Fr. Gallagher:

THE INSTRUCTION TOLD ME that the Liturgy of the Hours is primarily a prayer of praise. As mentioned, this was new for me. I had seldom thought of praising God and did not understand why this was so important, even the central focus of the Hours. Praise, I thought, was a form of prayer privileged by some and associated with expressive gestures and gospel music. Charismatics praised God. Praise and worship music praised God. In Hispanic ministry, I had encountered warm and compelling prayers of praise. I respected and liked such prayer; but it was not my habitual form of prayer. As I reflected, I realized that I had always centered my prayer of the Hours on two things: meditation on the content of the psalms and readings and petition for various needs. I had never thought of the Liturgy of the Hours as a prayer of praise.

Now I saw that praise situates us in our truth as creatures before our Creator and as those redeemed before our Redeemer. I never doubted that I was God’s creature and that Christ had redeemed me. My awareness of this, however, would often fade in the busyness of the day. I could easily lose sight of God and of who I am before him.

Check our here to hear the podcast referenced here by Fr. Gallagher: IP#260 Daria Sockey – The Everyday Catholic’s Guide to the Liturgy of the Hours

Father Timothy M. Gallagher, O.M.V., was ordained in 1979 as a member of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary, a religious community dedicated to retreats and spiritual formation according to the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. Fr. Gallagher is featured on the EWTN series “Living the Discerning Life: The Spiritual Teachings of St. Ignatius of Loyola”.

For the other episodes in this series check out Fr. Timothy Gallagher’s “Discerning Hearts” page

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