Fifth Day of Christmas Greetings!

Best wishes, prayers, and hope that all of you are enjoying a merry Christmas season. I haven't been here much lately  due to the usual avalanche of cooking and hospitality duties that come to mothers of large families. But now we are in the more peaceful days of the octave and I can finally sit down, take a deep breath, and think about something other than what the next meal will be and when to get started on it. 

The Christmas Octave is an interesting one, where we often celebrate a saint's feast in the morning and then return to Christmas itself in the evening. Plus a daily Te Deum because every day is a solemnity.  Lots of flipping around to do, but if you follow the instructions in your breviary you shouldn't have any trouble. 

Did anyone get a new breviary for Christmas? Or some other gift related to the Liturgy of the Hours? 

I did. I was delighted to unwrap St. Augustine's Commentary on the Psalms, a hefty volume that was translated from Latin by the Benedictines of Stanbrook Abbey. I was really surprised that this 400 page text only covered Augustine's thoughts about Psalms 1 thru 37. Eventually I'll have to see if his remarks about the other 113 are in print, but for now, this book will keep me occupied. 

Questions are welcome. Also, don't hesitate to join the Facebook group called Liturgy of the Hours Discussion and Support Group. 

Rejoice! Your Savior Will Come.

photo credit: Fr. Dennis Brown/facebook

Wishing you all a Happy Liturgical New Year!  Let this be a new beginning for your practice of the Liturgy of the Hours. If you don't already say the complete daily Office, then add one of the hours starting today (or tomorrow). Or resolve to add a little chanting or singing--maybe just the hymn or the gospel canticle, or just the opening and closing of versicle of each hour.   Your pick. 

Maybe your advent improvement will be to slow down a bit while praying the psalms, and/or to observe a few seconds of silent reflection after each psalm (the optional  psalm prayer is really just a substitute to personal reflection.) Or perhaps it will be to invite a family member or co-worker or friend to pray it with you.

It hardly matters what you do, just do something to enhance your experience of the prayer of the Church.

As always, any questions or comments are welcome.