R. J. Grigaitis, S.F.O.
How to Pray the Divine Office
(Liturgy of the Hours)
The Divine Office, or the Liturgy of the Hours, is the official prayer of the Roman Church, which is prayed by priests, religious, and anyone that wants to. The faithful are encouraged to pray this prayer; however, the Breviary (the book that contains the prayers of the Divine Office) can be somewhat confusing for first time users. Most learn how to use the Breviary from praying it with others, but this is not always possible. This article will explain how to use the Breviary.
There are three main Breviaries: Shorter Christian Prayer, the one volume Christian Prayer, and the four volume Christian Prayer. Shorter Christian Prayer contains three of the Hours: Morning and Evening Prayer with an abbreviated calendar, and Night Prayer. In addition to these three Hours, the one volume Christian Prayer contains the complete calendar, as well as Daytime Prayer (Midmorning, Midday, and Midafternoon Prayer), and an abbreviated Office of Readings. The four volume Christian Prayer is the same as the one volume only supplemented with a complete Office of Readings. This article will only explain Shorter Christian Prayer and the one volume Christian Prayer since this is what the laity normally use. The four volume Breviary is much the same as the one volume, so the instruction in this article do apply to it, only the specifics are not the same.
Calendar:
The Divine Office follows a yearly calendar, with a four week cycle for Morning and Evening Prayer and the Office of Readings, and a one week cycle for Daytime and Night Prayer. Every year, Catholic Book Publishing Co. publishes Saint Joseph Guide for Christian Prayer to keep the user of the Breviary on the correct page. They publish an edition for the one volume Breviary and one for the four volume Breviary.
Voice and Postures:
The Divine Office is meant to be sung, which most religious orders do as a congregation; however it can simply be recited, which is normally done when it is prayed individually. Like the Mass, there are time to sit and times to stand; again, this is usually only done as a congregation, and not individually or in small groups.
Psalms and Canticles:
The Divine Office is primarily made up of psalms and canticles. Before each psalm or canticle comes an antiphon, followed by the psalm or canticle, followed by the Doxology, followed by a possible a psalm-prayer, and finally, the antiphon is repeated. This is the form for each psalm and canticle.
The Doxology:
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now and will be for ever. Amen.
Don't confuse this Doxology with the Glory Be. This Doxology is used in the Divine Office, and the Glory Be is used in the Rosary. Sometimes the psalm or canticle ends with a strophe similar to the Doxology, in which case the Doxology is omitted. This will be clearly indicated in the Breviary.
When the Divine Office is prayed collectively, the assembly is usually divided into two groups, left and right, and the two groups alternate strophes.
The Invitatory
The first Hour that is prayed during the day (usual Morning Prayer) is prefaced by the Invitatory. It begins with the words: "Lord open my lips. And my mouth will proclaim your praise." As these words are said, a cross is traced on the lips with the side of the thumb, as is done before the Gospel Reading in the Mass. The antiphon is first recited, then Psalm 95, 100, 67, or 24, then the Doxology, and then the antiphon is repeated. The antiphon is also recited between each strophe of the psalm, although this can be omitted when the Hour is prayed individually.
Christian Prayer: The Invitatory antiphons are found before each Morning Prayer in the Four Week Psalter (page 699), the Proper of Seasons (page 39), or the Proper of Saints (page 1059.) The Saint Joseph Guide for Christian Prayer gives the correct page number. Psalm 95 is found on page 688, Psalm 100 on page 763, Psalm 67 on page 820, and Psalm 24 on page 728. Most Breviary come with two sheets of paper containing the Morning and Evening Gospel Canticles and the Invitatory psalms.
Shorter Christian Prayer: The Invitatory antiphons are found on pages 18 to 22. The Invitatory psalms are found on pages 22 to 26.
When the Invitatory prefaces a particular Hour, the God, come to my assistance is omitted from that Hour.
Morning and Evening Prayer
If the Invitatory is not prayed immediately before, this Hour begins with the Sign of the Cross accompanied by the words: "God, come to my assistance. Lord, make haste to help me. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia." A hymn can then be sung, although this is optional when prayed individually.
Three psalms or canticles are then prayed, adhering to the pattern: antiphon, psalm or canticle, Doxology, possible psalm-prayer, and repeat antiphon. The Psalmody is followed by the Reading, then the Responsory, and then the Gospel Canticle, which also adheres to the pattern: antiphon, canticle, Doxology, and repeat antiphon. The Morning Gospel Canticle is the Canticle of Zechariah, and the Evening Gospel Canticle is the Canticle of Mary. The Sign of the Cross is also made at the beginning of the Gospel Canticle. Following the Gospel Canticle are the Intercessions, the Lord's Prayer, the Concluding Prayer, and the Dismissal. The Dismissal in the absence of a priest or deacon is, "May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life. Amen."
Christian Prayer: The Psalmody, Reading, Responsory, Gospel Canticle antiphon, Intercessions, and the Concluding Prayer are all found in the Four Week Psalter, the Proper of Seasons, or the Proper of Saints. The Saint Joseph Guide for Christian Prayer gives the correct page numbers. The Canticles of Zechariah is found on page 691, and the Canticles of Mary is found on page 696. Most Breviaries come with two sheets of paper containing the two Gospel Canticles with the Invitatory psalms.
Shorter Christian Prayer: The Psalmody, Reading, Responsory, Gospel Canticle antiphon, Intercessions, and the Concluding Prayer are all found in the Four Week Psalter (page 35), the Proper of Seasons (page 355), or the Proper of Saints (page 541). The Canticle of Zechariah is found on page 27, and the Canticle of Mary is found on page 31. Most Shorter Christian Prayer Breviaries have the Canticle of Zechariah on the inside front cover, and the Canticle of Mary on the inside of the back cover.
Night Prayer
Night Prayer follows the pattern of Morning and Evening Prayer with these exceptions: the Psalmody only has one or two psalms, there are no Intercessions, the conclusion is different, and there is no variance due to season and date. The conclusion is: "May the all-powerful Lord grant us a restful night and a peaceful death. Amen." This is immediately followed by an antiphon of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Christian Prayer: Night prayer is found on pages 1034 to 1055. The antiphons of the Blessed Virgin Mary are found on page 1056.
Shorter Christian Prayer: Night prayer is found on pages 330 to 351. The antiphons of the Blessed Virgin Mary are found on page 352.
Daytime Prayer
Daytime Prayer is not in Shorter Christian Prayer. In Christian Prayer, it can be found on pages 994 to 1026.
Daytime Prayer follows the pattern of Morning and Evening Prayer with these exceptions: there are no Gospel Canticle and Intercessions, the Dismissal is different, and there is no variance due to season and date except on Sunday. On Sunday, the Concluding Prayer is the one used for Morning Prayer. The Dismissal is, "Let us praise the Lord. And give him thanks."
Each Day has only one Psalmody for all three Hours. In addition to the seven daily psalmodies, there are three series of psalmodies on page 1027 to 1033.
Office of Readings
The Office of Readings is also not in Shorter Christian Prayer.
The Office of Readings has a Psalmody and Responsory like Morning and Evening Prayer(pages 1785 to 1869). These are followed by a Biblical Reading (pages 1870 to 1941) and a Non-Biblical Reading (pages 1942 to 2056). The Saint Joseph Guide for Christian Prayer will give the correct page numbers. Most of the time, the page numbers for the Biblical and Non-Biblical Readings are only for the first of a series of readings that can be done for that day. The Dismissal is the same as Daytime Prayer.
