Spiritual themes for each day of the week?

[Praedicare]

Friends,

I’ve heard that Catholics have often applied themes to each day of the week (apart from the mysteries of the rosary). Have you ever encountered this, or done it yourself?

For example, one monk said that in St. Benedict’s choice of Psalms for the Divine Office, each day has a theme. Monday focuses on the Incarnation of the Lord. Tuesday is dedicated to His Ministry on Earth. Wednesday prepares us to remember the sins for which the events of the Triduum took place – using Judas’ betrayal as an example. Thursday is dedicated to psalms about being fed by manna, the Last Supper, and the real presence. Friday is about the Passion. Saturday is about resting in Christ, trust, hope, and also the Law of God. Sunday is the Resurrection of glorious rejoicing.

I’ve also heard that Monday is dedicated to the Angels, and other days to various saints or mysteries.

 

[MaryT777]

I have never heard of this and love it. I think I will use this for prayer and use the different themes to reflect upon each day.

Thanks for posting this.

Mary.

 

[MaryT777]

Friends,

I’ve heard that Catholics have often applied themes to each day of the week (apart from the mysteries of the rosary). Have you ever encountered this, or done it yourself?

For example, one monk said that in St. Benedict’s choice of Psalms for the Divine Office, each day has a theme. Monday focuses on the Incarnation of the Lord. Tuesday is dedicated to His Ministry on Earth. Wednesday prepares us to remember the sins for which the events of the Triduum took place – using Judas’ betrayal as an example. Thursday is dedicated to psalms about being fed by manna, the Last Supper, and the real presence. Friday is about the Passion. Saturday is about resting in Christ, trust, hope, and also the Law of God. Sunday is the Resurrection of glorious rejoicing.

I’ve also heard that Monday is dedicated to the Angels, and other days to various saints or mysteries.
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[pianistclare]

Nope, never heard that, but it’s a nice idea.

 

[Praedicare]

Mary T777, I am glad you are so excited. It was something St. Benedict and many monastics have done throughout the ages to give thematic content to each day of the week as they pass by.

Here is a good chunk of info from “Psallam Domino”, a blog by a Benedictine oblate who understands history very well:

Monday in the Benedictine Office

Monday for us today represents the start of the working week; liturgically however, it is labelled ‘feria secunda’, for Sunday is both the first day of creation, and, for Christians, the eighth day, or day of the Resurrection. That inherent tension between beginnings and endings is certainly reflected in St Benedict’s Office.

The start of the week?

Liturgically, Sunday represents the start of the week in many ways: a new collect is allocated to the week from the Sunday Mass for example. St Benedict’s structuring of his Office in part reflects this new start too, by commencing the recitation of that great foundational psalm of the law, Psalm 118 on that day.

Yet in many ways, it is Monday that really represents the start of the liturgical week in the Benedictine Office.

My contention is that St Benedict made a number of judicious changes to the structure of the Office he started from, namely the old Roman one, in order to provide a more thematic approach to the Office. In fact, I want to suggest, taking his cue from the customary (ferial) Office canticles, each day in the Benedictine Office traces the journey of Christ’s life, from the Incarnation, public ministry, through his crucifixion, death and up to the Resurrection.

The beginnings of our salvation: from the Incarnation to the Temptation in the Desert

That early medieval monks understood his Office this way is, I think, suggested nicely captured by the summations of the message of these canticles provided by the Hrabanus Maurus (780-856). In the case of Monday, Maurus argues that the canticle for Lauds focuses on those events of Christ’s life prior to the start of his public ministry:

On Monday [feria secunda], truly the second day, the canticle of Isaiah, in which the coming of the Saviour and the sacrament of baptism is preached, is decreed to be said, because these are the beginning of our salvation.” Hrabanus Maurus, Commentary on the Canticles

Many of the psalms of the day, and particularly the changes St Benedict made to the ordering of the day work well to fit this focus.

At Matins, many of the psalms of the day contain phrases that were incorporated in the New Testament Benedictus and Magnificat canticles, or are redolent of its promises.

Prime contains the two psalms that are generally regarded as both an introduction to the entire psalter and a summation of it, in Psalms 1 and 2. Psalm 1 presents the picture of Christ, the perfect man, and the choice we must all make between walking in his way, or the way of evil. Psalm 2 chronicles the history of his coming, particularly with the verse used in the Introit of Christmas Day: the Lord said to me: you are my son, this day have I begotten thee (Dóminus dixit ad me: fílius meus es tu, ego hódie génui te).

At Vespers, one can perhaps see the psalms as a meditation on the baptism of Christ, his forty days of fasting and prayer in the desert, and his temptation by Satan.

A call to conversion of life

All of these events have deep implications in the life of the Christian.

The Incarnation is not just the coming of God to earth, not just the birth of a baby, but the fulfillment of specific promises made to our forefathers in faith that affect us in the here and now. One of the most important of these promises is that God will raise up the poor and humble, and confound the proud. The day’s hours constantly come back to this theme, with each of the hours concluding the variable psalms with a reiteration of or plea for this promise to be fulfilled: at Lauds, Psalm 35; Prime, Psalm 6; at Vespers Psalm 128 (which can also be seen as echoing Jesus’ final dismissal of Satan after his temptation in the desert).

There is a call to action implicit in this for us to, for Christ’s baptism in the Jordan by St John comes with the message that we must all repent and be converted anew: we all have past sins to be ashamed of our past sins, and need to be washed anew in the waters of baptism so that we can be reborn with Christ. Accordingly, the whole day constitutes an invitation ‘turn away from evil and do good’ (Ps 33 at Matins), to open ourselves to grace, to taste and see that the Lord is good. And, as we shall see, the psalms of Vespers in particular provide an opportunity for us to renew our baptismal promises: to affirm that God is our creator and saviour, and reject Satan and all his works.

 

[JRS_88]

The Weekday Cycle of Commemorations for the Maronite Church are:

Monday - The Holy Angels

Tuesday - (Two Options) I. Memorial of The Prophets, The Just, Confessors
II. Memorial of Bishops, Priests, Doctors and Monks

Wednesday - Mary, The Holy Mother Of God

Thursday - The Apostles and Four Evangelists

Friday - The Martyrs

Saturday - The Faithful Departed

This cycle follows through the year except when replaced by a specific feast or memorial in the Liturgical calendar.

 

[InNomineDomini]

I’ve heard that Catholics have often applied themes to each day of the week (apart from the mysteries of the rosary). Have you ever encountered this, or done it yourself?

First of all, since I go to a Dominican parish, I can’t tell you how awesome I think your user name is.

Yes, I have encountered your concept of themes. In the Daily Roman Missal published by Our Sunday Visitor, on pg. 2266, there’s actually a little chart of special devotions throughout the week.

It lists Sunday, for example, as being devoted to the Blessed Trinity; and Monday to the Souls in Purgatory. The little description for Thursday (devoted to the Holy Eucharist) reads as follows:

Throughout the day say many Spiritual Communions. Make a visit to the Blessed Sacrament.

 

[Bruised_Reed]

I have a set of books, one that lists these:

Sunday - Holy Trinity
Monday - Holy Spirit
Wednesay - St. Joseph
Thursday - Blessed Sacrement
Friday - Sacred Heart of Jesus
Saturday - Immaculate Heart of Mary

 

[Praedicare]

First of all, since I go to a Dominican parish, I can’t tell you how awesome I think your user name is.

One is glad to be of service. *Veritas *super omnia!

Yes, I have encountered your concept of themes. In the Daily Roman Missal published by Our Sunday Visitor, on pg. 2266, there’s actually a little chart of special devotions throughout the week.

It lists Sunday, for example, as being devoted to the Blessed Trinity; and Monday to the Souls in Purgatory. The little description for Thursday (devoted to the Holy Eucharist) reads as follows:

Beautiful…

I’m glad so many have replied to this thread, with such varied answers. Much fruit for contemplation and creating our own personal devotions. Our Faith is about encountering a heart, after all: a Sacred Heart, whose blood courses through the veins of the martyrs, apostles, confessors, doctors; a Heart adored by His Mother, by the Angels, and hypostatically united with the Word of God. All is love and relationship in such thoughts. Praised be Jesus Christ, every day of the week!