I took pictures of all the books I brought with me, but my husband went to DC with the camera... So here is the one book I would take on a desert island, or on a multiple years long trip to the US:
It's a tiny book called " prayer for the present time" and it is actually the most present book I have ever read :)
It's basically psalms. Mainly and mostly psalms.
What makes it special is that all over the world, anytime of day or night, there is someone praying with it. It's called liturgy of the hours, and all nuns, deacons, priests, and lay people who wish to, open this book between one and 5 times a day, just to pray in communion with the Church.
It's much better than internet IMO ;) Never on technical faillure...
When you've been around that book for a while you start to have your favorites.
Really. They come around like old friends...
Every day has several prayer times: early morning, morning, noon, evening, bedtime.
My favorite one is the bedtime prayer, called in french " Complies" when the day is accomplished :) I like to sing the whole thing.
Recently I haven't prayed the hours very regularly. Only every now and then when I need support and I don't find it in my parish. It's like my SOS portable parish. When I open it I know I'm not the only one out there praying for those intentions.
Someone said one day : '' the natural second language for a catholic is not latin, it's the psalms"
I found it to be so true. Whatever my feelings are, when I can't put my own words on it, a verse of psalm comes to my mind and expresses it perfectly.
1 comment:
Thank you for this post! I've been meaning to pick up the Office again, you've strengthened my resolve. I'm not so good at making time for anything daily, but I do miss saying the Divine Office, knowing I'm not alone, and speaking the beautiful words of the Psalms.
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