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Opus Dei
The Liturgy of the Hours
The official prayer of the Roman Catholic Church is known variously as Liturgy of the Hours, Divine Office, Opus Dei (Work of God). Roman Catholics sometimes retain the older names but modified the Divine Office significantly in 1970, simplifying it to basically: Morning, Daytime, Evening, and Night Prayer. From the medieval names, and our common Latin heritage in the west, Lutherans and Anglicans often call the morning prayer matins (due to it being the first office of the day). The early writings of the Christian Church bear witness to a prayer tradition that is rich in eschatological symbols. Christians were to be always praying. They struggled was not against human agents but against spiritual, cosmic forces that never slept. They knew neither the hour nor the day on which the messiah would return. They owed the divine an unlimited measure of gratitude not only for creation but for the redemption of that creation. Seven times a day do I praise thee [Psalm 119: 164] The Jewish practice of saying prayers seven times a day was adopted by Christians as the basis for their own daily round of prayers. The system developed gradually, but had already achieved what was to become its definitive form by the mid-6th century, when it was incorporated into the rule of St. Benedict: That sacred number of seven will be fulfilled by us if we perform the Offices of our service at the time of the Morning Office [Lauds], of Prime, of Terce, of Sext, of None, of Vespers and of Compline, since it was of these day Hours that [the Psalmist] said, "Seven times a day do I praise thee." [Rule of St. Benedict, chapter 16]. The hours were completed by Matins, in accordance with verse 62 of the same Psalm: "At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee." The resulting eight hours made up the liturgical, or devotional day. The bracketed time after the hour name is an approximation of when the hour was celebrated. This is meant only to be a brief look at the origins of the hours of prayer (although much of the information gathered here is referring to modern rites of the Roman Catholic Church.
Matins Midnight[sometimes referred to as "Night
Office" or Vigils] was considered to be the first of the
eight devotional hours; the medieval day, therefore, began in
the middle of the night. We meditate on salvation history as
it unfolded down through the ages. The office of Vigils consists
of a hymn, psalms, readings, scriptural and patristic, and canticles
suitable to the spirit of the midnight hour when one awaits the
arrival of the Bridegroom (Mt 25:6; Mk 13:35). In monastic communities
the concentration on vigilance begun with this office continues
until lauds. Monastics spend this time enveloped in and supported
by darkness and silence in lectio divina prayer and meditation.
Lauds 3:00am or Sunrise[sometimes referred to as
"Morning Office"] is celebrated at daybreak when the
sun is dispelling the night and the new day is born. In summer,
when the nights were very short, Lauds might follow Matins very
closely. St. Benedict advised only a short interval between the
two, "during which the brethren may go out for the necessities
of nature" [Rule of St. Benedict, chapter 8]. To allow for
a longer period of sleep, Matins was sometimes postponed until
daybreak, and said together with Lauds, or moved to the afternoon
or evening of the previous day. The Church has always considered
the sun to be a symbol of Christ rising from the dead. This prayer
is called Lauds because it is a laudatory liturgy of praise in
the early morning light. We thank God for the first light at
the beginning of creation and for the second light of our redemption
in Christ's paschal victory. This prayer breathes the atmosphere
of bright youth, of beginning, of innocence, of blossoming spring.
It is a joyful, optimistic hour reflected by the hymn, psalms
and canticles.
Prime 6:00 am A relatively recent innovation, being
introduced after the other hours had already been established.
The manner of its introduction was this: around the year 382,
in one of the monasteries near Bethlehem, a problem arose, because
after the night offices (Matins and Lauds), the monks could retire
to rest. The lazier ones then stayed in bed until nine in the
morning (the hour of Terce) instead of getting up to do their
manual work or spiritual reading. The short office of Prime,
inserted a couple of hours before Terce, solved the problem,
by calling them together to pray and sending them out to their
tasks.
Terce 9:00am A Latin term for third hour, is prayed
at mid-morning. It is a shorter prayer referred to as one of
the little hours. Traditionally it is dedicated to the coming
of the Holy Spirit which took place at mid-morning in the account
found in the Acts of the Apostles. One prays for light and strength
as the day waxes strong and one's work begins.
Sext Noon Another of the little hours, is Latin
for the sixth hour. It takes place at midday when the sun is
at its apex and one has become a bit weary and mindfulness is
all but impossible. It is a time for earnest prayer to resist
temptation, to keep from being overcome by the demands and pressures
of life. We are reminded of Christ being crucified at the sixth
hour and we unite ourselves with Him. One is aware of one's failures
and mistakes and prays for deep and abiding conversion even to
the point of sacrifice.
None 3:00pm Referring to the ninth hour, roughly
mid-afternoon, and is the third of the little hours. It is a
time to pray for perseverance, to pray for the strength to continue
bearing fruit as one reaches one's prime and needs to keep going.
It is a time when one becomes aware of the sun's gradual descent
and the strength one needs to cope with the demands and responsibilities
of life.
Vespers 6:00pm or Sunset Celebrated at day's end,
takes on the character of evening. The day is almost over, our
work is done. The golden evening light is like old, mature wine,
and in some late summer and autumn days it is like gold, transfiguring
our world and making it transparent for God. This is the hour
of wise age, of resting in thanksgiving and humility after the
struggles, successes and failures of the day of one's productive
life. There are appropriate hymns, psalms, readings and canticles
for celebrating this vesper hour.
Compline 9:00pm or Dark Coming from the Latin which
meaning to complete. It is the last common prayer before retiring
for the night. It marks the completion of our day and heralds
life's end. It leads back into the darkness of the night, but
a darkness different from that of vigils. It is not the darkness
of waiting where all the possibilities of good and evil were
still ahead. This is the darkness of God's mysterious presence,
the abyss of his mercy into which he let us fall. Compline may
be understood as a daily exercise in the art of dying. For what
is sleep if not a little rehearsal for death? But dying a death
which will open the fullness of life and light. That is why the
cantor sings the wonderful song of old Simeon on the threshold
of death: "Now Lord, you will let your servant go in peace,
according to your word, for my eyes have seen your saving deed
which you have set before all: a light for revelation to the
Gentiles, and for the glory to your people Israel." (Luke
2:29-32).
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