Divine Office
“Therefore are they before the throne of God and serve him day and night within his temple;
and he who sits upon the throne will shelter them with his presence.”
Revelation 7:15
The praise of God’s glory
The monastic life is dominated by the desire to glorify God in everything, and above all in celebrating the liturgy. When monks and nuns sing the divine office in praise of God, they are not merely fulfilling their own vocation. They are making visible for all the purpose of human existence. The opening of St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians shows that the human vocation is to become “the praise of God’s glory.”
The pattern of our day is established by the Liturgy of the Hours. We come together at different times of the day to praise God. These times of prayer are spread throughout the day, so that the day is punctuated by our prayer and given a shape and rhythm. Everything flows into and out from the times of prayer. We make time holy by consecrating it to God.
Our Community still follows the pattern of daily communal prayer laid down by St Benedict, which is made up of psalms, Scripture readings and prayers. Through celebrating the mysteries of the liturgical year, the Benedictine nun becomes more deeply drawn into the timeless mysteries of Jesus Christ, learning to apply them to her own life.
The liturgy is a great school of prayer, embracing the prayer life of the Church and of each individual. It can help to create in us the mind of the Church, expanding our own personal prayer, making it more generous and universal.
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