Overview

The Liturgy of the Hours has a rich a diverse history stemming all the way back to the Didache were Christians were told to pray the Lord's prayer three times a day. It has gone from being prayer said by the people and clergy together, to a prayer said by the clergy, and is now starting to move back into the people and clergy together scenario.

The Liturgy of the Hours is the prayer of the Church as all deacons and priests make a promise to pray the Hours every day. In the repetitive four week cycle, one would pray the 147 to 150 psalms if they were to do all of the Hours. For example in the liturgical season of Lent/Easter Psalms 83, 109, and 115 are not used.

"The Liturgy of the Hours" is actually the title of the complete set of prayers which begin each day with the Invitatory and includes Morning Prayer (Lauds), The Little Hours (Terce, Sect, None), Evening Prayer (Vespers), Night Prayer (Compline), and the Office of Readings.

The Office of Readings may be done at anytime during the day.

Forms

There are three different publications that deal with all or some part of the Liturgy of the Hours. "Shorter Christian Prayer", "Christian Prayer", and "The Liturgy of the Hours" (4 Volumes).

Shorter Christian Prayer is the smallest and least expensive of the three. It includes the four week cycle of psalms for Morning and Evening Prayer, and some of the propers for the more important Saints, Feasts, and Liturgical seasons as well as Night Prayer. It cost about $10.

Christian Prayer is the next in size. It contains all of the propers including the Saints, Feasts, Liturgical Season and Commons for Morning and Evening Prayers and selections from Day Prayer and the Office of Readings. It cost about $25.

The Liturgy of the Hours is the complete four volume set. Volume I is for the Christmas and Advent Season, Volume II for Lent and Easter, Volume III for the first 17 weeks in Ordinary time, and Volume IV for the last 17 weeks. It cost about $100.

Invitatory

You begin with the day with Invitatory and then move to Morning Prayer or the Office of Readings.

Which begins with:

"Lord, open my lips, And my mouth will proclaim your praise"

Next comes the Antiphon which is specific to the season.

Next a psalm is said. Generally it is Psalm 95 but can be Psalm 24, 67, or 100. If they occur as part of the Hour or Office then use 95 at that location. Regardless of which Psalm is said it is followed with a Glory in the following form:

"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."

Morning Prayer

If you have already done the Invitatory as part of the Office of Readings. Begin Morning Prayer by saying:

"God come to my assistance, Lord make haste to help me." and then the Glory to the Father...

One other point about Morning Prayer. The Glory to the Father... is never said after the Canticle of Daniel 3:57-88,56 which is said as part of Sunday Morning Prayer Week I and III.

Evening Prayer

Office of Readings

The Office of Readings may be said in conjunction with any of the Hours or by itself anytime during the day.

If the Office of Readings is done first in the day it must be preceded by the Invitatory (Part II). Otherwise it begins with "God come to my assistance, Lord make haste to help me" and then a Glory.

*** Keep in mind there will only be a Psalm Prayer if it is the end of the Psalm or the end at the third Psalm. The reason for this is that the longer Psalms are used in the Office of Readings and some of them like Psalm 18 are actually spread over a couple of days.

Verse - Marking the transition from Psalms to Readings
Biblical Reading

Responsory
Non-Biblical Reading - Includes writings from Church Fathers, Bishops, Pope, Vatican II, etc. This is the section that make the Liturgy of the Hours so much larger (4 Volumes) than Christian Prayer (1 Volume)

Responsory
Te Deum - Required only on Sunday and certain Solemnities and Feasts
Closing Prayer - Taken form the Proper of Season, Proper of Saints, or Commons and it is concluded with "We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with your and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen."

Acclamation - at least in communal celebrations. "Let us praise the Lord. And give him thanks."

Night Prayer

Night Prayer (Vespers) is the last prayer said in the Liturgy of the Hours for the day. It should include and Examination of Conscience. It is located in its own section in the 4 Volume "Liturgy of the Office" and "Christian Prayer" books. It follows the following form:

Daytime Prayer

Daytime Prayer, also known as the "Little Hours" is divided in Terce, Sect, None are to be said Midmorning, Midday, and Midafternoon respectively. The format for all of them is as follows:

Begin with "God come to my assistance, Lord make haste to help me" and then the Glory to the Father....