PRAYER BOOK CATHOLICISM

WEEK ONE: USING THE DAILY OFFICES

OBJECTIVES

• To provide some background on the Offices• To explain why we would want to use them• To teach the basics of using them

BACKGROUND

• What are the Offices?• The Daily Moring and Evening Prayer Services• Also called Mattins and Evensong• From the monastic prayer services (eight daily) and

the Synagogue prayer services (2-3 Daily)• Adapted for regular folks’ use by Reformers

WHY USE THE OFFICES?

• To Pray in Community• With church/family/friends• Generations of Anglicans have done this• In the ancient Christian pattern• If not physically, than “in spirit”

WHY USE THE OFFICES?

• To proclaim the Scriptures in Prayer• Means for systematic reading• Not just reading, but Proclaiming• Psalms and Canticles as praise

WHY USE THE OFFICES?• As the foundation for a Rule of Life• We grow through the disciplines, especially Scriptures and

Prayer• Opening and closing the day “right”

• Benedictine ethos: prayer, study, work

• Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi: Prayer Belief

HOW TO USE THE OFFICES• Essential Sections• Psalms and Lessons – pp. x-xliii• Moring Prayer – pp. 3-20• Evening Prayer – pp. 21-34• Collects – pp. 90-269• Psalms – pp. 345-525

HOW TO USE THE OFFICES• Optional Sections• Litany – pp. 54-59• Family Prayer• Morning – pp. 587-589• Evening – pp. 589-592• Short – pp. 592, 593• Misc. – pp. 594-600

HOW TO USE THE OFFICES (P. 3)

HOW TO USE THE OFFICES

Morning Prayer• Opening Sentences, p3• (Note: Seasonal, p4)

• Confession/Absolution, p5• Note: 2 Calls• Trinity 21 for layfolk, p218

Evening Prayer• Opening Sentences, p21• (Note: Seasonal, p21)

• Confession/Absolution, 23• Note: 2 Calls• Trinity 21 for layfolk, p218

HOW TO USE THE OFFICES

Collect for the 21st Sunday after Trinity (p. 218)Grant, we beseech thee, merciful Lord, to thy faithful people pardon and peace, that they may be cleansed from all their sins, and serve thee with a quiet mind;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

HOW TO USE THE OFFICES

Morning Prayer• Lord’s Prayer, p7• Opening Sentences, p7• Venite w/ Gloria Patri, p9• Psalm(s) w/ Gloria Patri

Evening Prayer• Lord’s Prayer, p24• Opening Sentences, p25• Psalm(s) w/ Gloria Patri• Optional: Gloria in excelsis

HOW TO USE THE OFFICES

Morning Prayer• 1st Lesson• Canticle, pp. 10-13• *Te Deum• Benedictus es, Domine• Benedicite, omnia opera

Evening Prayer• 1st Lesson• Canticle, pp. 26-28• *Magnificat (Lk 1:46)• Cantate Domino (Ps 97)• Bonum est confirteri (Ps

92)

HOW TO USE THE OFFICES

Morning Prayer• 2nd Lesson• Canticle, pp. 10-13• *Benedictus (Lk 1:68)• Jubilate Deo (Ps 100)

Evening Prayer• 2nd Lesson• Canticle, pp. 28-29• *Nunc Dimittis (Lk 2:29)• Deus misercreatur (Ps 67)• Benedic, anima mea (Ps

103)

HOW TO USE THE OFFICES (PP X-XI)

HOW TO USE THE OFFICES (PP XXIV-XXXV)

HOW TO USE THE OFFICES (PP. 345, 348)

HOW TO USE THE OFFICES (PP. 351, 355)

HOW TO USE THE OFFICES

Morning Prayer• Creed, p15• *Apostles’• Nicene

• Versicles (short), p16

Evening Prayer• Creed, p29• *Apostles’• Nicene

• Versicles (long), p30

HOW TO USE THE OFFICES

Morning Prayer• Collects• Day (after Communion)• Peace, p17• Grace, p17

Evening Prayer• Collects• Day (after Communion)• Peace, p31• Aid against Perils, p31

HOW TO USE THE OFFICES

Morning Prayer• Additional Prayers• State (one), p17• Clergy & People, p18• All Conditions, p18• Thanksgiving, p19

Evening Prayer• Additional Prayers• State, p32• Clergy & People, p32• All Conditions, p32• Thanksgiving, p33

HOW TO USE THE OFFICES

Morning Prayer• St. Chrysostom, p20• Grace (2 Cor 13:14), p20• Note: Collects are

Technically the conclusion of the Office

Evening Prayer• St. Chrysostom, p34• Grace (2 Cor 13:14), p34• Note: Collects are

Technically the conclusion of the Office

THE LITANY (PP. 54-59)• Thorough Penance & Supplication• After Morning Prayer Collects• Traditionally on Sundays, Wednesdays, Fridays• Omit “Additionals”• I typically conclude with the Grace

SOME TIPS: GROWING• “You don’t eat the whole elephant at once.”• Discipline, not obligation• Family Prayer Options (pp. 587ff)• Short• Very Short

SOME TIPS: GROWING

• After Dinner or Breakfast Works Well• Evening Prayer is usually easier for family prayer

• Start once a week and build (Sunday or Propers)• Start with one lesson and build (NT, especially)

SOME TIPS: MIXIN’ IT UP• Psalms by themselves• Litany by itself• Offices of Instruction! • First Office: pp. 283-289• Second Office: pp. 290-295

SOME TIPS: MIXIN’ IT UP• Penitential Office by itself, p60• Other Prayers• Prayers: p35• Collects: p49• Thanksgivings: p50• Additional Family Prayers: p594

SOME TIPS: MIXIN’ IT UP• Don’t forget the Bookmarks!• Singing the Service• Mattins, Evensong, & Compline at ASAC• St. Dunstan’s Plainsong Psalter, etc.• BBC Evensong Broadcasts• Cradle of Prayer (www.cradleofprayer.org)