Liturgy of the Hours

[DebChris]

…
My own “range” for the Offices, and my “normal” times are, give or take a bit:

Vigils 4-7 am, normally 5:40 am
Lauds 5-8 am, normally 6:55 am
Terce 8:30-10:30, am normally 9 am
Sext 11-1:30 pm, normally 11:45 am
None 2-4 pm, 3 pm
Vespers 4-8 pm, 6:30-7:30 pm (this one is variable and depends on traffic for my evening commute which is typically 1:15; I normally get home at around 6:30 pm)
Compline, any time just prior to retiring for the night, usually at around 9:30 pm.

And on Sundays I sleep in a bit so Vigils will start as late as 7 am.

Vigils and Lauds can be combined as described in Christian Prayer. This is what I do. I wake at 5am. The Invitatory Prayer begins Vigils, the first hour prayed, and I continue with Morning Prayer followed by the Little Crown of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It might be the only hour(s) I pray. If I oversleep, I may skip Morning Prayer. The Office of Readings (Vigil) may be prayed any time after Vespers of the previous day.
I agree that work well done is its own prayer. Many years ago I read a book about prayer. There was a story about a monk who had for years been waiting for a vision. Finally, one day it happened. At the same time the bell outside the monastery rang. His duties required him to answer the bell. He left the chapel to attend to his duty to feed the needy. Returning to the chapel, the vision remained and said, “If you had not left, I would have.”

 

[Fred_Dale]

I see the good advice that for those of us not under obligation to pray the LOTH, to not be too strict on the rules. But here’s one that I’ve pondered: The instructions (4-vol. LOTH) seem to tell me that the day can begin with either Office of Readings OR Morning Prayer. And I understand that Tuesday’s Ofiice of Readings can be done Monday night.

1. Let’s say I’ve prayed the the LOTH Monday, and I began with the Invitatory. Later that night, I decide to recite the Tuesday Office of Readings. In anticipation of the new day, do I begin with Tuesday’s Invitatory?
2. Let’s say I respond tardily to the call to the LOTH at 4 pm some day. Properly speaking, can the “first” hour of that day be Evening Prayer, and should the Invitatory precede it? In such cases I have coached myself to pray the Invitatory, then the Office of Readings, THEN the Evening Prayer. But this all seems a bit like I’m trying to hard, and being an arm-chair Religious. But really, how is that situation properly handled?

 

[OraLabora]

I see the good advice that for those of us not under obligation to pray the LOTH, to not be too strict on the rules. But here’s one that I’ve pondered: The instructions (4-vol. LOTH) seem to tell me that the day can begin with either Office of Readings OR Morning Prayer. And I understand that Tuesday’s Ofiice of Readings can be done Monday night.

1. Let’s say I’ve prayed the the LOTH Monday, and I began with the Invitatory. Later that night, I decide to recite the Tuesday Office of Readings. In anticipation of the new day, do I begin with Tuesday’s Invitatory?
2. Let’s say I respond tardily to the call to the LOTH at 4 pm some day. Properly speaking, can the “first” hour of that day be Evening Prayer, and should the Invitatory precede it? In such cases I have coached myself to pray the Invitatory, then the Office of Readings, THEN the Evening Prayer. But this all seems a bit like I’m trying to hard, and being an arm-chair Religious. But really, how is that situation properly handled?

The invitatory should only precede the Office of Readings or Morning Prayer, whichever is first. If anticipating the OOR the previous evening, the invitatory should be used at morning prayer the next day. At the OOR, the invitatory consists of the verse “Lord open my lips…” followed by the invitatory psalm. At MP, the invitatory psalm may be omitted (that is only Te verse “Lord open my lips…” is said)