The Handy Little Guide to the Liturgy of the Hours (Handy Little Guides)

Have you ever considered praying the Liturgy of the hours but then thought it just way too complicated? You are not alone. But The Handy Little Guide to the Liturgy of the Hours by Barb Szyszkiewicz (Shish-KEV-itch) may change all that.The first few chapters offer a definition and history of the Liturgy of the Hours. Barb explains that “The Liturgy of the Hours unites those in prayer with the whole Church.” She explains that the prayers include a cyclical recitation of the psalms but also include passages from the Old and New Testaments. It originated with the ancient Jewish practice of praying three times daily and was integrated into the prayer life of the very early Church.“While the Sacrifice of the Eucharist can only be offered by a priest, the Liturgy of the Hours is a sacrifice of praise that can be offered by anyone.”You will learn the distinct books that can be used to pray the Liturgy of the hours and the difference between each. Most importantly, in her warm and encouraging style, Barb will convince you that you can learn to pray this way and that you will be richly rewarded for doing so. Barb explains, “There is a learning curve, but you get to pray as you learn—and learn as you pray. Even if you don’t get all the details right every time while you’re learning, you are still praying. Yes, praying the Liturgy of the Hours can be complicated, but don’t worry: We’re going to walk together through the basics of this beautiful way to pray.”She convinced me. I now have the single volume Christian Prayer and am ready to get started. Yes, it seems a little complicated at first. But with this little book at your side you will learn to do it. Barb writes, “In the same way that you learned how to respond at Mass and when to sit, stand, and kneel by attending Mass and following the example of others, you will learn to pray the Liturgy of the Hours by praying.”Pope Benedict XVI encourages us all to pray this way: “I would…like to renew to you all the invitation to pray with the Psalms, even becoming accustomed to using the Liturgy of the Hours of the Church, Lauds in the morning, Vespers in the evening, and Compline before retiring.”Lauds is Morning Prayer, Vespers is Evening Prayer, and Compline is Night Prayer. The Handy Little Guide to the Liturgy of the Hours by Barb Szyszkiewicz (Shish-KEV-itch) explains all these terms.You will even learn about the nitty-gritty of the Liturgy of the Hours—the four-week cycle and the five seasons as well as how Solemnities, Feasts, and memorials fit in. Ever wonder about all those ribbons? Barb will tell you where to put them and even offers suggestions on where it might be helpful to place a holy card for reference.Why should you do it? It helps you keep attuned to the liturgical year. “The liturgical year brings variety, while the repetition of the psalms provides familiarity in a beautiful balance” It will also help you become more familiar with Scripture. Barb continues, “On some feast days, you’ll have the opportunity to read from primary sources by or about a particular saint, and on every feast day, there’s a short biography of the saint(s) for that day.”Not convinced yet? Barb Szyszkiewicz has a whole chapter on the obstacles and how to overcome them. She will answer all the objections. It’s hard. It’s complicated. I tried and gave up. Kindly, she responds: “They’re right; it doesn’t come easy at first. Neither does driving a car, baking bread from scratch, or learning to write your name. Like those skills and many others, this form of prayer requires patience, perseverance, and practice.”I believe she is right. I have my book Christian Prayer on my desk, large type edition, mind you. Let’s keep it simple. I don’t want to have to look for my glasses. Does Barb Szyszkiewicz’ The Handy Little Guide to the Liturgy of the Hours make it easy? No, I think there will still be a learning curve. But the guide makes it do-able. Already, many of my questions are answered.Written in a very readable style, the guide could have a place in every parish and family library. It’s needed and valuable. Less than 100 pages and measuring only about 4x6 inches, it could easily fit in a purse. Check it out.I will open that book of Christian Prayer, frequently reference this Handy Little Guide, and unite my prayer with the whole Church.You should try it too!

I have no clue why the rating for this book isn’t a full 5 stars? I have just gotten into the Liturgy of the Hours (LOH) and this is the easiest to read booklet on tackling, what to many, is learning how to pray the LOH.This booklet has no fluff or illustrations, but if you want an instruction manual that’s to the point, this one is for you. It demystifies the LOH, which to many Catholics, is foreign to them. Fun facts; the clergy and religious are required to pray the 5 offices daily, Judaism began this with 3 times of daily prayer and St Benedict started the LOH in its modern format.Where do you put the ribbons, how do you do this, how do you navigate? It’s all answered in this easy to read book that you will return to several times.

If you’re curious about but unfamiliar with the universal prayer of the Church, the Liturgy of the Hours, The Handy Little Guide to the Liturgy of the Hours by Barb Szyszkiewicz is a good starting point. It’s a quick read that gives you a good overview of the prayers, the books used to pray them, and, above all, is encouraging. I’m inspired to begin with Night Prayer this Advent.

I've been interested in the Liturgy of the Hours for a number of years, so I was happy to see that there is a guide book of how to practice this Catholic tradition. Barb Szyszkiewicz did a great job putting this booklet together, it really gives you the nuts and bolts of how and when to do these daily prayers. This would have been handy for me when I was writing my book A Life Such as Heaven Intended since these prayers are referenced in there. But, I'm glad to have it now. One thing I wasn't clear after reading this was how long each set of prayers took. That being said, now that I have a better idea of how it works, the Liturgy of the Hours is something I'd consider doing at some point in my life, maybe starting out with one of the less-complicated ones before working up to the whole set.

It makes the use of the breviary clear in a very concise format

This guide to praying Christian Prayer (aka Liturgy of the Hours) has been a great help to me as I dive into praying this form of common prayer. Until now, I used the Universalis and iBreviary apps. The problem was, I was easily distracted during prayer, so I determined to learn how to pray using the "old school" way. I am still learning, and this handy guide, which I read a little every morning before I dive into Morning Prayer, teaches, encourages, reassures, and guides me through what the author admits " doesn't come easy at first...this form of prayer requires patience, perseverance, and practice." (page 21) The book itself is readable and relatable.

Arrive soiled and soaking wet.

I've been using Universalis for so many years that I stopped buying the St. Joseph Guide to my single-volume copy of the Liturgy of the Hours. Alas, when praying LOH in a group, everyone who uses online versions always seems to have a different translation than everyone else, and it gets a little cacophonous! This handy little guide gently reminded me of the benefit of redeveloping the skill of using all the ribbons! This booklet gave me just the boost of confidence I needed to go back to my hard copy.