Liturgy of the Hours/Divine Office
The Prayer of All the People of God
The Transcendent Nature of the Liturgy of the Hours/Divine Office
This official liturgy of the Church is joining the angels and saints at the throne of God; it is Christ’s song brought to earth from the halls of heaven.
15. In the Liturgy of the Hours the Church offers to God “without ceasing” a sacrifice of praise., … it is “the very prayer that Christ himself, together with his Body, addresses to the Father. … All who render this service are not only fulfilling a duty of the Church but also are sharing in the greatest honor of Christ’s Bride for by offering these praises to God they are standing before God’s throne in the name of the Church, their Mother.” (General Instruction of the Liturgy of the Hours)
From the handout Singing the Divine Office with the Mundelein Psalter by The Liturgical Institute, Mundelein IL. The photos are two pages of the Liturgy of the Hours in latin and a chapel in the Church and Convent of St. Francis in Quito, Ecuador where the Divine Office is prayed.
16. The Church unites itself with that hymn of praise sung throughout all ages in the halls of heaven; it also receives a foretaste of the song of praise in heaven, described by John in the Book of Revelation, the song sung continually before the throne of God and of the Lamb. Our close union with the Church in heaven is given effective voice “when we all, from every tribe and tongue and people and nation redeemed by Christ’s blood and gathered together into the one Church, glorify the triune God with one hymn of praise.”
“ … The Divine Office is the voice of the Church, that is of the whole mystical body publicly praising God, … the laity … are encouraged to pray the Divine Office, either with the priests or among themselves or even individually.” (Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy #99, 100)
This beautiful and powerful biblical prayer is quick and easy to obtain in digital form and is free. Particularly recommended is iBreviary: App Store or Google Play > search: iBreviary. Many Catholic apps include the Liturgy of the Hours in their content.
