What does it mean to pray “ceaselessly”?
The answer to that question is the key to an “unspeakable joy.”
“We have to rediscover the fruits of the Holy Spirit. One of those fruits is joy,” Cardinal Stafford said. “And that is the joy of being children of God.”
The Liturgy of the Hours, also referred to as the Divine Office or breviary, has been a fixture of Catholic prayer for centuries. Clerics and religious pray the full Liturgy of the Hours every day, the laity care encouraged to recite it as well. Sacrosanctum Concilium also said pastors “should see to it that the chief hours, especially Vespers, are celebrated in common in church on Sundays and the more solemn feasts.”
The Liturgy of the Hours or Divine Office or Opus Dei (“Work of God”) are the canonical hours, often also referred to as the breviary, of the Latin Church. The Liturgy of the Hours forms the official set of prayers “marking the hours of each day and sanctifying the day with prayer.” The hymns and litanies of the Liturgy of the Hours integrate the prayer of the psalms into the age of the Church, expressing the symbolism of the time of day, the liturgical season, or the feast being celebrated.
The Liturgy of the Hours is described as “the prayer book of the Church.” The Liturgy of the Hours is ranked just below the Holy Mass in importance of prayer and is a extension of the Eucharistic celebration.
Praying it can help Catholics avoid making “idols” out of daily tasks and routines, and instead making time for God throughout the day.
The Liturgy of the Hours is a call, for me at least, to give priority to God the Father through Jesus.” In the course of the day, we are urged to lift up our hearts to God, repeatedly. Setting the Hours as your official prayer times gives you breaks in the day to commit yourself to God over the day.
Praying the Liturgy of the Hours is simple, especially with today’s technology. There are apps, like IBreviary, that gives us each ‘hours’ prayer throughout the day. The ‘Hours’ are broken out into several pieces, you can pray some or all as your desires commitment. They are ‘Office of Readings’, Morning Prayer, Daytime Prayer (can be prayed at Midmorning, Midday, or Midafternoon), Evening Prayers and Night Prayer.
Look up IBreviary app, it’s free, and make at least some part of the Liturgy of the Hours your new prayer or add more hours to what you pray already.