Psychological Healing
in the Roman Catholic Mystic Tradition

A Guide to the
Liturgy of the Hours

 
Introduction
Preliminary Remarks (Sections of the LOH, Glory to the Father,
Postures, Sign of the Cross, Languages)
General
Invitatory
Office of Readings
Morning Prayer
Daytime Prayer
Evening Prayer
Night Prayer
Memorials
Invitatory
Office of Readings
Morning Prayer
Daytime Prayer
Evening Prayer
Night Prayer
Feasts
Invitatory
Office of Readings
Morning Prayer
Daytime Prayer
Evening Prayer
Night Prayer
Solemnities
Invitatory
Office of Readings
Morning Prayer
Daytime Prayer
Evening Prayer
Night Prayer

Also available in a book

 
Feasts

All the Apostles’ days are celebrated as feasts. In addition, some days of the Blessed Virgin and of Christ are celebrated as feasts.

Occasionally, a feast will fall on a Sunday. You will have to check the SJG to find out what to do. For example, on December 28, the Holy Innocents, Martyrs are celebrated as a feast, but in 2003 this feast fell on a Sunday and was preempted by the Holy Family, also a feast. On December 12, Our Lady of Guadalupe is celebrated as a feast, but in 2004 this feast fell on a Sunday and was preempted by the Third Sunday of Advent, a Solemnity of Our Lord.   In general, when a feast is impeded by (a) another feast of greater liturgical precedence, or (b) a solemnity, the feast is ignored for that year—regardless of what popular sentiment (and cultural pride) might desire.

Some feasts, such as the Baptism of the Lord, are really easy, because everything comes from the Proper of Saints. So I will use the Birth of Mary, September 8, from Volume IV, as a more difficult and representative example.

Remember: At the beginning of each day, check the day in the SJG, and orient yourself to the day’s location in both the Psalter and the Proper of Seasons. Then check the day’s calendar date with the Proper of Saints; if the day is a feast, as in this example, then you will have the ribbon there in place for the rest of the day’s prayer. And place a ribbon in the appropriate section of the Commons—the Proper of Saints will tell you which Common to use.

 
The Invitatory (on Feasts)

 Graphic Summary

The invitatory belongs at the beginning of each day of prayer. (You should have a permanent ribbon marking the page.) It begins as follows:

Lord, open my lips. —And my mouth will proclaim your praise.   (Make the sign of the cross on your lips with the side of your thumb as you say these words, per GILH 266.)

Then Psalm 95 (or, if preferred, Psalm 100, 67, or 24) and its antiphon follows.

•	The antiphon is taken from the Proper of Saints. Notice how SJG gives a number in parentheses on the title line to indicate where to find the current day in the Proper of Saints.
•	The antiphon is recited and immediately repeated, then the psalm is said, followed by the Glory to the Father, and then the antiphon is recited again at the end of the psalm.
•	In individual recitation, the antiphon need not be said after each strophe of the psalm as indicated in the ordinary.

 
The Office of Readings (on Feasts)

 Graphic Summary

The hymn, if not given in the Proper of Saints, is taken from the Commons as specified in the Proper of Saints.

When the Office of Readings comes immediately before Morning Prayer, the hymn designated for the latter may be used in place of the hymn at the beginning of the Office of Readings. (See GILH 99.)

The psalmody, antiphons, and verse, if not given in the Proper, are taken from the Commons as specified in the Proper of Saints.

The first reading and responsory, and the second reading and responsory are given in the Proper of Saints.

The hymn Te Deum is said after the responsory for the second reading.

Notice how SJG gives a number in parentheses on the title line to indicate where to find the current day in the Proper of Saints. And notice how SJG says, “Te Deum” to remind you about the Te Deum.

The prayer is given in the Proper of Saints.

When Morning Prayer follows immediately, the prayer and acclamation at the end of the Office of Readings are not used. (See GILH 99.)

 
Morning Prayer (on Feasts)

 Graphic Summary

Morning Prayer begins as follows, while making the sign of the cross (from forehead to breast and from left shoulder to right) at the words, “God, come to my assistance,” and while bowing the head at the words, “Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit”:

	When Morning Prayer follows immediately after the Office of Readings, the introductory God, come to my assistance and the Glory to the Father are omitted, as per the Ordinary.
	God, come to my assistance. —Lord, make haste to help me.   Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Alleluia. For musical purposes, the invocation "God" may be expanded, for example, “O God,” etc. as per the Ordinary. Alleluia is omitted during Lent.

If the hymn is not given in the Proper of Saints, you will be referred to the Common of Saints. (The hymn is omitted here, of course, if the hymn for Morning Prayer was sung at the beginning of the Office of Readings immediately prior to Morning Prayer.)

The antiphons are given in the Proper of Saints, with directions to use the psalms and canticle from Sunday of Week I.

Notice how SJG gives a number in parentheses on the title line to indicate where to find the current day in the Proper of Saints.

The reading, responsory, and antiphon for the canticle of Zechariah are given in the Proper of Saints.

The sign of the cross is made at the beginning of the canticle of Zechariah, and the canticle concludes with Glory to the Father.

The intercessions, if not given in the Proper of Saints, are taken from the Commons.

The prayer is given in the Proper of Saints.

In the absence of a priest or deacon, the conclusion (as found in the Ordinary) is as follows:

May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. —Amen.

 
Daytime Prayer (on Feasts)

 Graphic Summary

Daytime Prayer begins as follows, while making the sign of the cross (from forehead to breast and from left shoulder to right) at the words, “God, come to my assistance,” and while bowing the head at the words, “Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit”:

God, come to my assistance. —Lord, make haste to help me.   Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Alleluia. For musical purposes, the invocation "God" may be expanded, for example, “O God,” etc. as per the Ordinary. Alleluia is omitted during Lent.

The hymn is found in the Ordinary. When only one daytime hour is said, the psalms are taken from the current weekday. If the antiphons and reading are not given in the Proper of Saints, the Proper will direct you to the appropriate Commons.

In our example, September 8, which could fall on any day of the week, the psalms come from the appropriate week and day of the Psalter for Daytime Prayer; the readings come from the Proper of Saints, beginning on page 1373. Notice how SJG says, “DP” plus a number referring to the appropriate page of the Psalter, and “Rd etc.” plus a number to indicate the appropriate page of the Proper of Saints.

The conclusion (as found in the Ordinary) is as follows:

Let us praise the Lord. —And give him thanks.

 
Evening Prayer (on Feasts)

 Graphic Summary

If a solemnity follows the current day, then Evening Prayer I of the solemnity is celebrated, not the Evening Prayer of the current day. Remember, Sundays are always celebrated as solemnities, so Evening Prayer on Saturdays is always Evening Prayer I of the following Sunday.

Evening Prayer begins as follows, while making the sign of the cross (from forehead to breast and from left shoulder to right) at the words, “God, come to my assistance,” and while bowing the head at the words, “Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit”:

God, come to my assistance. —Lord, make haste to help me.   Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Alleluia. For musical purposes, the invocation "God" may be expanded, for example, “O God,” etc. as per the Ordinary. Alleluia is omitted during Lent.

The hymn, if not given in the Proper of Saints, should be taken from the Commons.

The antiphons are given in the Proper of Saints, with directions to use the psalms and canticle from the specified Common.

Notice how SJG gives a number in parentheses on the title line to indicate where to find the current day in the Proper of Saints. Plus, on the next line SJG will say, “From Com of” with the name of the Common and the page number.

The reading, responsory, and antiphon for the canticle of Mary are given in the Proper of Saints.

The sign of the cross is made at the beginning of the canticle of Mary, and the canticle concludes with Glory to the Father.

The intercessions, if not given in the Proper of Saints, are taken from the Commons.

The prayer is given in the Proper of Saints.

In the absence of a priest or deacon, the conclusion (as found in the Ordinary) is as follows:

May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. —Amen.

 
Night Prayer (on Feasts)

You should have a permanent ribbon marking this section.

Night Prayer begins as follows, while making the sign of the cross (from forehead to breast and from left shoulder to right) at the words, “God, come to my assistance,” and while bowing the head at the words, “Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit”:

God, come to my assistance. —Lord, make haste to help me.   Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Alleluia. For musical purposes, the invocation "God" may be expanded, for example, “O God,” etc. as per the Ordinary. Alleluia is omitted during Lent.

A brief examination of conscience may be made as one reviews the events of the day.

Everything is found in the Night Prayer section, according to the day of the week.

	If the following day is a solemnity, use the section of Night Prayer called “After Evening Prayer I on Sundays and Solemnities.”
	In our current example, because September 8 could fall on any day of the week, everything would be found in the Night Prayer for that day of the week. Notice how SJG says “NP” plus a number referring to the appropriate page of the Night Prayer.
	The sign of the cross is made at the beginning of the Gospel canticle, and the canticle concludes with Glory to the Father.

The conclusion for Night Prayer is as follows:

May the all-powerful Lord grant us a restful night and a peaceful death. —Amen.

Then one of the antiphons in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary is said; these antiphons are found at the very end of the Night Prayer section.

Graphic Summary

INVITATORY
Feasts

 
OFFICE OF READINGS
Feasts

 
MORNING PRAYER
Feasts

 
DAYTIME PRAYER
Feasts

 
EVENING PRAYER
Feasts