Praying the Divine Office, also known as the Liturgy
of the Hours, is sharing in a long God-centered
tradition. Ever since Biblical times, persons have
gathered to pray: to praise God, to give thanks, to
ask for special help or blessings and to ponder God's
word. There are countless references in the New
Testament of Jesus or/and others praying at the first
hour, third hour, sixth, ninth, or last hour. Prayer
dominated their lives. Jesus told them of the
necessity of praying always and not losing heart.
(Luke 18:1) and St. Paul said, "Never cease praying."
(1Thes. 5:17)
The Office, Liturgy of the Hours, has been passed down
through the ages in part or in whole among those
ordained to the priesthood and among men and women in
religious communities, especially monastic communities
such as the Benedictines. Many persons have chosen to
gather in groups to pray certain hours, others to pray
individually.
Though there are definite hours: Matins, Lauds,
Prime, Terse, Sext, Vespers and Compline, morning
prayer (Lauds), evening prayer (Vespers) and night
prayer (Compline) are the hours most commonly used by
groups and individuals. Most have a definite format:
a hymn, psalms, a reading, and intercessions. Morning
prayer includes the Canticle of Zachariah, Vespers has
the Canticle of Mary and Compline has the Canticle of
Simeon.
The Psalms are usually the longest part of each hour.
They are religious poems from the Old Testament which
express every feeling or petition which arises from
the human heart: joy, fear, forgiveness, abandonment,
etc. Nothing in creation, whether animate of
inanimate is left out of the psalms. Composed
centuries before Christ's time, used in Hebrew worship
in the temple or synagogue, one can be certain that
Jesus Himself prayed them often. The Gospels often
cite occasions when he quoted from them in his
teaching.
The Office is arranged to coincide with the seasons of
the Liturgical Year: Advent, Christmas, Epiphany,
Lent, Holy Week, Easter, Pentecost, and also special
attention to certain feasts. It consecrates time. It
praises God in the morning, requests God's help on the
activities of the day, asks help in the struggle with
the "noon-day devil," rejoices at the close of the
work day, and ends asking forgiveness, mindful of the
day spent in God's loving care.
It is a privilege to unite oneself with the praying
Church, the People of God, the Body of Christ. It is
a joy to unite oneself with Christ through whom, in
union with the Holy Spirit, our prayer must be offered
to God the Father.
John Ellen Rogers, CSJ
