Each and every Christian is called to live as a seeker of God, a person of prayer.

To seek God is to pray. all Christians are called to pray, but the monk does this in a different manner. A large part of this prayer is in common; that means he prays with others at regular times and in a set manner, with a special emphasis on the psalms. This prayer is called the Liturgy of Hours or the Divine Office. The monks life is built around and centered on this prayer. All work, leisure and other activities are scheduled or arranged arrocing to the times when the monks gather for prayer. Here at Assumption Abbey we pray in the morning, at noon and in the evening. These are the non-negotiables in our day.
 

Link to Request Prayers by the Monks
 

The Work of God. This is the name that St. Benedict gave to what most people refer to as the Divine Office or the Liturgy of the Hours. And we all do share in this special work. a monk may retire from most activities, be he does not retire from prayer.

So, what is this work of God? This is an age-old form of pryaer whose roots can be traced back to Jewish times. Temple and synagogue worship comprised praise and thanksgiving with Scripture readings. Jesus himself would have prayed at morning and evening with his companions, the disciples. After Jesus' ascension into heaven, the Acts of the Apostles records that the faithful followers of Jesus gathered and prayed together.

Monastic life has drawn its inspiration from this first Christian community in Jerusalem for its unity of purpose, its deal of common ownership and above all for its life of prayer. Over the centuries the form this prayer has taken has been more elaborated and codified. Now there is a basic pattern to each "hour," as each period of prayer is called. There is usually a hymn which sets the tone for the hour, a Scripture reading and concluding prayers. Central to each hour is the recitation or singing of the psalms.

As with all the Scriptures, we believe that the psalms are inspired by the Holy Spirt. They lend themselves readily to prayer in general, but public prayer in particular, because they are written in a poetic style and because in the whole series of 150 psalms, the authors cover the gamut of human emotions and needs, and the various aspects of prayer, ranging from adoration to praise, from thanksgiving to intercession. Jesus prayed the psalms, and his followers have been praying the psalms since.

So, why do we pray this Work of God and for whom? We pray, in part, because God has created us and inspired in us the urge to pray. We also pray because Jesus has taught us to do so: "Pray, ask, seek, knock." Prayer is an every renewable fountain to which we return to slake the thirst of our parched souls. We pray in imitation of that first Christian community in Jerusalem which was formed by Christ.

And for whom do we pray? We pray for the church, which has grown considerably since the Resurrection, but which is still, in essence, of one heart and one mind, or at least we  pray that it may be so. We pray for the world, created by our loving God, but harmed and violated by sinful humanity. We pray for those we love and those with whom we differ. We pray that God's will be done in them and by them. We pray for the local needs of those whom we live. We pray for ourselves, tht we may become more fully the children that God intended us to be.

It's interesting about that phrase, Work of God. Exactly what does it mean? there is an ongoing debate as to whether it is work we lovingly perform for God or work that God lovingly does in us. Either way, we benefit: we grow and are nourished; we give and we receive.

          Monday through Friday:

          6:20 am          Morning Prayer
          11:40 am        Noon Prayer
          5:00 pm          Mass
          7:00 pm          Vespers
          8:10 pm          Compline

                       Saturday

          6:20 am          Morning Prayer
          11:15  am       Mass
          5:10 pm          Vespers
          6:45 pm          Compline

                         Sunday

          6:20 am          Morning Prayer
          8:30 am          Mass
          11:40 am        Noon Prayer
          5:00 pm          Vespers

    
    

Our Work of God is something we would like to share with you. You can subscribe by clicking on the Partners-In-Prayer form at the bottom of this page.

What we offer is three installments - Advent/Christmas, Lent-Easter, and Ordinary Time - of prayer for morning and evening. this prayer is based on the Divine Office with a brief hymn text, a psalm, a short scripture reading and the prayer of Zechariah (Benedictus) or Mary (Magnificat) found in the Gospel of Luke which customarily ends the period of prayer. This "prayer book" comes to you free of charge.

These two times of day - morning and evening - are the most important times for prayer. Prayer in the morning sanctifies the day to God; He gets us off to a  good start. Prayer in the evening offers thanks for the day just ended and places us in God's loving hands.
 

Link for enrollment in the Partners-in-Prayer program