• The
overall meaning of praying the psalms, especially in their ‘messianic sense,’
can be studied in the General Instruction.
• This
is merely an observable fact: many of our communities, have learnt to recite
the Office at machine-gun speed ------,
sometimes running words, or lines, together - and sometimes themselves
stumbling over words at such high speed - so at times derailing the tempo of
others around them. This makes entering the spirit of prayerfulness of
Office almost impossible, especially for those that do not have English as
first language, or are learning English.
• We
note what the General Instructions tell us: the psalms are ‘lyrical’ in nature
(General Instruction 269) and therefore singing is encouraged - (not
that we can always carry this off in our little communities!). If we can’t sing
the psalms we need to see them at least from ‘a poetic and musical point of
view’ (278). Think maybe, of a poetry recital with all its wonderful and powerful
emphasis – rather than a race of words.
• Young
men in formation need time to get used to the prayers we know almost by heart.
• To
readdress this problem, the following is a vital recommendation. The psalms
should be said rhythmically in tune with the rule that meditation
(especially in the East) is always accompanied by regular, deep breathing.
• Praying
the Office is not to be fulfilling an obligation, or making sure
everybody plays their part correctly without ‘mistakes,’ rather, there
is an emotional and spiritual involvement that needs to be fostered. The
General Instruction puts it nicely. Such ‘Praying and praising’… ‘spring from
the depths of the person.’ (270) There is genuine ‘artistic nature and
spiritual value’ to built into the way we say the Office. ‘It is very important
for us to be concerned with the meaning and spirit of what we are doing. The
celebration should not be rigid or artificial, nor should we be merely
concerned with formalities’ (279). ‘Praising God’ should be ‘a delight’ (279).
The psalms must be seen as ‘poems of praise’ or ‘songs of praise.’
• The
psalms more than ‘presents a text to the mind’ - it is meant to ‘move our
spirits’ (103). They are therefore ‘mediations’ and ‘responses of the heart’ to
the ‘movements of the Spirit’ and are accompanied by ‘joy and a spirit of
charity’ (104).
• The
emotions expressed in a psalm can involve ‘pain, hope, misery and confidence’
as well as ‘faith, revelation and redemption’ (107). We should be in tune with
the type of emotion of the literary type of that psalm, be it of lament,
thanksgiving or confidence’ (106). That is why we should have some biblical
instruction especially regarding the psalms (102) - especially in formation
programs.
• The
Liturgy of the Hours is meant to be ‘a source of devotion and nourishment for
personal prayer’ (28). It helps us ‘to seek God and enter into the mystery of
Christ’ (19).
THERE ARE PRACTICAL MEANS TO ACHIEVE THIS:
• There
should be a natural breathing-pause -
after every single line -
as mentioned.
• Silences
are encouraged: after the antiphon of the psalm has been repeated; short or
long silence after the reading; and either before or after the responsory
(202).
• This
time allows one to read the theme of the psalm included in the heading
of the psalm in red (rubric) and as expressed more prayerfully in the
scriptural quote in italics – so that one can prepare emotionally for
praying the psalm in the right spirit (a sense of lament, praise and the like).
• One
can change selection of psalms – as for a votive office (see 252).
• Special
readings can be chosen for special celebrations (see 248).
• See
the options for the second reading of the Office of Readings (250).
• Let
young men learn to make spontaneous intercessions after the general
intercessions for more particular needs of theirs, or on behalf of the Church.
In evening prayer these are made before the last intercession praying for the
dead.
• ♣ As
a special exercise of prayer, to help
young men enter into the feeling and genre of a psalm one may conclude a psalm
by the hebdom asking for the repetition of any line or word that ‘spoke’
more personally to any individual. This needs to be arranged beforehand with
understanding of all, and done meditatively with short silences between the
contributions, and should not go so too long that it becomes painful. In this
case, where more time is spent, maybe another psalm can be left out.
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