What unites us? During this time of division – social distancing and lack of Masses – this question has been at the forefront of our minds. But we need only look back to the Church in her infancy to know that this time of separation is indeed a small challenge in the history of our Catholic faith. Those first followers of Jesus sought ways to unify themselves through a bond of prayer – for centuries the Jewish people had stopped throughout the day to pray, to unite themselves to one another and to God. We see this continued in the Acts of the Apostles and onward, and those earliest followers of Jesus began to form a new manner of prayer; thus, the Divine Office, today known as the Liturgy of the Hours, was born. This prayer is constant. As you read this, somewhere in the world, a Liturgy is happening. Right now. This is a reminder both of the immensity of the world, and of the closeness that God desires for each of us. Whenever you pray, you are united to the w hole Body of Christ – together we can pray with and for one another, sanctifying our own lives and the world as a whole. Whether you are praying the Psalms with your spouse, your whole family, a roommate, or by yourself, St. Benedict wants you to know that you are not alone. There is no such thing as a private recitation of the Office. When we pray, we pray as the whole Church – we, the Church Suffering, together with the angels and saints, with Jesus Christ as our head, are praising the divine presence of God who is always before us. The Liturgy of the Hours has changed throughout the centuries to suit the needs of the day. This guide offers a broad overview of what the Liturgy of the Hours is, but, really, the best way to learn it is to start praying. If you’ve never prayed this way before, we recommend starting with a recording of Vespers on our Youtube channel: youtube.com/kansasmonks Further, there are great resources online like Divineoffice.org or the iBreviary app for iPhone or Android th at are great resources.
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Kansas Monks
