

The Divine Office pulls us into the life of the Trinity in a unique way. Through this constant diet of Sacred Scripture not only does God speak in his Word to us, not only do we contemplate over and over again the central mysteries of salvation, but our own lives are gradually attuned to this rhythm, and we meditate again and again on the history of Israel, recapitulated in Jesus, that is also the saga of our own spiritual odyssey. No other form of prayer is so rooted in the mysteries of salvation history as they are unfolded day by day in the Church’s annual cycle.

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a novitiate in which she teaches her age-old ways of how to glorify God in Christ as Church, together as one body, in union with and after the example of her head. Our sanctification takes place as the Holy Spirit molds us into the image of Christ when we contemplate Him in the prayers of the Divine Office. Its primary purpose is to praise our Creator who is worthy of all our love, and who finds His “heaven on earth” in the love we bear for Him in our souls. The primary purpose of the Divine Office isn’t our personal sanctification, although that is certainly something to be desired. Francis of Assisi adoring the Crucifix by Bernardo Strozzi Catechism of the Ukrainian Catholic Church The Purpose of the Divine Office He places them within salvation history, the heart of which is the mystery of Christ’s. …the prayer of the Church, closely bound to the rhythms of nature, fills the daily, weekly, and yearly cycles with celebration of the feasts of the Lord and the Mother of God, as well as memorials of the saints.Īs they pray, God enters into the time of people’s lives. In the Divine Office the Church Militant (which exists in time) unites with the Church Triumphant (which exists in eternity) in unending praise and worship of our Creator. Caritate Christi Compulsi, Encyclical of Pope Pius XI Thus prayer of itself assures the presence of God among men, according to the promise of the divine Redeemer: “Where there are two or three gathered together in my Name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matt.18:20). What a spectacle for heaven and earth is not the Church in prayer! For centuries without interruption, from midnight to midnight, is repeated on earth the divine psalmody of the inspired canticles there is no hour of the day that is not hallowed by its special liturgy there is no stage of life that has not its part in the thanksgiving, praise, supplication and reparation in common use by the mystical body of Christ, which is the Church. At every hour of every day these communal prayers of the Church render glory to God and unite us with the saving work of Jesus Christ for the salvation of the world.

Just as the Mass is continuously offered to God all over the world each day, so also is the Divine Office. The Divine Office is intimately connected with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
#Pray the divine office online pdf
We would also like to hear your story of how you started praying the Liturgy of the Hours and how important it is for your prayer life! Donate and/or share your story with us and we will send you a free pdf with quotes and excerpts from writings of various saints, popes, Church documents, and spiritual writers on the Liturgy of the Hours.Photo: Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology If you have benefited from Today's Pages, consider donating to help us further our mission. For more information about our apostolate, please take some time to browse the rest of our website. We also offer workshops on the Liturgy of the Hours as well as several themed retreats throughout the year. In addition to praying the hours and hosting individuals and groups on retreat, we host special events such as Solemn Vespers, Psalm Vigils, First Saturday devotions, and weekly Eucharistic Adoration. We make a public offering of the seven canonical hours Monday through Saturday on site in our beautiful chapel. Located in Cranberry, Pennsylvania (in the diocese of Erie), the St Thomas More House of Prayer is a Catholic retreat center with a mission of praying and promoting the Liturgy of the Hours. Whether you are experienced at praying the Liturgy of the Hours or just getting started, we hope that Today's Pages is a helpful resource for praying the public and communal prayer of the Catholic Church. Thank you for visiting the St Thomas More House of Prayer website.
