LOTH

[Jacob21]

I was wondering, when praying the Liturgy of the Hours at home by ones self, what practices should be followed? I usually just light a candle but was wondering if I should be standing/sitting/keeling at certain times like in the public celebration of the Hours. Thanks everyone.

 

[japhy]

I was wondering, when praying the Liturgy of the Hours at home by ones self, what practices should be followed? I usually just light a candle but was wondering if I should be standing/sitting/keeling at certain times like in the public celebration of the Hours. Thanks everyone.

I tend to stand for the Gospel canticle, but I’ll be sitting or kneeling (depending on my location) for the rest of the prayer. If I were praying it with others, there’d be more standing and sitting, but alone, I tend to just stand for the Gospel.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

I was wondering, when praying the Liturgy of the Hours at home by ones self, what practices should be followed? I usually just light a candle but was wondering if I should be standing/sitting/keeling at certain times like in the public celebration of the Hours. Thanks everyone.

When I pray the LOTH privately I do so sitting but I pray everything out loud except for the Readings when I do the Office of Readings.

I think it is all what you feel most comfortable doing,

 

[Jacob21]

Thanks everyone . Any special practices for Solemnities or Feast Days? I feel that my recitation of the hours is bare bones ha.

Also, what week are we on?

 

[sungirl]

I pray everything out loud except for the Readings when I do the Office of Readings.

That’s helpful and reassuring to me; I pray everything out loud except for those readings, and I’ve never felt completely OK with mixing the audible/silent parts. So thanks for sharing that!

In answer to the original question, I just pray sitting down. I hope someday to be in a bigger house where I can have a dedicated prayer area, with candles and a kneeler, but for now I just sit on my bed.

This week is Ordinary Time Week 11, Week III in the psalter. Here’s a great calendar I’ve found for that info: rosaryshop.com/calendar.php

 

[dcrowmik]

Thanks everyone . Any special practices for Solemnities or Feast Days? I feel that my recitation of the hours is bare bones ha.

Try singing the hymns. Since you might not know the real melodies, make up whatever (dignified) melody comes to your mind.

Also, try chanting the antiphons before and after each psalm/canticle.

 

[OraLabora]

In private recitation it is not necessary to “assume the posture” as it were. You can do the whole office standing, sitting, alternating as if in choir, silently, recited, sung or chanted.

I chant my offices in Gregorian Chant in Latin, but sitting with two exceptions: I stand for the confiteor and marian antiphon at Compline. And most days, I read the Office of Readings very early in the morning in bed, and if I have to get up extra early the next day, I read Compline in bed before retiring.

There are some options that are exclusive to private recitation for example with responsories, concluding prayers, intercessions.

If you have a copy of the LOH, it pays dividends to spend some time getting familiar with the General Instructions at the beginning.

 

[JMJ_coder]

I was wondering, when praying the Liturgy of the Hours at home by ones self, what practices should be followed? I usually just light a candle but was wondering if I should be standing/sitting/keeling at certain times like in the public celebration of the Hours. Thanks everyone.

In “Celebration in Common”, that is with a group, there are prescribed rubrics of when you must stand with the option of sitting at other times. There is no mention of kneeling in the General Instruction. And, there is nothing noted for private usage. I tend to just do it the same regardless (it’s not like it’s hard for a young guy like me to stand half the time for an office that takes no more than 30 minutes).

 

[JMJ_coder]

Thanks everyone . Any special practices for Solemnities or Feast Days? I feel that my recitation of the hours is bare bones ha.

Also, what week are we on?

There is plenty you can do to “spruce things up”. For example, if you only pray Morning and Evening Prayer, maybe add the Office of Readings on those days. Perhaps chant the psalms and canticles. There are options for longer readings at vigils. Etc., etc.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

An old Jesuit, one loyal to the old traditions, once told us when you do penance do penance, when you pray get comfortable and chat with God.

I use a candle on a shelf with a crucifix and some icons. For feasts and solemnities [including all Sundays] I like to burn a pinch of incense to remind me that it is a special day.

 

[OraLabora]

An old Jesuit, one loyal to the old traditions, once told us when you do penance do penance, when you pray get comfortable and chat with God.

I use a candle on a shelf with a crucifix and some icons. For feasts and solemnities [including all Sundays] I like to burn a pinch of incense to remind me that it is a special day.

I always have two candles for Lauds and Vespers, each side of my prie-dieu. For Compline, I have small shelf in my oratory, with a statue of the Blessed Virgin. I light a small candle next to the statue for the Marian antiphon. I’d do incense but the Mother Abbess objects so I limit that to when she’s away

My oratory for Vespers:



And with lights on:

 

[JMJ_coder]

I’d do incense but the Mother Abbess objects so I limit that to when she’s away

Given this statement and your username, do I assume correctly that you are a female monastic in a Benedictine community?

 

[OraLabora]

Given this statement and your username, do I assume correctly that you are a female monastic in a Benedictine community?

No, I am a male Benedictine Oblate.

Mother Abbess refers to the ruler of the house, my wife

 

[Jacob21]

Mother Abbess refers to the ruler of the house, my wife

Haha I love it! Beautiful space too! I wish I could set something up like that.

Thanks for all the suggestions guys, it is much appreciated. The websites are also very helpful. I think I’m going to try to include at least some of the gestures and singing/chanting in my recitation.

O and if anyone else wants to show off their “prayer space” feel free, I love seeing pictures.

God Bless,
Jacob

 

[OraLabora]

Haha I love it! Beautiful space too! I wish I could set something up like that.

Thanks for all the suggestions guys, it is much appreciated. The websites are also very helpful. I think I’m going to try to include at least some of the gestures and singing/chanting in my recitation.

O and if anyone else wants to show off their “prayer space” feel free, I love seeing pictures.

God Bless,
Jacob

Thanks. The other side of the glass partition is my office, as I work from home mostly. I also have a bed in there and sleep there fairly often (22 years of my snoring and her talking in her sleep… and sometimes we do need a good night’s rest), so it’s sort of my monastic cell

Here’s what the office part looks like:

 

[Jacob21]

Alot more organized than my stuff hah Thats really awesome, I hope one day to be able to create something like that.

 

[estesbob]

I was wondering, when praying the Liturgy of the Hours at home by ones self, what practices should be followed? I usually just light a candle but was wondering if I should be standing/sitting/keeling at certain times like in the public celebration of the Hours. Thanks everyone.

I burn incense and candles and sit