#DIVINE OFFICE LITURGY OF THE HOURS HOW TO#

But surprisingly, recalling my own arrival at the novitiate, it isn’t very well known. The Liturgy of the Hours has a long history in the Catholic Church. The Church distinguishes liturgy, which is public prayer, from private devotions, like praying the rosary. One of the first questions I had when I started praying it was: “why is it called a Liturgy?” We call it a liturgy because it is a public prayer of the Church (like Mass or the other Sacraments), which includes hymns, psalms, readings, and prayers according to the liturgical calendar. “The Liturgy of the Hours, the Council tells us, is our association with Christ in singing that eternal hymn of praise.” 1 All of us are invited to pray the Liturgy of the Hours with each other, whether that happens to be alone in our rooms, with a small group before a daily mass, or with a larger monastic community. There is a misperception that the Liturgy of the Hours is just for ordained or vowed religious, but here’s the thing: it is open to all to pray. Let’s be honest, the chanting has been a little rough.

I’ve also prayed it in community with others, sometimes speaking and sometimes chanting. I’m happy to report that over the past few years, this prayer has become a regular part of my prayer life.

#DIVINE OFFICE LITURGY OF THE HOURS HOW TO#

A couple of things crossed my mind at that moment: “What the heck is the Liturgy of the Hours?” and “How am I going to figure out how to pray this in the next five minutes?” There were all these ribbons in the book, and I watched as the second year novices skillfully moved between different parts of the book without batting an eye or missing a line. One of the first things I was given as a Jesuit novice was the book Christian Prayer: The Liturgy of the Hours, a one volume version of the Liturgy of the Hours.

Divine office liturgy of the hours