Most readings of Holy Scripture during the office are very short segments ( lectio brevis). They were on the lips of Our Lord and his disciples and continue to be the “hymnbook of the Church” in an unbroken tradition. The Psalms are the cry of the People of Israel. The monks sing the Psalms on behalf of themselves and the rest of the world, aware that they reflect the real condition of men throughout the world. The Psalms reflect all of human experience: joy, suffering, fear, anger, praise, thanks, contrition, petition. The office is composed principally of the 150 Psalms, the inspired word of God that is the human response to life – in relationship to God.
Orations (The Our Father and the Prayer of the Day at each office) Readings (Scripture, and the patristic reading at Matins) The general framework of every office is composed of the following major components, applied or distributed according to the days of the week / season / year / feast: The Benedictine Office is a rich collection of prayer that is based on the Rule of St. Praying the hours puts the monk into the real world, sanctifying his whole life and assisting him toward his goal of unceasing prayer – Ut In Omnibus Glorificetur Deus. The office punctuates the day of the monk like a leaven awakening his soul to make the entire day, indeed the whole of life, a gift of the self to God. Through it the monk lifts heart and mind to Almighty God, and uniting himself to his confreres, the Church and the entire world in offering God praise and thanks, in confessing his sins, and in calling on God for the needs of all people. The Divine Office is at the center of the Benedictine life.
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