![]() ![]() In addition to before and after praying, make the sign of the cross when the following lines are read: “Come unto my help, O God” (Prime p.43), and “Our help is in the name of the Lord” (Compline p.91), and “grant us pardon, + absolution,” (Compline, already conveniently marked with a cross to remind you p.92). the first half of the Glory Be or the last stanzas of the hymns). How to Pray Prime & Compline In the LOB Here is a breakdown of Prime and Compline in the LOB:īow deeply during the Confiteor (Compline), and strike the breast at the line “through my fault… through my most grievous fault.” Bow at least the head any time the Holy Trinity is mentioned (e.g. The expectation was, of course, that these two hours alone were sufficient for most laity. In fact, when the LOB was first published, it actually only included the hours of Prime and Compline (along with an Office of the Dead and Vespers for Sundays and Feast Days). Moreover, there is a long tradition of “ Prime & Compline Catholics”-that is, us ordinary laymen who would stick to these two hours (and yes, pray them in our mother tongues) because of their brevity and appropriateness to our states in life as caretakers and providers of our families. This means you will not have to flip back and forth in the book and figure out where you are, but simply read through the hour as it is printed (phew, the more you can focus your attention on the words of the psalms and less on page flipping, the better!). Prime and Compline in the LOB are a good place to start because they can be added to morning and nighttime routines, and most especially because they are simpler in that both stay the same throughout the week and throughout the year-unlike Matins and Vespers, which contain propers that change according to the season or special feast day. ![]() Compline is written into our rule at our house. Whatever you decide, make sure it is something you can stick with for a time so that you don’t miss your goal and become discouraged. I recommend starting with either Prime or Compline or both. Vespers is on the longer side of that estimate, while the minor hours-Terce, Sext, and None-are on the shorter side. Or if you just happen to have some free time at random, you can look at the clock and pray the hour whose interval the time happens to fall between.Įach hour in the LOB takes about 5-15 minutes to pray. If you “miss” an hour, say because your toddler breaks a glass in the kitchen or you got an urgent call from your boss, it is better to pray that hour a little late in the interval than not at all. That’s because the times are approximate and can vary based on the sun-as is the case especially with Lauds and Compline-or on your station in life. You’ll note that I give the times in intervals. Matins (midnight, or really any time in the middle of the night).The LOB marks the intervals of the day with prayer, as does the full Divine Office. ![]() Moreover, Compline in the LOB is basically identical to the pre-1910 full Divine Office. Benedict would have recognized in the 500s. In other words, it is strongly rooted in the essential parts of the traditional Divine Office that St. While 1888 is relatively new in the history of the church, it precedes the changes made to the Divine Office over the last century. The LOB comes from the Manual of Prayers prepared in English by the Third Plenary Council of Baltimore in 1888 along with the Baltimore Catechism. Augustine, the Psalms are a powerful form of prayer. Little offices-like the Little Office of Baltimore (LOB) and the more well-known Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary-have been adapted for use by the laity or certain orders with simpler structures and less readings. They tap into an ancient tradition of praying the Psalms. The Divine Office compliments the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass as the public prayer life of the Church. If you’ve been wanting to start praying the traditional Divine Office, but are feeling a bit overwhelmed, The Little Office of Baltimore (RR15 for 15% off) is an excellent place to begin. “What accents did I utter unto Thee in those Psalms, and how was I kindled towards Thee, and on fire to rehearse them, if possible, through the whole world, against the pride of mankind.” -St.
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