The Liturgy of the Hours
April 25, 1993
Brother John Raymond
For many Catholics the Liturgy of the Hours or Divine Office
is something of a mystery. Yet those who are familiar with the Prayer
of the Church find it very beneficial to their spiritual life.
The Liturgy of the Hours originated in the early Church. We
are told that the first Christian community devoted themselves to
"the prayers." (Acts 2:42) The implication is that the faithful prayed
as a community certain prayers given them by the Apostles. Also,
there are further indications in Scripture that the community prayed
at fixed times throughout the day. We are told that the disciples
gathered to pray at the "third hour." (Acts 2:1-15) Or that St. Peter
went up on the housetop to pray "about the sixth hour." (Acts 10:9)
St. Peter and St. John went up to the temple at the hour of prayer
"the ninth hour." (Acts 3:1)
The Liturgy of the Hours contains the Psalms of the Old
Testament, readings from both the Old and New Testament,
intercessory prayers, hymns, and short biographies and writings of
the saints. The Office is prayed at seven different times during the
course of the day and night. It is prayed in the morning, mid-
morning, midday, mid-afternoon, evening and night. The Office of
Readings can be prayed anytime, although it is customarily prayed
in the middle of the night or early in the morning. By following this
cycle one consecrates each day and night to God. The length of
time to pray one of these "Hours" of the day can be as little as fifteen
minutes.
The decree Apostolicam Actuositatem of the Second Vatican
Council encouraged families to pray together some parts of the
Liturgy of the Hours so that they can enter more deeply into the life
of the Church. Of course this does not exclude the individual praying
of the Liturgy of the Hours. These prayers help to participate more
fully in the Liturgical year of the Church. We become more attentive
to the seasons of Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter. We learn
what the Church is commemorating on a given day - be it a saint, a
feast of Our Lord or Our Lady or another special event. Thus we
become "attuned" to the graces of the day which are being given to
us through the Church. I (Br. Joseph-John) use this word because
what I have said about grace can be thought of in an analogous
fashion to a radio. One cannot pick up a particular radio station
unless one tunes into the proper station. In the same way the Liturgy
of the Hours helps us to tune in our minds and hearts to the specific
graces given through the Church for that day. For example, on
Christmas day the graces of Our Lord's birth are made present to us
to receive through the Liturgy of the Church. We not only
commemorate this event in the Liturgy but it is really and truly
placed before us on that particular day. "Christian liturgy not only
recalls the events that saved us but actualizes them, makes them
present." (Catechism of the Catholic Church, #1104) At the Holy
Mass "there is an outpouring of the Holy Spirit that makes the
unique mystery present." (#1104)
I personally have benefitted greatly by praying the Liturgy of
the Hours daily. Lay people whom I know that pray it find it very
beneficial and enjoyable. Let us take the advice of the Second
Vatican Council: to pray the Liturgy of the Hours so that we may
enter more deeply into the life of the Church.
The full Liturgy of the Hours comes in four volumes. A
condensed one volume version called Christian Prayer is available
which contains the complete texts of Morning, Evening and Night
Prayer and some parts of the other Hours. A companion to Christian
Prayer is the Office of Readings. Another edition called Morning
and Evening Prayer is available with selected texts from the Liturgy
of the Hours.
The full Liturgy of the Hours comes in four volumes. A condensed
one volume version called "Christian Prayer" is available which
contains the complete texts of Morning, Evening and Night Prayer and
some parts of the other Hours. Another pocket edition called
"Shorter Christian Prayer" is available with Morning and Evening
Prayer and selected texts for the Seasons and Major Feasts of the
year. (Can be order from The Monks of Adoration, 2241 Englewood Road,
Englewood, FL 34223 - Four Volume $98.00, One Volume Christian
Prayer $26.00 [available in large print for the same price], Shorter
Christian Prayer $10.00. All prices include Postage) They all come
with instructions on how to pray each of the Hours of the day. If
one finds these instructions confusing one can ask help from a
priest or any religious.
I personally have benefitted greatly by praying the Divine Office
daily. Lay people whom I know that pray it also find it very
beneficial and enjoyable. Let us take the advice of the Second
Vatican Council: to pray the Divine Office so that we may enter more
deeply into the life of the Church.