Author: Father Eugene Hemrick | Source: Catholic News Service
Are you looking for a better way to pray or a way to improve your prayer life? Then consider praying the Divine Office or Liturgy of the Hours. It may surprise you to learn that it is not restricted to priests and is used by numerous laypersons.
What is the Divine Office, and what are its benefits?
The Divine Office is also referred to as the breviary, meaning the book containing a shortened version of prayers, biblical readings and writings of saints. Instead of having us recite all the psalms at once, the breviary selects certain ones that have a similar theme to recite throughout the day. Instead of reading the book of Job, an episode from it is chosen, with a prayer that helps us reflect on its meaning. When a saint's feast is celebrated, often the Divine Office contains original writings of the saint.
The Divine Office breaks the day into the Office of Readings (which contains a hymn, three psalms, a reading from Scripture and a reading from a saint or other church writers), morning prayer, mid-morning, mid-day, mid-afternoon prayer and evening prayer.
Allow me to point you to some of my favorite hymns and readings so you can experience its beauty firsthand.
On Wednesday of the first week, we start the day singing: "Morning has broken like the first morning. Blackbird has spoken like the first bird. Praise for the singing! Praise for them, springing fresh from the Word."
As a child I often awoke on a fresh summer morning to the happy sounds of birds outside my window. It was an absolute blessing to start the morning in this manner. Later when I began reciting the breviary, the last verse of this hymn best expressed my gratitude for a new morning: "Praise with elation, praise every morning, God's re-creation of the new day!"
Another hymn I particularly love for its spirit is found in mid-morning prayer: "Breath on me, breath of God, fill me with life anew that I may love the things you love and do what you would do.... Breathe on me, breath of God, my soul with grace refine until this earthly part of me glows with your fire divine."
On the feast of St. Anthony of Padua June 13, Anthony advised us: "The man who is filled with the Holy Spirit speaks in different languages. These different languages are different ways of witnessing to Christ, such as humility, poverty, patience and obedience; we speak in those languages when we reveal in ourselves those virtues to others. Actions speak louder than words; let your words teach and your actions speak.... Happy the man whose words issue from the Holy Spirit and not from himself."
What is found in the Divine Office is a spirit that is uplifting and so true to the real self we desire to be.
Imagine being inspired throughout the day with this spirit. This is the power of the breviary. It speaks to the godly spirit implanted in us.
When we are happy the Divine Office helps us to celebrate; when we are sorrowful it teaches us how to turn sorrow into joy.
Purchase the Divine Office and pray it. It will be the wisest investment of your life.