"My first experience of praying the Liturgy of the Hours - also called
the divine office - was hardly love at first sight. I was an 18-year-old
college freshman, and my friend Samantha invited me to pray morning
prayer with her. Not fully awake, I made my way down to the residence
hall lobby and tried to follow Samantha as we moved through Lauds.
Although she had arranged various colored ribbons to mark the correct
pages in the thick breviary, I kept losing my place as I clumsily
flipped from antiphons to psalms to the intercessions.
"Moreover, the words we spoke didn't feel like my own. In central
Wisconsin during the winter, it's still dark at 7 a.m., so the prayers
about 'greeting the dawn' seemed out of place. The psalmist's words of
searing anger, euphoric joy, and bitter complaint didn't reflect my own
heart. Although I was a bit anxious about a chemistry exam and excited
about my weekend plans with friends, my emotional state surely wasn't
reflected in the words we spoke together. How then could this prayer be
genuine?"
In a recent commentary, Sister Rhonda Miska reflected on the history, beauty, and discipline of the Liturgy of the Hours.
To access Sr. Rhonda's complete essay, please visit:
U. S. Catholic: Let the Liturgy of the Hours restructure your mind and heart (July 2019)
Background information:
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops: Liturgy of the Hours
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