The Divine Office

The Office is something that I have really struggled with for a very long time, not so much the understanding of it as the discipline to maintain the praying of it regularly.  It has enriched my faith, if not deepened it.  I highly value it, and I have grown most fond of it.

As I think back on how it all began, I have difficulty remembering when, how, and why it began.  I have a hard time finding documentation in my blog and other written sources.  I know that I wanted a deeper prayer life, more than the Lord's Prayer that I was praying. 

If I had to guess, I would say that it began during Fr. Ted's first interim ministry at St. Paul's as we were waiting on a new priest.  I was given the personal BCP of my Step-father, who no longer used it.  It was a marvelous resource, and I explored how to use it for home prayer.

I remember also finding an online resource for praying a simple BCP office, for which I have most regrettably lost the source documentation.  It was the opening canticle from Luke, Magnificat or Bendictus, The Lord's Prayer, the collect, and The Grace of our Lord.  I can't recall if it had psalm readings or scripture readings, or if I added these later.

I did add to it, over time.  I added the Apostles Creed.  I started to chant/sing the psalms.  I added personal prayers, even before that.  I especially like the prayer at page 57 in the BCP.  I started praying the Penitential Office and the Litany on occasion, as well as the Service of Light and the Service of Resurrection from the BAS.  During lockdown in 2020, I learned and prayed Anglican Breviary and all seven of its Offices.  

I found the Breviary challenging, rewarding, and time consuming.  But, I missed the BCP and I missed it's intercessory prayer.  I found that when I returned to work, that I did not have the time for personal prayer that I once had during lockdown, and so I gave it up and returned to the BCP.

At some point long ago, I started to burn incense during prayer on occasion, and extended my prayer beyond the Office to include meditation with and without Anglican prayer beads. 

Not being careful, I documented none of the original sources, and have lost them all.  I don't know where I discovered how to pray the BCP Offices, how I found the prayer beads, how I found Holy Cross Priory, or really any of it.

It was Fr. Ted who turned me on to CAROA and I discovered St. Gregory's Abbey.  After visiting Holy Cross Priory and going to several retreat days that were hosted by the Sisters of St. John the Divine, I found a place that I loved deeply, St. Gregory's Abbey in Three Rivers Michigan.

I incorporated some of the deeply moving, meaningful, and Spirit filled practices of the Abbey in my Office, including the chanting of the psalms and the singing of a hymn in the Evening Office.

At some point, I incorporated the singing of the Venite from St. Paul's into my Morning Office long ago.  The music of my parish had a lasting affect on my prayer.

The Work of God, the Divine Office has had in impact on me.  Again, my biggest struggle is in having the discipline to keep praying it regularly.  

As one point, I started to film it for YouTube, and during lockdown I actually attempted to upload it every day.

As a gift one year, my wife and daughter bought me a prayer bench.  So, my prayer of The Office has moved back to the bedroom from the basement.

The incense that I burn on occasion came from Holy Cross Monastery, although I've never been there.  They couldn't send the charcoal over the border, so I bought my first briquettes from a head shop.  It makes holy smoke.  😂

Although, sometimes, I find it counterproductive; as, the smoke makes it difficult to sing the psalms for me.