAL STATEMENT | RELEASING CONSCIOUSNESS:
Do you feel like you could go on for the remainder of the night? Watching is a sustained push against the mystery, allowing conscious responses to flow from within. It is now one can grasp a single focus, including and encompassing all your images. Then one is prepared as the wise virgins for the great occasion.
In the watch the awareness of the tomb is exposed. One could go on or do anything but for the fact of the grave. One could go on for 24 hours except for the habit of sleeping or resting 8 hours. In the watch the tomb is there, but is the reality overagainst which authentic participation in life is possible.
Now one can concentrate and centralize his life. One realizes he can move out. One can forge the singleness of vocation. Everything you need is at hand. The night is transformed. | |
| THE
LOG REFLECTIONS | INSTRUCTIONS FOR WRITING A SELFSTORY:
We will participate in the exciting adventure of writing a "selfstory" or legend. Instructions are included in the participants' manual for this activity. You will want to turn to this now and work toward the completion by 3 a.m. If you have any questions, I would receive them at this time. | |
| SUMMER `72
RESEARCH ASSEMBLY | THE WATCH
Second WeekWeek | |
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| OFFICE
OF LAUDS | (TO BE DONE BY ECCLESTOLA) Lauds is the hour of the divine imperative, the time of awakening ourselves to the wonder of the new day. | |
| THE
CONTEXTUAL STATEMENT | REVEALED SITUATION:
It's the middle of the night; it's dark and you just stand in the depth of darkness, watching. One experiences himself at the bottom. It's still: stars, trees, and waters are as if standing still. You are quiet. And that's the way it is. And this is like the darkness, and the darkness and quietness of this close-up tomb. Here the turmoil of day has died away and everything is at rest. But look, things have not stopped. Things are at rest, but life is going on. Things are vibrating; things are pulsating; things are alive. Life has not ceased. They looked dead, but that's not the case.
The church is on watch. she remembers the nighttime watch of her Bridegroom. She thinks of the night vigils of the early Christians in the catacombs. The church insists that night is not just for sleep. highs is a symbol of life on the earth. We are like the virgins in the parable, preparing for the bridegroom. "About midnight, there comes a call. Look! here comes the bridegroom! Go out to meet him! Keep watch then, for you do not know either the day or the hour in which the Son of Man is coming. | |
| THE
LOG REFLECTIONS | SPIRITUAL MEANING:
1. What is a watch? (Push gently, but thoroughly.) 2. Have you been aware of creativity? of freedom? | |
| SUMMER `72
RESEARCH ASSEMBLY | THE WATCH
Second WeekWeek | |
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| OFFICE
OF LAUDS | (TWO OR FOUR PEOPLE SHOULD BE APPOINTED TO SAY THE OFFICE REPRESENTATIONALLY.) | |
| THE
CONTEXTUAL STATEMENT | MOMENT OF LIFE:
We've discovered that in the objectivity of awe, there is both fear and fascination. The fascination of the night watch has driven us to the deep fears of life that we all have. We come to the wake or the walk or the march. This we meet in the real dread of the 20year march, fearing whether we will make it, stand, or prevail in the way.
This is also seen as our darkest hour, just before symbolically the dawn. Now as the march to battle approaches, real terror occurs. We know the cost; we have seen the future: we have made the march symbolically and are afraid. Now we must not stoically march; we must process, walk into life, real life with a style. This is more like a parade, a celebration, a festive rehearsal of the 20year march. This becomes a Holyday, a holiday of mirth, gaiety, and ecstasy as we fit this march into the plan of redemption. | |
| THE
LOG REFLECTIONS | TWENTYYEAR RESOLUTIONS:
1. What are your resolutions for the new man?
2. What are the resolutions for the new church?
3. What are the resolutions for the new world? Jot down in your 1og as you continue to read and ref1ect. | |
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| SUMMER `72
RESEARCH ASSEMBLY | THE WATCH
Second WeekWeek | |
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| OFFICE
OF
LAUDS | ||
| THE
CONTEXTUAL STATEMENT | ||
| THE
LOG REFLECTIONS | ||
| SUMMER `72
RESEARCH ASSEMBLY | THE WATCH
Second WeekWeek |
The watch is concluded with a celebration known as a "wake" which reflects the joy of fulfillment or completion. This festival comes as the struggle is over. The back of spiritual lethargy, apathy and neutrality is broken. It is now a time of joy which demands a stylistic procession, much like a parade in medieval history or a pageant in the Eastern Church. We will celebrate with a processional and the Daily Office.
1. Each Congregation gathers on its floor by Ecclesiola and Teams at 6:00 a.m.
2. The gong will ring the number of your Congregation when it is to start down the stairway twoabreast.
3. Congregations will take their places in the assembly room for Daily Office.
4. Congregations will leave the assembly following Daily Office by floors in this congregational order: III, I, VI, V, IV, II. 5. Breakfast will be served in Congregations. | |
| SUMMER `72
RESEARCH ASSEMBLY | THE WATCH
Second WeekWeek |
BREAKFAST:
a. What reflections have you had since the Watch?
b. What is the meaning of a Watch?
LUNCH:
a. What is the practical consequence of having participated in the Watch?
b. What is the relationship between watching and waking?
SUPPER:
a. That kind of role could the Watch/Wake play in the life or the renewed local church?
b. What kind of role could the Watch/Wake play in the life of the Movement? | |