ralfyman
New member
I provided my understanding of how the SCP is used, and linked to another guide here:
Explain Liturgy of the Hours Liturgy and Sacraments
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Justin_Mary
Guest
I will say I like the hymns already selected for you in the 4 volume set instead of having to select them myself in Christian Prayer.
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TheMortenBay
Guest
I definitely don’t agree. Praying (not singing in choir, mind you) the Liturgy of the Hours takes me less than two hours every day. I’m young and unmarried and not a Deacon, but I don’t think two hours of prayer a day would be “inadvisable” for any Christian. I don’t think it needs to be a requirement at all, but definitely not a bad thing to do. I’d bring my wife into the LotH also.
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edward_george1
Guest
I think that’s a bit over the top, to say it would be unhealthy to pray the Office of Readings every day if one is very busy. By that logic, neither should priests pray it daily. What do you think we do all day? And it truly doesn’t take all that much time, either. Three Psalms (four if you count the Invitatory) and two readings, both around a paragraph long, occasionally a little longer. It isn’t dangerous to anyone’s spiritual life to attempt to work in an extra 15-25 minutes of prayer each day.
-Fr ACEGC
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OraLabora
Guest
Indeed! Before I retired, I managed the Office of Readings, Lauds, Sext (mid-day prayer), Vespers and Compline pretty much daily. Lauds & Vespers chanted too, as well as Sext when I worked from home.
It’s not impossible. It’s not the monastic Office after all.
If a family duty got in the way, I’d just offer it up.
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ajfrab
Guest
Gentlemen. Nowhere did I say that trying to pray the Office could be spiritually dangerous.
I did say that there are married deacons whose family, job, and diaconate responsibilities leave them with so little time that the additional time for the Office could be something that would not be advised for them to take on, even affecting their health or worse.
I’m not retired (although it is on the calendar). During the work week I operate on 5 to 6 hours of sleep a night. The goal is 6 but reality often gets in the way, and by the end of the week, this old body is dragging. And while the Office might only take an additional 25 minutes, those minutes of sleep are kind of precious during the week.
Still, with morning and evening prayer every day, Mass a couple evenings a week, lectio divina on a daily basis, reading and reflecting on the Rule of St. Benedict every day, adoration and Benediction twice a week, hospital and nursing home visits every week, assisting and preaching at all the weekend Masses twice a month, RCIA every week, and trying to sneak in an occasional rosary a few times a week, on top of a full time job that with commute takes up about 11 hours a day, please don’t be offended that when someone says this devotion or prayer only take a few extra minutes a day, I laugh to myself.
And I’m not complaining about the schedule or work load (well maybe my job work load
). But even when I’m dead tired at the end of the week, I don’t regret a minute of my current diaconal responsibilities. I’m just real cautious about taking on more.
I did say that there are married deacons whose family, job, and diaconate responsibilities leave them with so little time that the additional time for the Office could be something that would not be advised for them to take on, even affecting their health or worse.
I’m not retired (although it is on the calendar). During the work week I operate on 5 to 6 hours of sleep a night. The goal is 6 but reality often gets in the way, and by the end of the week, this old body is dragging. And while the Office might only take an additional 25 minutes, those minutes of sleep are kind of precious during the week.
Still, with morning and evening prayer every day, Mass a couple evenings a week, lectio divina on a daily basis, reading and reflecting on the Rule of St. Benedict every day, adoration and Benediction twice a week, hospital and nursing home visits every week, assisting and preaching at all the weekend Masses twice a month, RCIA every week, and trying to sneak in an occasional rosary a few times a week, on top of a full time job that with commute takes up about 11 hours a day, please don’t be offended that when someone says this devotion or prayer only take a few extra minutes a day, I laugh to myself.
And I’m not complaining about the schedule or work load (well maybe my job work load
). But even when I’m dead tired at the end of the week, I don’t regret a minute of my current diaconal responsibilities. I’m just real cautious about taking on more.
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edward_george1
Guest
You used the word “dangerous.”
Are you personally familiar with what the Office entails? It seriously takes 15-25 minutes a day, tops. I read very quickly most of the time so it doesn’t take me that long. I’m a priest, I’m one of two priests assigned to a parish of 5000+ members, I work 12 hour days at least two or three times a week, I’m located between three hospitals that I get called to regularly, and I offer Mass twice a day most days, and three times most Sundays.
And praying the office is nowhere close to hazardous to my health. Honestly, if anything I am required to do on a daily basis is very much healthy for me, it would be the main thing. I get to sit still in the quiet and pray for a few minutes a day.
I’m really not sure why you seem to think of the Office of Readings as something so onerous or dramatic. It’s really not that big a deal.
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edward_george1
Guest
Caution is understandable. I’m just not sure that the Office of Readings is hazardous to one’s health, physical or spiritual, even if one is already quite busy. That’s the main thing I’m taking issue with. It just sounded a little out there to say that.
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phil19034
Guest
Question: could your lectio divina on a daily basis be switched to the Office of Readings?
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TheMortenBay
Guest
That’s what I do. I meditate on the Office of Readings when I have time.
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