Episode 5 – How do I Pray the Liturgy of the Hours? – Praying the Liturgy of the Hours with Fr. Timothy Gallagher From “Praying the Liturgy of the Hours “, Fr. Gallagher discusses: The renewed Liturgy of the Hours offers five daily times of prayer: Morning Prayer, to be said as the day … Read more
Episode 5 – How do I Pray the Liturgy of the Hours? – Praying the Liturgy of the Hours with Fr. Timothy Gallagher From “Praying the Liturgy of the Hours “, Fr. Gallagher discusses: The renewed Liturgy of the Hours offers five daily times of prayer: Morning Prayer, to be said as the day begins; … Read more
Fr. Scott Traynor begins this series on prayer by describing how Jesus Christ desires a deep personal relationship of the heart with each of us and how this is the true foundation for the New Evangelization. He discusses the adventure of the life of faith and the gifts the Father wishes to shower upon us in union with Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. He breaks open the reality of the indwelling Holy Spirit, who is the great teacher of prayer. Fr. Traynor encourages us to grow in union with Trinity through opening our hearts in prayer.
From “Praying the Liturgy of the Hours “, Fr. Gallagher discusses:
The renewed Liturgy of the Hours offers five daily times of prayer: Morning Prayer, to be said as the day begins; Daytime Prayer, to be said in late morning, midday, or midafternoon; Evening Prayer, to be said in the evening; Night Prayer, to be said just before retiring; and the Office of Readings, a longer and more meditative prayer to be said at any convenient time during the day. Morning and Evening Prayer, depending on how they are prayed— alone or in a group, with or without singing, and so forth— may take ten to fifteen minutes. Daytime Prayer is shorter and Night Prayer shorter still. The Office of Readings may take twenty minutes, or more if one has time for further reflection on the readings.
The two “hinge” (principal) hours, Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer, follow essentially the same pattern. After an invocation of God’s help and a brief prayer of praise, the hour begins with a hymn. As a hymn, ideally this is sung, though in individual prayer it is often recited. Two psalms and a biblical canticle follow, each introduced and concluded by an antiphon. A short passage from Scripture is next read, together with a prayer of response to its message. A Gospel canticle— Zechariah’s Benedictus in the morning and Mary’s Magnificat in the evening— with its antiphon is then prayed. The hour concludes with intercessions for various needs, the Our Father, and a final prayer.
Daytime Prayer consists of a hymn, three psalms, a short scriptural reading, and a final prayer. Night Prayer follows a similar pattern, shortened, however, to one psalm and with prayers appropriate to the day’s end. The Office of Readings begins with a hymn and three psalms that prepare for two longer readings, one from the Bible and the other from a Church Father, a saint, or another classic spiritual writer. These readings offer daily nourishment for reflection and meditation.
The Liturgy of the Hours harmonizes with the Mass of the day. If, for example, the Mass is for the Second Sunday of Advent, then Morning Prayer, the Office of Readings, and the other hours will focus on the theme of Advent: preparing for the coming
For more on St. John Chrysostom and his teachings
From Vatican.va, an excerpt from the teachings of Pope Benedict XVI General Audience 2009
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
This year is the 16th centenary of St John Chrysostom’s death (407-2007). It can be said that John of Antioch, nicknamed “Chrysostom”, that is, “golden-mouthed”, because of his eloquence, is also still alive today because of his works. An anonymous copyist left in writing that “they cross the whole globe like flashes of lightening”.
Chrysostom’s writings also enable us, as they did the faithful of his time whom his frequent exiles deprived of his presence, to live with his books, despite his absence. This is what he himself suggested in a letter when he was in exile (To Olympias, Letter 8, 45).
He was born in about the year 349 A.D. in Antioch, Syria (today Antakya in Southern Turkey). He carried out his priestly ministry there for about 11 years, until 397, when, appointed Bishop of Constantinople, he exercised his episcopal ministry in the capital of the Empire prior to his two exiles, which succeeded one close upon the other – in 403 and 407. Let us limit ourselves today to examining the years Chrysostom spent in Antioch.
He lost his father at a tender age and lived with Anthusa, his mother, who instilled in him exquisite human sensitivity and a deep Christian faith.
Now is not a time of gloom and despair…it is a time of anticipation and glory!
Msgr. Esseff shares his experience at a prayer service that took place at 12 Step retreat. He speaks of a woman named Helen who witnessed to a healing miracle that occurred 17 years earlier at Lourdes, but it turn of the story is more about a miracle that flowed more from love rather than need. From this Msgr. Esseff reflects on the Word of God found in the readings for the 2nd Sunday of Advent.
Fr. Scott Traynor begins this series on prayer by describing how Jesus Christ desires a deep personal relationship of the heart with each of us and how this is the true foundation for the New Evangelization. He discusses the adventure of the life of faith and the gifts the Father wishes to shower upon us in union with Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. He breaks open the reality of the indwelling Holy Spirit, who is the great teacher of prayer. Fr. Traynor encourages us to grow in union with Trinity through opening our hearts in prayer.
Mark Hart – The Bible Geek Mark Hart is a former teen, CORE member, and youth minister in LIFE TEEN, and now proudly serves as Vice President of LIFE TEEN. A graduate from the University of Notre Dame, and an author of three books, Mark’s creative work on videos and written resources are known internationally. … Read more
