The Office of Readings vs The Liturgy of the Hours

[Marybeloved]

I’ve been praying with the liturgy of the hours for a few weeks now because I love the idea of praying daily with the church and the already built-in structure it gives to my spiritual life- organizing a routine of prayer has always been a serious challenge for me and the Hours of the Church solve the problem for me and are so special because I’m never alone in prayer.

I use this site mainly: divineoffice.org/

But I was recently surprised to see that they have a thing called: The office of Readings, which they list independently from the four hours they provide there daily. It has the exact same structure of prayer as the morning, noon, evening, and night prayers there.

You see, I always thought that Office of Readings was the same thing as the liturgy of the Hours . What’s the difference? And when should one pray the office of Readings?

 

[markomalley]

I’ve been praying with the liturgy of the hours for a few weeks now because I love the idea of praying daily with the church and the already built-in structure it gives to my spiritual life- organizing a routine of prayer has always been a serious challenge for me and the Hours of the Church solve the problem for me and are so special because I’m never alone in prayer.

I use this site mainly: divineoffice.org/

But I was recently surprised to see that they have a thing called: The office of Readings, which they list independently from the four hours they provide there daily. It has the exact same structure of prayer as the morning, noon, evening, and night prayers there.

You see, I always thought that Office of Readings was the same thing as the liturgy of the Hours . What’s the difference? And when should one pray the office of Readings?

The “Office of Readings” is one of the Hours. It replaced Matins (see Apostolic Constitution Laudis Canticum, Nov 1, 1970:

1. Since the Liturgy of the Hours is the means of sanctifying the day, the order of this prayer was revised so that in the circumstances of contemporary life the canonical hours could be more easily related to the chronological hours of the day.

For this reason the Hour of Prime was abolished; Lauds as morning prayer and Vespers as evening prayer, as hinges of the entire Daily Office, were assigned the most important role and now have the character of true morning and evening prayer; the Office of Readings retains its character as a nocturnal Office for those who celebrate it during the night, but it is suitable for any hour of the day; the Prayer during the day is so arranged that those who choose only one of the Hours for midmorning, midday, and mid-afternoon may say the one most suitable to the actual time of day, without omitting any part of the four-week Psalter.

The rules are the Inviatory is the first prayer said before any of the Hours. Lauds, Terce, Sext, None, and Vespers are said as appropriate (if I say them all, it’s at 6, 9, 12, 3, and 6…otherwise using divineoffice.org postings, it’s 6, 12, and 6…or whatever works along those lines with your schedule). And the Office of Readings can be said whenever. (For me, I generally say it after the Inviatory and before Lauds).

 

[PacoG]

So the Office of Readings, the Liturgy of the Hours and the Breviary are the same thing?

Why so many names for the same thing?

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

So the Office of Readings, the Liturgy of the Hours and the Breviary are the same thing?

Why so many names for the same thing?

The Office of Readings is one of the hours just as Morning Prayer is one of the hours. If you have no obligation to pray the LOTH then you could decide that you want to do only Morning Prayer, only Evening Prayer, or some combination that may include the Office of Readings or not.

People might refer to the Liturgy of the Hours, the Divine Office, or the Breviary and mean the same thing. Why so many names for the same thing? We’re Catholic. It’s the same way we may refer to going to confession, reconciliation, or penance and mean the same sacrament.

 

[puzzleannie]

there is no “versus” the Office of REadings is part of the LIturgy of the Hours, also called Vigils.

it is usually prayed first thing in the morning, before Mass or before morning prayer, beginning with the Invitatory psalm, but it can be prayed any time of the day.

So the Office of Readings, the Liturgy of the Hours and the Breviary are the same thing?

Why so many names for the same thing?

hi, guy, the Liturgy Hours is the name for what is also called the Divine Office, or in monastic terms, also the Work of God. The Breviary is the old name of the book that contains the prayers. The Office of Readings is one of the hours, or prayers for certain times of the day, that make up the Liturgy of the Hours.

They are, Office of Readings, Morning Prayer, any one of these three: mid-morning prayer, noon prayer, or mid-afternoon prayer, Evening Prayer, and night prayer. In the monastery Vigils, or the office of readings was the prayer when the monks woke in the night, and is still suitable for praying in the middle of the night (as many of us do wake up, and it is my own favorite way to pray at that time) but it can be said any time of the day. The old hours, Matins, Lauds etc now go by the new names, and some have been suppressed.

 

[Matthew_Holford]

I’ve been praying with the liturgy of the hours for a few weeks now because I love the idea of praying daily with the church and the already built-in structure it gives to my spiritual life- organizing a routine of prayer has always been a serious challenge for me and the Hours of the Church solve the problem for me and are so special because I’m never alone in prayer.

I use this site mainly: divineoffice.org/

But I was recently surprised to see that they have a thing called: The office of Readings, which they list independently from the four hours they provide there daily. It has the exact same structure of prayer as the morning, noon, evening, and night prayers there.

You see, I always thought that Office of Readings was the same thing as the liturgy of the Hours . What’s the difference? And when should one pray the office of Readings?

They’re not really the same thing. The Office of Readings is one of the offices that make up the Liturgy of the Hours, which is also known as the Divine Office. Sometimes the Liturgy of the Hours/Divine Office is also called the Breviary because that is the name of the liturgical book that used to contain the Office. I think the EF of the Divine Office may still be found in one book. The OF Divine Office usually comes in several volumes: 3 in UK version; 4 in US version.

The ordinary form of the Breviary/Divine Office/Liturgy of the Hours comprises:

Office of Readings - also known as Matins or Vigils
Morning Prayer - also known as Lauds
Prayer during the Day: Mid-morning - also known as Terce
Prayer during the Day: Midday - also known as Sext
Prayer during the Day: Mid-afternoon - also known as None
Evening Prayer - also known as Vespers
Night Prayer - also known as Compline

Only one of Terce, Sext, or None need be recited.

The Office of Readings may be the first Office of the day. If it is the first Office of the day it must begin with the Invitatory. Alternatively, it may be said any time during the day. It must be said before Compline, however, which is the last Office of the day. With a few exceptions, you can also anticipate the Office of Readings. In other words, you can recite it in the evening of the previous day.

 

[Marybeloved]

The “Office of Readings” is one of the Hours. It replaced Matins (see Apostolic Constitution Laudis Canticum, Nov 1, 1970:

1. Since the Liturgy of the Hours is the means of sanctifying the day, the order of this prayer was revised so that in the circumstances of contemporary life the canonical hours could be more easily related to the chronological hours of the day.
   For this reason the Hour of Prime was abolished; Lauds as morning prayer and Vespers as evening prayer, as hinges of the entire Daily Office, were assigned the most important role and now have the character of true morning and evening prayer; the Office of Readings retains its character as a nocturnal Office for those who celebrate it during the night, but it is suitable for any hour of the day; the Prayer during the day is so arranged that those who choose only one of the Hours for midmorning, midday, and mid-afternoon may say the one most suitable to the actual time of day, without omitting any part of the four-week Psalter.The rules are the Inviatory is the first prayer said before any of the Hours. Lauds, Terce, Sext, None, and Vespers are said as appropriate (if I say them all, it’s at 6, 9, 12, 3, and 6…otherwise using divineoffice.org postings, it’s 6, 12, and 6…or whatever works along those lines with your schedule). And the Office of Readings can be said whenever. (For me, I generally say it after the Inviatory and before Lauds).

Thanks a lot for your comprehensive answer.