At The Office

We had some good friends over on Saturday evening. As well as a splendid meal, we commenced the use of a version of the Daily Office, Celtic Daily Prayer, which you will find on my links to the right of this posting, or here.

We were in Florida about a year ago, when I stumbled across this little gem of a prayer book in a second hand bookshop in Sarasota (Parkers?) while visiting some dear friends. For some time, I had been seeking a way to break through a (another!) spiritual plateau, and had found some relief by employing a great little book of prayers which I have had since about 1981, "The One Who Listens" by Michael Hollings and Etta Gullick.

For those who are not familiar with the Daily Office, variously known as the Liturgy of the Hours, and the Breviary, it is a structured was of praying the Palms with other prayers, scriptures and readings that are used at set times of the day. Originally, the Office (from a Latin word for "Duty") was birthed in the Monastic world and has been in use for a very long time, both privately and in groups. All around the world, Monks, Nuns (Religious), clergy, and all kinds of people are using this same method to give order and rhythm to their spiritual lives.

I love the Celtic version because of the immediacy and vividness of it's content. These are powerful prayers that have over a thousand years of heritage, yet, they are being lived and prayed out in the context of a neo-monastic community of ordinary people; the Northumbria Community.

Some may find it boring or stodgy to use these kinds of prayers, but I have come to (re-)discover their value and would recommend this practice. (Or just add it to your spiritual tool belt to be used as and when you see fit -especially for specific times of retreat or even spiritual dryness). You have to think of the power of the ocean, wearing away at the cliffs, or of the (continual) drop of water falling onto hard rock which eventually wears it down, and leaves an impression.

The Office is not only a way to pray, but it is a means to drive the truth and beauty of God from merely out of our mouths and head, and into our hearts, so that we can really resonate with the truth that are repeating or pondering.

You might feel that this is too catholic or prone to steal away spontaneity, but no spiritual practices are free from some kind of issues if we use, miss-use or abuse them.

A good article about "Vain Repetition" can be found here.

From a Jewish perspective on "Fixed Prayer and Spontaneity," go here.

Ultimately, it all boils down to what is in our heart as we do things, rather than getting hung up on methods. Perhaps you would appreciate reading my earlier blog about the use of liturgy.

If you want more information about the Daily Office, here are some links,

Introductions:

http://www.historicchristchurch.org/worship/daily.htm

http://www.prayerbook.ca/library/resources/praying_offices.html

http://www.icmi.org/Newmonasticism/dailyoffice.html

http://www.episcopalchurch.org/20966_49266_ENG_HTM.htm

There are many sites offering version of these daily prayers. Here are some of them,

http://www.sacredspace.ie/

http://www.missionstclare.com/english/index.html

http://www.oremus.org/liturgy/ccp/

http://www.universalis.com/

http://cofe.anglican.org/worship/liturgy/commonworship/texts/daily/generalintro.html

http://www.saint-luke.org/dailyprayer.html

I close with this prayer from the front page of Celtic Daily Prayer:

Invocation of the Holy Spirit

Most Powerful Holy Spirit,

come down upon us and subdue us.

From heaven, where the ordinary is made glorious,

and glory seems but ordinary,

bathe us with your brilliance of your light like dew.

Amen to that!

Cheers,

Peter