RB Reflection: 21 June 2008

Chapter 17. The Number of Psalms to be Sung at These Hours

We have already established the order for psalmody at Vigils and Lauds. Now let us arrange the remaining hours. Three psalms are to be said at Prime, each followed by Glory be to the Father. The Hymn for this hour is sung after the opening versicle God, come to my assistance, before the psalmody begins. One reading follows the three psalms, and the hour is concluded with a versicle, "Lord, have mercy" and the dismissal.

Prayer is celebrated in the same way at Terce, Sext and None: that is, the opening verse, the hymn appropriate to each hour, three psalms, a reading with a versicle, "Lord, have mercy" and the dismissal. If the community is rather large, refrains are used with the psalms; if it is smaller, the psalms are said without refrain.

At Vespers the number of psalms should be limited to four, with refrain. After these psalms there follow: a reading and responsory, an Ambrosian hymn, a versicle, the Gospel Canticle, the litany, and immediately before the dismissal, the Lord's Prayer.

Compline is limited to three psalms without refrain. After the psalmoday comes the hymn for this hour, followed by a reading, a versicle, "Lord, have mercy," a blessing and the dismissal.

As always, we are challenged by the liturgical rules set out in the RB, not because they are unclear, but because they are so complete. One might say they are uncompromising. Now, in the 6th Century I doubt that much existed in the way of liturgical rules for monks leading the cenobitic life, unless of course they were living in Egypt, in which case you were up all night chanting psalms. In fact, there is every reason to believe that Benedict shortened the list of psalms that had to be chanted daily.

As Lay Cistercian's we are tempted to say, so what? What does the practice of ancient monks/nuns have to do with me, and my life as a busy 21st Century person? All week long we've been talking about these various hours of prayer, and how we might adapt our lives as modern Lay Cistercian's to the already demanding schedule of day to day life in the secular world.

The point is that prayer is important and must be given every bit as much attention as we give to how we earn, or spend, our money. As Lay Cistercian's, especially, we should be grasping that point, and holding it under our shirts, close to our hearts. Someone said that as we pray we rise, and as we forget we fall. That little business of tying our shoe to have a private moment in our work day to say an Our Father, that's not some cutesy image I cooked up, it's a necessity for our lives as Christians and as Lay Cistercian's.

Benedict is beating his head against the wall doing his best to teach us, even now, that prayer, even in the most minute detail, matters. May God, through Benedict's tireless teaching, bring us altogether to everlasting life.