pray the daily office

I will try this for a week to see how it goes. Morning, Noon, evening and bedtime.

It is time to get serious about keeping the Daily Office once again. This time instead of using the Roman Catholic Liturgy of the Hours online I have copies of the Anglican Book of Common Prayer and the Presbyterian Book of Common Worship on hand.

I heard about this on Catholic Underground podcast (or other). I was driving at the time and didn’t check into more when I got home. I want to learn more.

Thanks to Rouenpucelle this goal is back on track and I’ve been observing at least 2 of the major hours (Lauds, Vespers and Compline) on a daily basis. I’m using the Universalis site that she pointed out which is especially helpful given your ability to download the current week to your PDA. Even though the site is Roman Catholic, it is universal enough that most Protestants should be comfortable using it.

I just realized how foolish it was of me to have added this to my list of future goals to consider instead of my list of 43 things 5 weeks ago. Establishing regular times of prayer is not something that should be put on hold like making homemade beef jerky.

Back when I was in the seminary, it was easier to say the office because I was supposed to. There was no question, you just do it. But now that I’m on my own, it’s more difficult not to make excuses. But I find a few things help:

1: Having a set schedule (my new summer job helps)

2: Praying with someone else (this works for me, I pray it with my girlfriend)

3: Combining it with other prayers like the rosary, meditation, etc. This helps me to remember it, set out time for it, and still do it if I don’t feel like it (I might feel like the other form of prayer that day)

and 4: Always praying devoutly with meaning.

I find that these things make it much easier to be consistent, and make it more enjoyable and, hopefully, fruitful to the Church.

Thank God for the Office!

So I have been trying to maintain the Office, but of course I usually don’t end up saying all four offices. That’s where Compline comes in. Compline is kind of a minor office just because it doesn’t change, i.e. the scripture verses, the collects, etc. don’t change. However because it doesn’t change that means you can memorize it and just say it after you’ve gone to bed and are staring at the dark ceiling trying to fall asleep and hoping the Thing Under the Bed doesn’t crawl out finally tonight…or…yeah.

Plus it does have some lovely bits to it (Compline that is):

Guide us waking, O Lord, and guard us sleeping, that awake we may watch with Christ, and asleep we may rest in peace.

or, to ward off the Thing:

From Ghoulies, Ghosties, Long-Legged Beasties, and things that go bump-in-the-night, Good Lord deliver us.

Okay, fine, that latter is not actually in the BCP, but it should be. It’s Scottish after all.

I was actually good this Holy Week and managed to do at least one Office each day. Most days I did at least two and sometimes even Noon Prayer. I love the progression of Holy Week as it moves you through the steps of the Passion. Of course that’s the point of the Office throughout the Christian calender. So now I just hope to keep this up even after Easter. Going to the Easter Vigil tonight at St. Thomas Episcopal Church. Yay vigil!

Today is when, according to tradition, Christ descended to Hell, broke it’s gates and brought out the dead trapped there. He was hard core today!

Well Holy Week would certainly be a good time to leap back into this. I used to say the Office religiously (ha! get it?) but have fallen away. So I need to begin again this week. I figure the Evening Office would be easiest in the truck. Luckily i have a combination BCP and bible which is ideal for having everything you need with you.

I have been terrible about this. The kiddo has been playing with my BCP and I knowingly leave it on her floor—I can’t even pretend like I intend to say the prayers if I leave it there, can I? I resolve to say evening prayer tonight.