the week and the year, so the day is sanctified by recurring prayer as Jesus taught us: Lk 18:1 The

e Church has been faithful to this command of the Lord; Heb 13:15 Consecrates to God the whole cycle of the day and night

As

Praise of God is a duty to be carried

out What distinguishes the L.H. from the Liturgical celebration is that it is distributed through the whole day thus creating privileged moments during the day. The term Breviary has been abandoned now in the present context

I. HOURS OF PRAYER

Liturgy of the Hours has its origin in the spiritual ideal of ceaseless prayer that is set before us by the New Testament, setting aside time for prayer.

1. Jewish Prayer
Christian worship is a break from the liturgy of the temple and observance of the old law. But there was a continuity in the hours of prayer, pattern of prayer. Early Christian Communities were from Jewish communities

Bible

was constantly read and meditated it was in the frame work of Jewish prayer life that Christ and the apostles did their praying. Jewish prayer followed two rhythms that differed in origin and kind but nonetheless finally fused into one.

a. one rhythm was based on the prescription in Deuteronomy: Morning and Evening; when lie down and when you rise ....(Deut 6:4; see 6:7; 11:19). - choice of time was based on the Rhythm of life: Retiring and Rising Rhythm of nature: nightfall and dawn.

b. The Second was a system of praying three times during the day. Book of Daniel speaks of it in 3rd century before Christ. (Dan 6:11, see 14). Book of Judith (9:1; 12:56; 13:3). Ps 55:16-17. Jews had also the practice of saying the prayer called Tephillah which became the 18 blessings. It was a practice in the Pharisaic circles. It was connected with the liturgy of the temple.

- with morning and evening sacrifice: Ex 29:30-31, 1 Chr. 16:40; 23:30; 2 Chr. 13:11; 2kgs 16:15; Ezra 9:4, Dan 9:21) - The evening sacrifice was gradually brought to 9th hour (3 pm). Offering of sacrifice was accompanied by singing of Ps by Levites

- Certain Psalms were linked with particular days. - A lot of people took part in it. Sir 50:1-21, Lk 1:10-21, Acts 3:1 - Those far away from Jerusalem came together in the Synagogue to pray at the same time.

- Those could not be present prayed at home e.g. Cornelius Acts 10:3-30. - We have the example of Jesus attacking those praying outside to be noticed by others, those who pretended.... - There was also a prayer corresponding to the closing of the temple gates.

Other moments of prayer were observed on certain fast days or feast days, at least in devout circles. The ideal of more frequent prayer and of almost constant meditation on the law was repeatedly set before the minds of fervent Jews by the Psalms, esp. Ps 119. The psalms exerted an influence on the spirituality of the people of Israel that extended far beyond the matter of ritual prayer. They were also the object of religious teaching and personal meditation. It was out of this praying people Jesus Christ emerged.
-

2. The Example of the Prayer of Jesus - Jesus was faithful to the religious practices of his fellow Jews. Lk 4:16, Mk 1:21 - He alluded to the prayer of the ninth hour probably in the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collection Lk 18:9-14.

- he also criticized the pharisees for praying in public (Mat. 6:5). - He recited the traditional blessings addressed to God at mealtimes Mat14:19; 15:36). The last supper Mat 26:26, and the supper at Emmaus Luke 24:30, - He also sung hymns with his disciples (Matt 26:30.

The gospel frequently tell us of occasions when Jesus went apart from the crowd in order to pray. So we see that the prayer life of Jesus went much beyond what was then generally customary. (J. Jeremias) this point is constantly emphasized by Luke. - Evangelist of prayer. Prayer of Jesus, prayer of Mary, Prayer of Christian community

-Mark 1:35-36 in Simon s house Luke 5:16 Cure of a leper - Mark 6:46 after multiplication of the loaves, he sent the crowds away and .. - Mathew 14:23-25 - Luke 6:12 Before the appointment of the 12 - Mark 9:37 Exhortation to pray before the appointment of the 12

Lukes tells us about Jesus prayer in connection with the transfiguration 9:28-29, 18; 11:1 the wortk of each day was closely bound up with his prayer - indeed flowed from it. He showed that prayer was the soul of his messianic ministry and Paschal death. at his agony he was requesting his men to follow him in prayer; Mk 14:38, Mt 26:41, Luke 22:40-46, watch and pray Luke 21:36, Mk 13:33, pray and not to lose heart Lk 18:1

3. The Ideal of the Apostolic Community: Ceaseless prayer attend the temple regularly. Lk 1:9-22; 24:53, he also shows how the new believers day by day, attending the temple together (Acts 2:46) Luke begins and ends his gospel in the temple.
The followers of Jesus continued to

temple

courtyard a place of Apostolic preaching; Christ is Lord Acts 5:42, 21:27 Peter healed the crippled beggar at the beautiful gate Acts 3:1-2 The early christians were faithful to the 3 moments of daily prayer Didache: faithful pray 3 times

Christians were not exactly satisfied with

these traditional liturgical practices. Peter went up to the roof at about the sixth hour in order to pray Acts 10:9, this was not one of the usual times for Jews to pray. On several occasions the Acts mentions prayer at night, acts 12:5-12, Acts 16:25.

These scattered indications do not,

however, suffice to make clear the new dimensions of Christian prayer. there were two ideals in particular that this prayer was to meet: it was to be an expression UNANIMITY and it was to be CONSTANT and PERSEVERING. Unanimous: this is a word Luke uses often in connection with prayer (Acts 1:14; 2:46;4:24), and Paul uses it as well (Rom 15:6)

Unanimity existed even when they

were not assembled; they were of one mind and heart, Acts 4:32 Constant and Persevering The small group of Mary and disciples remained in the upper room devoted themselves to prayer Acts 1:14.

This was seen again when the community

was expanded after Pentecost Acts 2:42 It was an idealized Church - was important for the later Christian generations in their concerns for the apostolic life, that is, for the imitation of the community described in the acts of the apostles. St. Paul too exhorted his readers to persevere in prayer. Rom 12:12, Eph 6:18, Col 4:2

Not merely being faithful to the hours

of prayer but pray constantly 1 Thes 5:17, at all times Eph 6:18; Col 4:2. He prays night and day, 1 Thes 3:10, 2 Thes 1:11 He sets out a spiritual programme which Xtians would henceforth seems to carry out.

4. The Hours of Christian prayer and their symbolism in the Church of the Third Century y The Church of the first half of the third century was characterized by an intense spiritual fervour. y this is evidenced by the advice on prayer that has been preserved in the writings of five Christian authors. y Stomata of Clement of Alexandria (211/215

y The books on prayer and fasting by Tertullian (220) y Apostolic Tradition of Hippolytus of Rome y On prayer by Origen of Alexandria 233-234 y On the Lord s prayer by St.Cyprian, bishop of Carthage, composed probably in 250

y All these teachers emphasize the command given by both the Lord and Paul that Christians must pray uninterruptedly. y All these writers agree, however, that if prayer is to be ceaseless there must be set times for prayer. y By now Rome had the practice of praying at 3,6,9 hours. y These hours are not to be connected with the Jewish timings.

y According to Tertullian, they are hours that stand out most in human life, since they divide up the day and establish rhythm of business and are signaled by bells. 3rd hour spirit was poured out on apostles
6th hour vision at the prison of Joppa 9th hour Peter healed the crippled

y Snatch a moment from our business so that we may fulfill the duty of prayer y Other writers have put two timings: namely morning and evening. y Hippolytus speaks of prayer at two more times: at midnight and at cock crow - wash and pray. y They are not thinking of Christians away from the world. y they mean people in business, and also married people whose partners sometime are not Christians.

Among these hours of prayer, some are obligatory but others are praiseworthy practices that will foster ceaseless prayer. y some of these writers speak of Daniel praying 3 times, some connect these hours to the passion of the Lord. y St. Cyprian says we must pray in the morning in order that our prayer may celebrate the resurrection of the Lord. So also when the sun sets and day is ending we must pray again , Christ is the true Sun, the real day. At the moment when the sun and day of this world diasppear, we pray that light may nonetheless be ours. We ask for the coming of Christ and the gracious manifestation of eternal light... Christ is the true Su, the real Day.

y These hours of prayer were observed at this period either individually or in a family. y they did form an invisible community in as much as all of the faithful were praying at the same time. y End of persecution and building of houses of worship made it possible for them to manifest the pattern of prayer in public.

5. Communal Prayer after the Peace of Constantine (4th and 5th Centuries).
Peace brought flowering of liturgical

life churches, pilgrimages, development of asceticism. Prayer of the hours took a communal form

this was organized in two forms

y Prayer of the Christian people assembled around the Bishop and his priests called the CATHEDRAL OFFICE y Prayer of ascetics and monks called MONASTIC OFFICE The word asceticism comes from the Greek askesis which means practice, bodily exercise, and more especially, athletic training. The early Christians adopted it to signify the practice of the spiritual things, or spiritual exercises performed for the purpose of acquiring the habits of virtue.

A.

The Liturgy of Hours as celebrated by the Christian People

In about 330-340 Eusebius of Caesarea, commenting on Ps 65 wrote: The fact that at every rising of the sun and every return of evening the Churches of God around the world offer to God hymns, praises and literally divine pleasures is no ordinary sing of God s power. The hymns which at dawn and dusk rise up daily everywhere in the churches are indeed pleasures for God .

These daily assemblies were not only in Palestine but in Antioch, Constantinople and in Africa. When St. John Chrysostom instructed the newly baptized of Antioch, he told them that these gatherings were a necessary part of a Christian s day. They instructed the Christians on such gatherings.

these gatherings were indeed gatherings of people: the faithful san morning psalms and evening psalms which did not vary and which they knew by heart. To which they added biblical and non-biblical canticles. In some churches there was a sermon almost every day;

the ceremony ended with intercession and a collect pronounced by the bishop or a priest. Besides these gatherings, there were vigils or nocturnal assemblies. Vigils consisted of readings, prayers, songs and ended with a Mass.

B.

Liturgy of the Hours as celebrated by Ascetics and in Monasteries

Of the many people who wanted to live a more perfect life and consecrating themselves to God through asceticism and payer, some remained in the cities. their organized prayer had local Church as the centre; a priest presiding over them

Such people were called sons and daughters of the covenant - in west they were called Sancti or holy persons, they included consecrated virgins. The others withdrew into the desert and established monasteries, there they had a place of prayer called oratory oratorium. They all obeyed a rule that was minutely detailed.

They observed the precept, as best as they can of ceaseless prayer as seen in New Testament and early spiritual writers. In Egypt there were only two daily assemblies - morning and evening-- for prolonged communal prayers They rejected all the other assigned hours because they wanted to pray ceaselessly and not intermittently.

All of the monastic families adopted for communal prayer all of the times or hours, which we saw recommended to Christians by the spiritual teachers of the third century. In the daytime they observed the third, sixth, and ninth hours, during which they sang or heard proclaimed several psalms which were sometimes followed by readings. they sang or heard proclaimed several psalms - sometimes followed by readings. Also prolonged nocturnal prayer - midnight, at cock crow

On certain feast days vigil lasted the entire night. The two hours remained - morning and evening. These two were differently structured for monks. When they had no priests , it consisted of continuous reading of psalms and other passages. In the monasteries something new appeared: at retiring - a prayer consisted of the recitation of Ps 91 - this is what we call compline.

There was also another addition called the First Hours as PRIME. This was introduced by the monks of Bethlehem in 4th century. This was a way of keeping the lazy monks from retiring to bed after prayer at dawn and remaining until 3rd hour. It was a duplication of morning office.

C. Melding of the two rhythms of prayer

There was no opposition or class between

the prayer of the ascetics and of the Christian people. They were complementary. Monasteries adopted both morning and evening of the Church. There was a fusion of it where monks attended the prayer in the churches.

6. Overloading and deterioration prayer of the hours was obscured by two almost contradictory tendencies: the tendency to overload the timetable or content of the hours and the tendency to eliminate the reference of the hours to the natural rhythm of day and night. We cannot only pray - must also earn bread to live prayed while they worked - The Jesus Prayer
In the course of time the ideal embodied in the

some prolonged as much as they could - human strength would allow. or come in relays into oratory so the Pss would be continuous. in some places they increased the number of hours. In other places they were additions of little offices - of the BVM and of the Dead.

A.

The truth of the Hours

the time table for the choral and public recitation of the office was changed. During lent - fast until night fall i.e. after vespers. The rubrics for Vespers said, before eating and so anticipated vespers as early as before noon.

private recitation was marked by even greater abnormalities. Service of God comes first . some finished in the afternoon, the nocturns and lauds of the next day. The need to pray at the proper times gave rise to ringing the bells at dawn, noon and dusk.

B.

The Truth of the Hours rediscovered at Vatican II

Pope John 23rd south to do away with some of the abuses just described above. He/Council suggested that each canonical house be said at a time nearest to the true time for each canonical hours. (SC 84, 88)

II THE LIT. OF HOURS AS PRAYER OF THE CHURCH Pope Paul VI: The office has been drawn up and arranged in such a way that not only clergy but also religious and indeed laity may participate in it, since it is the prayer the whole people of God.

1.

It is the Prayer of the Christian People

Why it ceased to be? In the East it retained its popular character, esp. in Chaldean offices

In the West several reasons 1. Latin 2. Conditions were much less favourable to office than to Mass. Monks in the Church, they knew the psalms by heart, the books were very costly. And slowly it became the monopoly of the monks, canons, clerics and holders of benefices. Substitutes: The Christians had a confused desire for prayer and tried to share it.

Till the 1st decade of 20th century, people attended vespers on Sundays, they sung hymns, recited a number of Our Father when the monks recited the psalms. In this way rosary originally took shape. 150 Hail Mary 150 Psalms. Then came the little Offices of the dead, of the B.V.Mary etc. books were well painted and affordable.

Rediscovery: as the Prayer of the Christian People In 19th C. Prerogative of priests 20th C. The benedictine monks made it known first to educated elite and then to young people. booklets with prime and compline or vespers were published. In England Cranmner s Prayer book had straightway turned the principal hours morning and evening - into celebrations involving the people.

recently the German speaking Lutherans have also tried to return to this tradition. The community at Taize deserves the credit for revealing the prayer of the hours to its countless visitors. Practical difficulties have been removed by the reform of Vat. II

it is not something private but belongs to the whole body of the Church There is a need for emphasizing its communal celebration. communal celebration would be the most perfect form

The celebration of the Liturgy of the Hours by the Local Church is a model of all such celebrations and provides us with a theological understanding of the Liturgy. (GILH 22) It is the prayer of the Church when it is recited by someone, even a lay person, who cannot take part in a communal celebration. Though scattered, they are of one heart and one soul.

2. It is celebrated in the name of the people Here we speak not of an obligation but of a commission that is entrusted to all in Sacred Orders. (GILH 28). The commission depends on the mission and sacramental character.

The intention of the Church is to place the obligation in its proper perspective, Christian law is a law of freedom and expresses the interior need of prayer which the Holy Spirit rouses in souls and which is a dynamic and life-giving force. Those in Sacred Orders are appointed to preside over the prayer of the Christians and they are to make sure that it continues even if they are not taking part.

The reason is that they represent the people and Christ as well.. Intercession for sinners is a duty of the Church - it is the duty first of pastors. Example of Moses, We will devout ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the Word (Acts 6:4) Obligation - at least to two hours. (GILH 29)

The obligation of the monks, canons and nuns comes from the particular law of the congregation. It (GILH) recommends and exhorts all Christians to pray Christian law is a law of freedom and expresses the interior need of prayer.

3. Liturgy of the Hours in the Mystery of the Church

It is one of Church s primary functions Church must be at one and the same time zealous in action and dedicated to contemplation voice of the bride herself addressed to the Bridegroom in praise and thanksgiving and petition for help in need.

The Church intercedes for the whole world. Church exercises a maternal function also by prayer Those taking part in the LH bring growth to God s people Not only the voice of the Bride but the very prayer which Christ himself together with his body addresses to the Father.

There is a continuity between Mass and the Liturgy of the Hours. LH extends to the different hours of the day the praise and thanksgiving - the commemoration of the mysteries of Salvation, the petitions and the foretaste of heavenly glory that are present in the Eucharistic mystery. Christ himself is present when the Church prays.

III 1.

LITURGY OF THE HOURS: PRAYING THE PSALMS The Place of Psalms in Christian Prayer

a. Continuity or discontinuity with Jewish prayer y We have little information of the use of Psalms in Jewish prayer y It had a role in the Liturgy of the Temple

y Some psalms were sung such as Ps.105 in the morning. This psalms tells us about the wonderful works of God y In the evening it was customary to sing Ps. 96 - a hymn to the divine being. y Certain Psalms for certain days. y For major feasts: Ps 135, 136 for the feast of Passover

y Psalms had a place in the instruction given in the school y Psalms were a kind of primer of the Bible y The Jews had familiarity with the Psalms. y Jesus and others cite them frequently

y Use of Psalms from two points : y (i) Psalms undergo a Christologization - already in the New Testament and in the writing of the early Fathers.
(ii) An initiation into the prayer of praise, for contemplation of the divine perfections and for an express of the sorry state of humanity.

b.

CHRISTOLOGIZATION of the Psalms

Lk 24:44 ........ written in the law, prophets and Psalms must be fulfilled. Psalms have a special place in the Bible. ..thus it is written.. Evangelists place Ps 22, 31 on the lips of Jesus Passion of Jesus is prefigured in various psalms - Ps 22,41,69

Psalms also provided a starting point for preaching ( Ps 2 in Acts 4:25-26) Psalms received a new light from Christ - a book of prophecy fulfilled by Christ. In the Psalms, they heard the voice of Christ. Tertullian: ..almost all Psalms show us the person of Christ, Christ as son speaks tothe Father and Christ to His God.

.. Also the voice of the Father to Christ .. Ps 89 Psalms are prayers addressed to Christ and also prayers which speak of Christ His reign - Ps 96, Shepherd - Ps 23, Eucharist Ps 34 (taste and see...) Psalms are also the voice of the Church . History of Israel applied to itself in order to express its sufferings in time of persecution, its trust in a divine liberation, its hope. Psalms in the prayer of the apostolic community Acts 4:25.

c.

Psalms and the prayers of the Human Beings

y Christological reading did not exclude other reading y See also the literal meaning of the psalms y Psalms proved to be the best means of initiation into intimacy with God making audible the voice of the Church, voice of the faithful soul, voice of Christ and his disciples y Monastic meditation has helped in this

y Psalms are like a mirror - can look at themselves and ourselves. y It is they whom the Psalter has in view y Our identity is hidden in them y We can find ourselves and God in the Psalms y Psalms are and will remain the expression of the prayer of the poor and the sinful

y They express pain and hope, unhappiness and trust of people of every age and country. y They also express harshness, human evil, impulses, injustice, wars and oppression. Curses but not directed against individuals. (Necessary omissions are necessary. y Psalter - a school in which to learn the contemplation of God and His perfections

y Admire God at work in the splendour of creation. y The psalms teach the language of intimacy with God. y The theme of praise that is typical of Psalms gives the Christian Liturgy of the Hours its character as a prayer of praise.

2.

The Place of Psalms in the Liturgy of the Hours

From the 4th C. the Liturgy of the Hours was formed as a communal prayer. Psalms were always the essential element . Morning (MP) and Evening prayer (EP) used selected psalms in both the Cathedral version and Monastic versions.

Psalms were sung, read or meditated. The entire Psalter was to be recited within a certain period of time. In course of time a continuous reading came to be the practice with a selection of psalms for particular place and time.

a.

Continuous reading of the Psalms

St.Benedict - ruled that the whole psalter in a week Some Egyptian monks recited the whole psalter in a day Armenian Office had it within 8 days. The psalms were divided into sections to make it easy.

After recitation the monks reflected on it in silence, or each psalm was interpreted along certain lines with the help of a refrain or prayer or a title. It was a help for an interiorized celebration of the Liturgy of the Hours.

b.

Use of Psalms in specific context

Most of the liturgies granted certain psalms a privileged place in the course of the day, the week, the liturgical year, or the feasts. In the sequence of the Hours: certain psalms have traditionaly been regarded as morning psalms, eg. Pss 5,51,63,67,100, 43, and above all 148-50 or as praises which gave their name to the office of Lauds in the Roman liturgy.

Others have been evening psalms, esp. 141. As far as the week was concerned, the Roman Church retained from Jewish usage only Ps 91 which had been a psalm for the sabbath and was now used on Saturday. Prayer during the day had Psalm 119, 12028. Compline (night prayer) Ps. 91

Vigil began with Ps 3 or ps 95 Ps 93 glorified the kingly dignity of the Lord Ps 118 and 24, This is the day the Lord has made Ps 110 was considered messianic in the time of Jesus and then was given a lengthy commentary in the letter to the Hebrews, sings of the priesthood and victory of Christ.

Ps 114 recalls the wonderful works of God ; links the Pasch of Christ and that of the Christians. The reform of the LH tried to accentuate the Paschal character of the Sunday psalms even further through its selection of psalms for the four sundays of the cycle. Friday psalms had a penitential character and using them to recall the passion of Christ. In particular it reserved to Fridays Ps 51, and Ps 22

3.

The delivery of the Psalms

1. Psalms are poems, poems of praise, song of praise. In translation one has to be careful to keep this character. 2. y Methods in the singing of the psalms There were different ways of singing

y First method: the soloist read or sing the psalms while the community listened in silence.

When finished, all meditated and then the presiding month said a prayer called collect. y Second method: At times the people were asked to sing a response, refrain or acclamation. y so stanzas were introduced and finally two choirs singing the alternative verses.

3. The Trinitarian Doxology y This practice is attested as early as the end of the 4th century. y It is a fitting conclusion, giving to OT prayer a quality of praise linked to a Christological and Trinitarian interpretation.

4. Elements helping us to pray the Psalms 1) Titles of the Psalms to sum up the contents and guide the rereading of the Psalms along Christological lines.

Two Titles i. Sums up its literal meaning and its importance for the human life of the believers ii. Consists of a phrase from the NT or Fathers of the Church which helps the reader to pray the psalms according to its Christological meaning and more generally, makes it easier to pray it in the light of New Testament revelation.

2) Psalm prayer It is found in a separate volume. It is said after each Psalm by a priest. A period of silence precedes the prayer.

3) Antiphons They are refrains to be sung before and after the psalms or between stanzas It helps to illustrate the literary character of the Psalms. it highlights the theme and turns it into a personal prayer.

4) Types of Antiphons a) Biblical - echoes the gospel of the day b) Hagiographical - on feast day they give varied expression to the ideal of holiness c) Antiphons to be sung alone such as after the night prayer - Marian antiphons.

IV OTHER ELEMENTS IN THE LITURGY OF THE HOURS Other elements have also been traditionally part of the LH They are Biblical Canticles and Hymns - prolongation of the Psalms

I. Old Testament Canticles They have a privileged place in the morning prayer. they are prayed between the first and second psalm. 2 canticiles of Moses, canticles of Hannah and Habakuk Is. 26, Johna, Azariah and 3 young men Vigils included also canticles

ii. Gospel Canticles y Benedictus,, Magnificat, Nunc dimittis y since they are from the Gospels, they are sung standing after the sign of the cross. y Same solemnity and dignity as is usual for the hearing of the Gospel

iii. Other NT Canticles Rev. 4-5; 11-12; 15;19 3 Christological hymns of St.Paul 1) Eph 1:3-10, 2) Phil 2:6-11, 3) Col 1:11-20 1 Pet 2:21-24, 1 Tim 3:16 Contemplation of Christ the redeemer which these canticles mediate helps better to express the thanksgiving that is fundamental theme of Vespers (EP).

2. Hymnography Hymns are used to prolong the psalms a very ancient tradition Specifically designed for God s praise bring out the proper theme of individual hours or feasts and incline and draw the spirit to a devout celebration

3. Readings 4. Intercessions & Presidential prayers Culmination of MP and EP. Invocation at MP for the purpose of consecrating the day to God. Since traditionally prayer is offered in the morning to commend the whole day to God, invocations are given at Lauds to consecrate the whole day to Him.

Our Father: in accordance with tradition, Lords prayer has a place of honour at the end of a prayer; Hence we pray three times a day = Mass, MP and EP Presidential prayer: A closing prayer

a kind of seal on the celebration concluding collect reserved to the celebrant on Sundays and feast days, opening prayer of the Mass is repeated during the ordinary time, prayers express the spirituality proper to each hour

If a priest or deacon is present, he is to say the prayer. gives a blessing as at the end of the Mass and the acclamation Let us bless the Lord.

V STRUCTURE AND SPIRITUALITY OF THE HOURS Each hour has its own special character and its unique spirituality

1.

Introduction to the entire office

1st hour begins with an introduction in the form of an invitation to praise The antiphon announces the theme of the day Psalms are 95, 100, 67, 24. Ps 95 urges the reader to sing the praises of God to hear his voice today, to look forward to the rest of the Lord

2.

Lauds and Vespers

two hinges on which the daily office turns Vat II - SC emphasizes the importance of morning prayer and evening prayer. considered as the chief hours of prayer and they are celebrated as such. Public and communal celebrations to be encouraged, especially for those who live in communities. It has been the custom to celebrate them with a certain solemnity. We begin the day with God and end with Him (St.Ambrose).

Lauds Prayer of the Christians as they begin their day. Prayed at a time when the sun is about to rise Christological symbolism, Christ is presented as the rising Sun (lk 1:75, Mal 4:2). As true light that enlightens every man (Jn 1:9)

It is a prayer upon rising, and prayers at dawn. It brings to mind thought of Christs resurrection. It is the praise of God and so we call it Lauds (Laudare in latin means to praise) The Psalms used for Lauds are Psalms of praise. Another characteristic is that the selection of the Psalms evoke the thought of the Morning.

In this context, we have Psalms 63, 51. The third element is the presence of Canticles. The Roman liturgy kept the singing of Benedictus. The dawn from on high shall break upon us... It is a Roman tradition to have a reading . It is a short reading and the meditation on it is prolonged with the help of a response. Lastly we have a prayer which forms its conclusion

Vespers Symbolism of the Hour It is prayed at a time when all cease from work at the end of the day we have to thank God for the benefits we have received from Him and the good we have been fortunate enough to have done. It is a time when the lamps are lit.

It is also a prayer of thanksgiving for the gift of light. - the day light we had. Evening light: above all the incorruptible light revealed to us through Jesus. Theme of Christ the true light of the world Evening recalls the passion of the Lord and as a rule Ps 141 has been adopted as evening psalm.

The evening sacrifice of the temple was only a shadow of the true evening sacrifice of Christ. It has also an eschatological perspective To direct our hope to the light that will never be dimmed

Structure of Vespers Like the morning prayer, begins with a hymn 2 Psalms and a canticle from the NT It emphasizes the element of thanksgiving and promotes meditation on the mystery of redemption.

NT canticles after the Psalms to show the presentation of the scriptural reading in the liturgy. A short reading from the NT, the rest as it is in Lauds.

3.

Vigils and Office of Reading

Nocturnal prayer was important in Christian spirituality and Liturgy The chief vigil was Easter Vigil with reading and singing also for great feasts and also for the saints death anniversaries at their tombs

Vatican reform wanted the Matins to be continued with fewer Psalms and longer readings. it is real prayer by reason of the Hymn, Psalms, collect (prayer) and reading, so that there may be a conversation between God and his people. Structure: Invitation

Hymn - corresponds to the feast or season Psalmody A verse Readings with a response each -First Reading from the Bible Second Reading from Tradition

4.

Prayer during the day

They are intended to help the Christians to realize the ideal of ceaseless prayer. It is recommended for all. Pray at least one of the hours.

5.

Night Prayer - Compline

The last prayer of the day. It is prayed before retiring. An examination of conscience or as part of the penitential rite Hymn

Psalms that express trust in God. reading and response Nunc Dimittis Prayer and blessing The Cistercian monks had the practice of greeting Our Lady through an antiphon - Salve Regina.

CONCLUSION Spiritual conditions needed for a worthy celebration of the L. Of the Hours

The purpose of conciliar reform was not to make the people pray less but to pray better. LH may pervade and permeate the whole Christian prayer Giving life, direction, expression and nourishing the spiritual life of the people of God Requires interiorization

Not the quantity of prayer but the quality of our prayer The prayer of the different hours must become personal prayer. Mind and voice must be in harmony Must be peaceful and uncomplicated Sacred silence is to observed to meditate and to taste the sweetness of the word of the God.

It is a break with our routines, a pulling back, a recollection. A gathering up of ourselves. The Christians must understand in concrete way the true nature of liturgy and realize it in their daily lives One must rise above personal taste and make their own the prayer of the Church.

A prayer of constant meditation on the economy of salvation. The history of salvation is, of course filled with the struggles of God s people, their sufferings, their cries for help; and in its prayer the Church constantly asks God to grant us his light and strength and his vision of the land of the living. The prayer of hours is first and foremost a prayer of praise and thanksgiving, a prayer of spontaneous wonder at the greatness of God, his work of creation, his mercy, his providential care.

Thank You