Liturgy of the Hours. Where & When?

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I want to incorporate more prayer in my daily life and the Liturgy of the Hours is logical for that.

However, for a 9-5 working person how do you go about praying during the times you are at work?

I’d really appreciate any advice and/or experiences.
 
What I have been doing is going in to work fifteen minutes early. I use an abridged version called Shorter Christian Prayer. I’ve begun doing this over the phone with a sales rep who lives 2000 miles away. I must confess we use an abbreviated version of the abridged version to fit it in. But then neither of us is Catholic so I think we have this leeway. Still, going in early or using the lunch break has been effective when needed.
 
You can pray most of the LOH before and after work (assuming a 9-5 schedule).

Start with Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer at home before/after work. Those two hours seem to the the two keystones to the day’s LOH. If those become a regular part of your prayer life, consider adding the Office of Readings in the morning (along with Morning Prayer) and Night Prayer before you go to bed. The next addition would be Mid-Day Prayer over your lunch hour if possible.

To be honest, I don’t know of any laity who have a job and pray all of the hours every day.
 
Glennon_P said:
To be honest, I don’t know of any laity who have a job and pray all of the hours every day.
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I do most days. #humblebrag. I’m a truck driver with reasonably free reigns to plan my breaks.

I always recommend Compline (prayer before the night) as a starting point, because it’s short, has many elements, yet it doesn’t change from week to week.

Anyway, I’d argue that even though they aren’t Major Hours, Sext (midday prayer) and Compline are the most important of my day, along with the first hour of the day, which for me is normally Lauds (morning prayer). They’re a good basis of the Hours without taking too much time.
 
Thank you everyone for your kind advice.

Another question please. I’m use to just one book of prayer for the Liturgy of Hours, but it has come to light there is a 4 volume series, 1 for each Season (Easter, Christmas etc.). Should I be referring to those instead of the 1 Standard volume I’m using?
 
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Melbourne said:
Thank you everyone for your kind advice.

Another question please. I’m use to just one book of prayer for the Liturgy of Hours, but it has come to light there is a 4 volume series, 1 for each Season (Easter, Christmas etc.). Should I be referring to those instead of the 1 Standard volume I’m using?
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You are in Australia, so your multiple volume set is actually only 3 books, not 4.

The US version is 4.

You also have the option of 3 different single volume books from Collins UK
  • Shorter Morning and Evening Prayer (incomplete readings for Morning & Evening prayer only - missing a lot of feast days - 536 pages)
  • Morning and Evening Prayer (completes readings for Morning & Evening Prayer, plus Night Prayer - 1280 pages, lacks Day Time Prayers and Office of Readings)
  • Daily Prayer (everything except the Office of Readings - 1792 pages)
So if I were you, I would buy “Daily Prayer” unless you think you might want to pray the Office of Readings. The.n you will need the 3 volume Divine Office from Collins UK.
If you decide you want one of the other two one volumes, here they are:
If you want the 3 volume, complete Divine Office, then here you go:
  1. http://www.harpercollins.co.uk/9780007210893/divine-office-volume-1/
  2. http://www.harpercollins.co.uk/9780007210909/divine-office-volume-2/
  3. http://www.harpercollins.co.uk/9780007210916/divine-office-volume-3/
God Bless
 
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Melbourne said:
Thank you everyone for your kind advice.

Another question please. I’m use to just one book of prayer for the Liturgy of Hours, but it has come to light there is a 4 volume series, 1 for each Season (Easter, Christmas etc.). Should I be referring to those instead of the 1 Standard volume I’m using?
Click to expand...
The main factor that answers this question is whether you intend to pray the Office of Readings. If yes, then you need the complete set. If you don’t, then the one-volume suffices.
 
Melbourne said:
I want to incorporate more prayer in my daily life and the Liturgy of the Hours is logical for that.

However, for a 9-5 working person how do you go about praying during the times you are at work?

I’d really appreciate any advice and/or experiences.
Click to expand...
You pray according to your state in life. You cannot pray like a monk does when your state of life requires you to work. Therefore, for working laymen, we can stick with what the Church recommends: Morning Prayer, Evening Prayer. And further, Pope Benedict XVI recommends Night Prayer as well.

If your schedule allows it, you can recite one Daytime Prayer over your lunch break. Otherwise, focus on the hinge hours.
 
I pray the liturgy of the hours everyday at work using my ECPubs app. It’s an abbreviated version and the prayers take about ten minutes. I’m able to pray most of the hours.

ZP
 
I pray morning prayer before leaving for work, but on those days where I get up a little late I’ll play the Divine Liturgy podcast on the way to work (I have a 45 minute drive). Evening prayer when I get home or after workout. I usually pray midday pray at lunch time time too. Night prayer occasionally before I conk out, not all the time though.

Like anything else, you need to develop the habit. Then it because routine, and even addictive in a good way, it becomes regular part of your life.
 
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