Introduction to The Divine Hours

From the beginning two things have been the necessary form and mystery of Christian spirituality. Two things, even before the closing events of resurrection, ascension, and commission, wove disparate and often renegade believers into an inspirited body of the whole, connected to God and each other.

Like a double helix rendered elegant by complexity and splendid by authority, the amalgam of gospel and shared meal and the discipline of fixed-hour prayer were and have remained the chain of golden connection tying Christian to Christ and Christian to Christian across history, across geography, and across idiosyncrasies of faith. The former is known as the food and sustenance of the Church, the latter as its work. The Divine Hours is about the second part of this double strand, the work; it is a manual for the contemporary exercise of fixed-hour prayer.

Although designed primarily for private use by individuals or by small groups, The Divine Hours may certainly be employed by larger and/or more public communities. Likewise, though designed primarily for lay use, it can as well be employed by the ordained in either private or corporate prayer.

Those already familiar with fixed-hour prayer (variously referred to as “The Liturgy of the Hours” or “keeping the hours” or “saying the offices”) and with its tools (the breviaries of monastic worship and the Book of Hours manuals for laity that date from medieval times) will find some modifications and innovations here. They may wish to scan what follows for explication of these changes. Others, especially those for whom keeping the hours is a new practice, may wish to read the remainder of this introduction more thoroughly.

      

The Divine Hours Origins and Schedule

Fixed hour prayer, also known as the Divine Hours, is a spiritual practice that involves praying at set times throughout the day. This practice has roots in Judaism, and was adopted by early Christians as a way to shape their days around prayer and scripture. The typical schedule for the Divine Hours includes prayers at 6:00 a.m., 9:00 a.m., noon, 3:00 p.m., and 6:00 p.m., as well as additional morning and evening prayers. The Divine Hours generally have a three-hour window with prayers on the hour or half hour. We display the Divine Hours using the morning, mid-day, evening, and compline prayer windows.

The Divine Hours were originally practiced by all believers in the early church, not just monastic or clerical classes. This daily rhythm of prayer was intended to center believers in their faith and connect them with the larger community of believers who were also praying at the same times. The Divine Hours follow a liturgy, or structured way of praying, which often includes set prayers, scripture reading, and possibly a song or hymn.

While the Divine Hours may seem daunting to those unfamiliar with the practice, there are many resources available to help believers engage in fixed hour prayer. This can be a meaningful and grounding spiritual practice, regardless of one’s background or experience.

Putting the Divine Hours into Practice

Starting to practice fixed-hour prayer can be as simple as finding one time each day to set aside for prayer. This can be in the morning, during your lunch break, or before bed. Once you have established this routine, you can gradually add in additional prayer times. If you already have a regular prayer time, you can incorporate the liturgy of the Divine Hours into this practice.

Praying with others can also be a meaningful way to practice the Divine Hours. You can pray the liturgy together with your family, friends, or faith community, either in person or online. This allows you to connect with others who are also praying the same prayers and reading the same scripture on that day.

It’s important to remember that the Divine Hours don’t have to be an all or nothing experience. Even setting aside one set time each day to pray the liturgy can be a meaningful and grounding practice. So don’t be afraid to start small and gradually build up your practice of the Divine Hours.

You can buy The Divine Hours on Amazon.com »

The Divine Hours are reprinted here with permission of Doubleday and Phyllis Tickle. Not for distribution without permission from the author.

The Divine Hours © Copyright 2003 Phyllis Tickle www.phyllistickle.com

 


an illustration of a mountain scene representing serenity from prayetic.comTry Prayetic – a modern prayer meditation tool based on The Divine Hours

Prayetic: Your daily guide to uncovering joy through divine connection, featuring fixed-hour prayers, mindful meditations, and inspirational images.

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