O R DE R OF CAR M ELITE S

Philippine Province of Blessed Titus Brandsma

THE LITURGY OF
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS OF THE LITURGY OF THE HOURS
THE HOURS

“Oh living flame of Love, how tenderly You swell my heart.

©NICE MORALES RODRIGUEZ, O.

L ITURGY OF THE HOURS

LOH, Divine Office, “The

Office,”
“The Breviary”

F ORMING RIPPLES
OF DIVINE LOVE NAMES
L ITURGY OF THE HOURS

Jewish practice:
• Ps. 119:164: "Seven times a day I praise you"
• perhaps originating in the Babylonian Exile (6th
cent. BC): “sacrifice of praise.”
• Perhaps older: synagogues
• Temple use after the Exile:
-Morning and Evening Prayer and at the Third, Sixth
and Ninth
Hours

F ORMING RIPPLES
OF DIVINE LOVE BRIEF
HISTORY
L ITURGY OF THE HOURS
Early Christians continued
• Acts 3: 1 “Now Peter and John were going up to the temple
at
the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.”

• Acts 10:9: “The next day, as they were on their journey and
coming near the city, Peter went up on the
housetop to pray, about the sixth hour.”

Mass of the Catechumens

Monastic Use
Current Canonical Use: clerics, religious and laity

F ORMING RIPPLES
OF DIVINE LOVE BRIEF
HISTORY
L ITURGY OF THE HOURS

Liturgical nature:

• “why”: the prayer of the Church

• “norm”: public recitation, with rubrics,
etc.
• chanted

F ORMING RIPPLES LITURGICAL

OF DIVINE LOVE
NATURE
L ITURGY OF THE HOURS

• General Instruction of the Liturgy of the Hours

(GILH)
- The LOH is the official prayer of the Church and
this prayer should not be substituted by any personal
or communal devotions.
- Praying the LOH is preparing ourselves during the
celebration of the Holy Mass as it is connected to
the readings of the day.

F ORMING RIPPLES
OF DIVINE LOVE INSTRUCTI
ONS
L ITURGY OF THE HOURS

Sources used to pray the liturgy of the hours, either:

• the 4 volume “Liturgy of the Hours” (“Breviary”)

• the 1 volume “Christian Prayer”: there are various

versions of this.

• various “apps” for smartphones and websites as well

(e.g.: http://divineoffice.org/; iBreviary, etc.

F ORMING RIPPLES
OF DIVINE LOVE SOURCES
L ITURGY OF THE HOURS
When: The “Hours” (Note: each is also called an “office”, that is
“duty”)
There are seven “hours”—or each day:
1. Office of Readings [OR] or “Matins”: can be any time of day, but
traditionally first
2. Morning Prayer [MP] or “Lauds”
3. Daytime Prayers [DP]: priests are required to pray only one of the
three
3. Midmorning or “Terce”
4. Midday or “Sext”
5. Midafternoon or “None”
4/6. Evening Prayer [EP] or “Vespers”
5/7. Night Prayer [NP] or “Compline

• The Invitatory: not an hour but always stuck to the front of the first

F
hour (Office of
Readings or Morning ORMING
Prayer). It may beRIPPLES
omitted when it comes before
Morning Prayer. OF DIVINE LOVE SOURCES
 ORKING WITH THE

W BREVIARY

THE B R EVIARY
THERE ARE FIVE (5) MAIN SECTIONS OF
THE BREVIARY

F ORMING RIPPLES
OF DIVINE LOVE
L ITURGY OF THE HOURS

1.
The Proper of Seasons (p. 82) goes through the
liturgical seasons (Advent, Christmas, Lent Easter and
Ordinary Time, plus special days tied to the seasons,
and is arranged chronologically.
Note:
The seasons and certain days of Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter
have special
rank with relation to the rest of the year. They are too complicated to
cover today, but the instructions are usually found at the beginning of
the seasons and/or of the days and should be followed carefully. And it

F
is best to check the ORDO.
ORMING RIPPLES INSTRUCTI
OF DIVINE LOVE
ONS
L ITURGY OF THE HOURS

2.
The Ordinary is the master plan; it contains the
rubrics (instructions written in red in some copies)
and the prayers that are repeated every day.

F ORMING RIPPLES
OF DIVINE LOVE INSTRUCTI
ONS
L ITURGY OF THE HOURS
3.
The Psalter (p. 82) (sometimes called “the weekday”) contains:
-A four-week cycle for all the hours but Night Prayer.
• The Proper of Seasons will tell you what week to use (see
Sunday).
• The general rule is:
1) the current number of week of the current season (e.g., 15th
week of Ordinary Time),
2) from that, subtract the highest multiple of 4 that you can (e.g.,
3 x 4 =12; 15 – 12 = 3)
3) the difference is the current week of the Psalter (e.g., Psalter
week 3).

- A one-week cycle for Night Prayer (p. 1034).

- Complementary Psalmody. used when you say more than 1 of

F
the 3 Daytime Prayer hours.
ORMING RIPPLES INSTRUCTI
OF DIVINE LOVE
ONS
L ITURGY OF THE HOURS
4.
The Proper of Saints : prayers for feasts of the saints in
chronological order.

• Usually the Proper of the Saint of the day includes only 2

things: the 2nd reading for the OR, and the Concluding Prayer.

• Different saint’s days (and other special days, e.g. Christmas)

have different
“ranks” of importance, which are noted in either the Proper of
Seasons or the
Proper of Saints.

• Rank often determines where you will find the psalms,

antiphons, etc.

F
o if there is no specific
the Psalms,
ORMING instruction
OF DIVINE LOVE
in the Propers you may use
RIPPLES
prayers, etc. of the day as found in the Psalter.
INSTRUCTI
ONS
L ITURGY OF THE HOURS
• From highest to lowest importance:

-Solemnities (e.g., Christmas and Holy Days): almost always have

proper
psalms, prayers etc. or refer to the Commons; never use the Psalter
of the
day (e.g., Monday Week II).

-Feasts: same as Solemnities

-Memorials (e.g., most saints’ days): may choose to use the psalms,
prayers, etc., from the Psalter of the day, or from the Commons,
unless
otherwise indicated.

F
-Optional Memorial: If no rank is indicated its celebration is
optional, ORMING RIPPLES INSTRUCTI
O the
i.e., you may use F Memorial
D I V I NorEignore
L Oit.V E
ONS
L ITURGY OF THE HOURS
5.

The Commons : psalms, prayers, etc., shared by

various types of saints’
offices

• Common of the Blessed Virgin, Apostles, Martyrs,

Pastors, Doctors, Virgins,
etc.

• Can and sometimes must replace the Psalter.

F ORMING RIPPLES
OF DIVINE LOVE INSTRUCTI
ONS
L ITURGY OF THE HOURS

1) Begin with the Ordinary. The parts that repeat

every time:
• the opening, the Gospel canticle, the Glory Be and
the closing blessing.
• after a little experience you will hardly ever use the
Ordinary.

2) Go to the Psalter. REMEMBER: Most days, the

rest of the prayers are in the Psalter.

F ORMING RIPPLES
OF DIVINE LOVE FINDING THE
PRAYERS EVERY DAY
L ITURGY OF THE HOURS
3) Go to the Proper Of Saints to determine if there are special
prayers (that replace the prayers in the Psalter) or instructions
for the day.

• There will always be a Concluding Prayer for the Saint.

• If there is no Saint for the day, just use the Psalter for
everything, except for what is required in the Proper of
Seasons.

• Instead of using the Psalter as the main guide for the rest of
the prayers you may instead use the prayers etc. laid out in
the Common of Saints. Generally, however, you are not
required to do this, except on Solemnities and Feasts.

F ORMING RIPPLES
OF DIVINE LOVE FINDING THE
PRAYERS EVERY DAY
L ITURGY OF THE HOURS
4) Then go to the Proper of Seasons to determine the same thing:
• most weekdays the only parts included in the Proper of Seasons
are from the OR.
• Sundays will include several prayers for the particular Sunday.

5) Sundays:
• EP: Sundays and solemnities have two EPs: EP I on the evening
before (i.e., Saturday evening, like the Sunday vigil Mass) and EP II
on the day itself.
• Night Prayer: There are also two Sunday Night Prayers, I and II,
one for Saturday and one for Sunday.

Note: Outside of Ordinary Time, more of the prayers will be found in the

F
Proper of Seasons, as you would expect.
ORMING RIPPLES
OF DIVINE LOVE FINDING THE
PRAYERS EVERY DAY
L ITURGY OF THE HOURS
4) Then go to the Proper of Seasons to determine the same thing:
• most weekdays the only parts included in the Proper of Seasons
are from the OR.
• Sundays will include several prayers for the particular Sunday.

5) Sundays:
• EP: Sundays and solemnities have two EPs: EP I on the evening
before (i.e., Saturday evening, like the Sunday vigil Mass) and EP II
on the day itself.
• Night Prayer: There are also two Sunday Night Prayers, I and II,
one for Saturday and one for Sunday.

Note: Outside of Ordinary Time, more of the prayers will be found in the

F
Proper of Seasons, as you would expect.
ORMING RIPPLES
OF DIVINE LOVE FINDING THE
PRAYERS EVERY DAY
 ORKING WITH THE

W BREVIARY

THE BREVIA
R Y
COMMON ELEMENTS IN THE
DIFFERENT HOURS

F ORMING RIPPLES
OF DIVINE LOVE
 ORKING WITH THE

W BREVIARY

THE HYMN
Hymns traditionally highlight the season more
closely than Scripture and draw worshippers by
their lyrical character.
Normally they should be concluded by a
doxology addressed to the same Person as the
hymn itself.

F ORMING RIPPLES
OF DIVINE LOVE
 ORKING WITH THE

W BREVIARY

T H E I N V I TAT O RY
LAUDS:
“ Lord open my lips. (sign of the cross on the
lips)

OTHER HOURS OF THE DAY:

“God come to my assistance. (Sign of the Cross)

F ORMING RIPPLES
OF DIVINE LOVE
 ORKING WITH THE

W BREVIARY
THE PSALMO DY
The Antiphon must be said at least at the start of the
psalm. It can also be used at the end, or after every
strophe. Ideally
the antiphon should be sung, and if no setting is available,
a more singable antiphon may be substituted, as long as it
complements the psalm.
A reverent silence is recommended following the psalm
(and final antiphon), after which the
psalm-prayer may be said.

F ORMING RIPPLES
OF DIVINE LOVE
 ORKING WITH THE

W BREVIARY
THE PSALMO DY
There are two traditional ways of praying a psalm in common :
- The congregation is divided into two parts who say or sing
together alternate verses or strophes;
- The congregation repeats a responsorial phrase alternating with
the cantor or choir saying or singing the verses or strophes.
If a long psalm is split into two or more parts in one Hour, the
parts may be said together using only the first part’s
Antiphon. Between parts there may be a pause, or the Glory be
may be said, or the next part may follow immediately.
But if the literary character suggests that the antiphon should be
repeated after each verse, then the Glory be is not used until the
very end.

F ORMING RIPPLES
OF DIVINE LOVE
 ORKING WITH THE

W BREVIARY
TH E R EAD I N G S
The short scripture readings (sometimes called
“chapters”) given in the Office may be replaced
by other long or short readings on ferial days or
for pastoral reasons. If changing the reading,
preference should be given to texts from the
Office of Readings or Mass of the day, and to
seasonal texts otherwise left unread for various
reasons.

F ORMING RIPPLES
OF DIVINE LOVE
 ORKING WITH THE

W BREVIARY
THE RESPONSORIE
S
The Responsory is meant to be the
congregation’s response to the reading they have
just heard. Ideally it should be sung, and might
be followed by a reflective silence. The “short
responsory” provided may be replaced by any
other said or sung responsory approved by the
Bishops.

F ORMING RIPPLES
OF DIVINE LOVE
 ORKING WITH THE

W BREVIARY
THE BENEDICTUS AND
MAGNIFICAT
The Gospel Canticle.
Upon reciting the first Phrase of the Gospel
Canticle, everyone will make a sign of the Cross.
Example:
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel… (sign of the
Cross).
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord… (sign of the
Cross)

F ORMING RIPPLES
OF DIVINE LOVE
 ORKING WITH THE

W BREVIARY
THE INTERCESSION
In public prayer, theSfirst intercession is to be
read by the presider and is in a form inviting the
congregation to pray.
The following intercessions are in two parts. The
reader may read the first part and have the
congregation respond with the second part; or
the reader may read both parts and have the
congregation respond either by prayerful silence
or by the fixed response accompanying the first

F
intercession.
ORMING RIPPLES
OF DIVINE LOVE
 ORKING WITH THE

W BREVIARY

T H E L O R D ‘ S P RAY E
The Lord’s Prayer is R
said by all, and may be
preceded by a brief introduction.

F ORMING RIPPLES
OF DIVINE LOVE
 ORKING WITH THE

W BREVIARY

THE CONCLUDING P
R A prayer
Concluding Y E (seasonal),
R with no
introduction, and normally ending with: We
make our prayer through our Lord Jesus Christ,
your Son, Who lives and reigns with you and the
Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen

F ORMING RIPPLES
OF DIVINE LOVE
 ORKING WITH THE

W BREVIARY

TH E MAR IAN HYM N

Any Marian antiphon approved by Congregation
or the Bishops – but in Eastertide, Regina Caeli.

F ORMING RIPPLES
OF DIVINE LOVE
F ORMING RIPPLES
OF DIVINE LOVE

THANK YOU

“O h living flame of Love,

how tenderly You swell my heart.

©NICE MORALES RODRIGUEZ, O. CARM.