Lots of flipping 'round
in this shortened version of
Liturgy of Hours.

This is an essential book for anyone who wants to get closer to God and/or participate in the Larger Church's prayer. Priests, monks, nuns, and millions of lay people begin and end their day with the liturgy of the hours; praying the same prayer as all your brother and sisters around the world definitely brings a connectedness to your own personal prayer life when using Christian Prayer. The ONLY thing wrong with this book is that it is a PAIN to navigate, even with the St. Joseph's Guide, hence the 4 stars. I recommend this book to all Catholics and Christians alike!

Miso ( )

I find myself returning again and again to this particular devotion. While it's not really meant for lay people, it most certainly can be used by non-religious. One can choose which of the Hours to use depending on one's schedule.

That said, the book is not intuitively obvious to use. There is a lot of to-in and fro-ing, back and forth among the different sections in order to obtain the correct prayers and readings. But if you start with Morning Prayer, and work your way through that, the "logic" of the book becomes clear. There are a number of permanent ribbon book marks to help with the page flipping.

I know that there are many objections to the non-inclusive language. I find that I can ignore that aspect and use the Office to focus my attention on what is important, which is the message. In that regard, I find it a powerful tool. ( )

This is such a beautiful book! ( )

If you're looking for some sort of daily prayer book that isn't full of hackneyed reflections or one-line quotes, this is it. The Liturgy of the Hours is part of the official worship of the Catholic Church. Ideally, it should be prayed with others, but it may be prayed individually.

This abbreviated one-volume version contains morning & evening prayer, daytime prayer, night prayer, the Office of the Dead, selections from the Office of Readings, and plenty of hymns.

For those unfamiliar with the format, a typical "hour" consists of 3 psalms (or 2 psalms and a canticle), a scripture reading, a reflection, intercessions, and a prayer.

It is complicated to learn at first, so it is best to get a manual and a guide to accompany you (Catholic book stores should sell these). Once you learn how it works, you will fall in love with this form of prayer. The spiritual benefits are indispensable. ( )