Are you familiar with the Divine Office, also called the Liturgy of the Hours?
This prayer is rooted in the Church's history, and is beautiful and powerful.
The Divine Office is a participation in the unceasing praises of God in heaven. It is an act of earthly union with the saints in heaven.
Drawn from the Psalms and Old Testament, it is an ancient tradition in which the whole Church says certain prayers together at Morning, Evening, and Night each day (with a few other optional times of prayer throughout the day and night).
Here is how it’s described in the constitution on the sacred liturgy from Vatican II:
Christ Jesus, high priest of the new and eternal covenant, taking human nature, introduced into this earthly exile that hymn which is sung throughout all ages in the halls of heaven. He joins the entire community of mankind to Himself, associating it with His own singing of this canticle of divine praise.
For he continues His priestly work through the agency of His Church, which is ceaselessly engaged in praising the Lord and interceding for the salvation of the whole world. She does this, not only by celebrating the eucharist, but also in other ways, especially by praying the divine office…
By tradition going back to early Christian times, the divine office is devised so that the whole course of the day and night is made holy by the praises of God.
This wonderful song of praise … is truly the voice of the bride addressed to her bridegroom; It is the very prayer which Christ Himself, together with His body, addresses to the Father.
Priests and monks, nuns and religious sisters pray the Divine Office each day as part of their vocation.
Lay people, too, are welcome to pray it alongside the whole Church.
But how can we get started? Here are three helpful resources if you’d like to start praying the Liturgy of the Hours.
1A Layman's Guide to the Liturgy of the Hours: How the Prayers of the Church Can Change Your Life
This informative book is the go-to resource for learning this prayer. In it, Fr. Timothy Gallagher, O.M.V., explains what the Liturgy of the Hours is, where it came from, and how to include it in your daily life as a lay person.
He writes in the book’s introduction:
The Liturgy of the Hours is a sleeping giant in the lay vocation… Since the Second Vatican Council, the Church has quietly and repeatedly said to lay people, “This prayer belongs to you. It is not just for the priests and religious. And it can bless your life, your vocation, your family, your engagement in the world, in ways that you have never imagined. You, too, are warmly invited to join the thousands throughout the world who pray the Liturgy of the Hours.”
This sleeping giant is awakening. The number of lay people who pray the Liturgy of the Hours and love it is growing.
Check out his book to know just how — and why! — to join in this ancient prayer.
2Word on Fire Liturgy of the Hours books
Word on Fire’s elegant books include the morning, evening, and night prayers laid out clearly and straightforwardly for each day. No need to flip through sections depending on the liturgical season. Their website puts it this way:
These prayers are centered around the Psalms and Sacred Scripture, so the more that you pray them, the more the Bible will inspire you and draw you closer to God. Pray the same prayers as Bishop Barron, Pope Leo XIV, all priests and religious, and many lay people use daily!
Sign up for a subscription to get each month’s Divine Office prayers delivered.
3Press play and pray with Bishop Barron
Besides the books, Word on Fire offers recorded Night Prayers for each day of the week — the same Night Prayer prayed in the Liturgy of the Hours. These recorded prayers would make a very easy way to pray together as a family, or as you’re getting ready for bed at night.
Find the playlist of Night Prayers here:
There are a number of apps and online spots to make it easy. Universalis and iBreviary are two popular ones.
Hopefully these resources can inspire you to join in praying the Divine Office in unity with the Church.
