Reading the Daily Office

Daily Office

I bought a Book of Common Prayer a while ago, with the hopes of reading the Daily Office every day.  Devotions of some sort happened almost every day at our house while I was growing up.  Either a short verse and devotional reading from a book, Advent/Lent devotions with cool felt pictures to put on the felt Christmas Tree or Road to the Cross.  Every single Sunday of my life, except for maybe 4, before I went to college I was in Sunday School and church.  Needless to say, I have read or heard a lot of the Bible.

While in college I read through the whole Bible at least twice, straight through.  This was great because I read parts of the Bible that I don't think I had ever read or heard before.  Since then, however, my reading of Scripture has been more lax.  It's fairly easy to go a few days not reading the Scriptures and think, "Yeah, I know them pretty well".  Unless I'm preparing to teach something I don't have a particularly pressing reason to read the Scriptures...except for the fact that I should be doing it.

This week I started using the Daily Office (Work of God as Benedict put it) to read through Scripture.  It's been great.  In an unexplainable way I feel more energized, positive and ready to go.  I also more naturally connect with God throughout my day, since I'm reading a Psalm and Old Testament passage when I get up, a New Testament passage around Lunch, Gospel around Dinner, and another Psalm when I go to bed.  

Having read the Rule of Benedict and read a little more on the Divine Hours, it is something that I want to try and follow a little more closely.  Instead of just reading the Daily Office, I would like to follow the Hours in their prayers, other readings, etc.  Unfortunately, it is hard to find a good resource that has everything.  Phyllis Tickle has a book series of Divine Hours, but they do not include the Daily Office, or the more classical Benedictine parts.  Great resource, but not quite what I'm looking for.  Hopefully the great monks down the road can help me out!

Working Out

I'm also getting back into the habit of working out.  Emily and I are members at the gym about a block and a half away.  My goal is to be lifting weights three days a week and biking at least 1-2.  I'm not quite there yet, but it's getting close.  I have to at least make sure I'm doing sit-ups and push-ups everyday.  I challenged my dads to a push-up competition over Mothers' Day weekend when they're out here.  Hopefully I have the chance to embarrass them and not myself.

Peace,