The following reflections are provided for individual or communal reflection in preparation for praying the Liturgy of the Hours.
Morning Prayer -> Evening Prayer -> How to Pray
Morning Prayer
Psalm 86 -> Isaiah 33:13-16 -> Psalm 98
1. Take a few moments to reflect on the themes of the prayers this morning:
This morning we are invited to recall where our help comes from. Psalm 86 begins with a cry for God’s help. Perhaps we too have found ourselves, like the Psalmist praying “Turn your ear, O Lord, and give answer for I am poor and needy” or “crying to God all the day long.” Isaiah then invites us to reflect on the power of God and to acknowledge His might. We are then reminded of our call to practice virtue and works of peace and justice. Psalm 98 celebrates a great victory, the victory that is ultimately ours through Christ Jesus. It is a call to praise and worship in the midst of whatever circumstance we find ourselves in.
2. Consider one or more of these questions for reflection:
- Where do you need God’s help today? (Psalm 86)
- How might the virtues and our own calling to work for justice and peace show us the way in the midst of our needs? (Psalm 86 and Isaiah 33:13-16)
- When has God delivered you in the past? How might this help you to place your current needs in faith? Do we truly trust in the salvation that has been won for us through Christ’s death and resurrection? (Psalm 98)
Evening Prayer
Psalm 126 -> Psalm 127 -> Colossians 1:12-20
1. Take a few moments to reflect on the themes of the prayers this evening:
Psalm 126 recalls the restoration of Israel after the exile and is an invitation to reflect on how God has delivered us. Psalm 127 invites us to reflect on the fact that all that is good comes from God. It is God who “pours gifts on His beloved.” Works outside of God are in vain. Colossians 1:12-20 is an invitation to recall the supremacy of Christ and the salvation that is ours through Him.
2. Consider one or more of these questions for reflection:
- How has God delivered you in the past? (Psalm 126)
- What good is God doing in your life? (Psalm 127)
- How do you rely on Jesus Christ? (Colossians 1:12-20)
