While the Office was made more accessible to those not living in monastic communities, the English Reformers also removed virtually all of the non-scriptural interpretive content. A lectionary for reading a substantial portion of Scripture over the course of the year was also provided. While the normal monastic practice was to recite the whole of the Psalter every week, the Prayer Book forms provided for the whole of the Psalter to be read each month. There was virtually nothing new added to the Office rather Morning Prayer was created from elements of Matins and Lauds and Evening Prayer was created from Vespers and Compline. These services were meant to be sung (or read) not only in Church each day, but also by individuals at home. The most positive and helpful contribution made to the liturgy at the time of the English Reformation was the simplification of the monastic office into the Prayer Book forms of Morning and Evening Prayer. Gradually the Office became the exclusive property of the monastic communities, due to the complexity of the services and the rules governing them (and in the West due to the fact that the Offices were sung in Latin rather than in the vernacular). Benedict arranged many of the details of the the Office, declared it to be the Opus Dei (the “work of God”), and established it as the foundation of monastic life. 119:164) and the monastic pattern of Prime, Lauds, Terce, Sext, None, Vespers and Compline fulfilled this pattern (Matins is a night office). The Psalmist declared “Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments” ( Ps. While all Christians are encouraged to pray daily at regular times, historically the daily offices reached a highly developed form in monastic communities. These have always been daily services, marking the passage of time and serving to sanctify time by offering it back to God in our prayers. Along with the Eucharist, however, the Church has engaged in services consisting of the singing of Psalms and hymns, the reading of Scripture and prayer. The English Office Noted can be purchased at Lulu Publishing.įrom the beginning the principal act of Christian worship has been the Eucharist: the remembrance of Christ’s perfect offering of Himself, whereby He becomes present in our midst, as we recall with praise and thanksgiving the mighty acts of God undertaken for our salvation.
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