the work of a people

the work of a people
who have been doing this a long time (Amy Hunter, 2002)

The Daily Office is part of the Church’s grounding. Grounding in God. Grounding in who we are. Grounding in the inner life. It’s foundational. Solid. An act of obedience and stability that opens us to new life. My thesaurus connects grounding with coaching, guidance, and instruction. Doing the Office doesn’t just happen.

Years ago, Amy Hunter shared her poem “daily office” with participants in the Church Development Institute. I return to it from time to time. I find it grounding. It helps me stay with the prayers at times when I’d rather take a walk, write a book, nap, watch Netflix—I know you understand.

I heard from Amy this morning. I returned to her poem. So, I’ll share “daily office” with you – see below the signature.

Amy writes of the then two most common ways of saying the office—at home with coffee and with a community gathered in a chapel. Last night Sister Michelle, OA and I sat, with wine, on my balcony saying the Office from our iPhones with the city’s noise joining in the praise. This morning I sat in my chair, two candles lit, with coffee, Prayer Book and Bible in hand. For much of my life I’ve been fortunate in being able to say the Office in community—my parishes, on diocesan staff, at monastic houses. In February, before the pandemic, Michelle and I were on retreat at SSJE Cambridge. As Amy said, “we pray five times a day.”

Now there’s another way of offering the Prayers of the Church. Zoom, Facebook, streaming— “the work of a people who have been doing this a long time.” I hear from parish clergy about how the number of people gathering for the daily office has increased. Clergy who have spent much of their ordained life rationalizing why they don’t provide a public office are now saying the prayers. Grounding!

“The real significance of the Divine Office is that in its recitation the individual or group enters the ancient cycle of prayer, by which day by day and hour by hour the church in the name of all creation adores and implores the eternal God” -Evelyn Underhill

“…a way by which we keep ourselves in constant awareness of the divine order; an order of love and justice which embraces and underlies all order” -John Macquarrie

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Amy B. Hunter wrote a poem on the Office that she shared with Church Development Institute participants.  From Fill All Things: The Spiritual Dynamics of the Parish Church, p 178

daily office

three days on the Cape
sharing the sacrament of coffee
doing morning prayer on a porch
from which I could see the ocean
the morning office spoken and laughed
as we read one another’s lines
or added comments to the Scripture
until my husband said from the other room “that was lovely
but I’ve never heard it done as stand-up before” and you said
“we’ve been doing this a long time”

and now I’ve fallen among monks
five days retreat where I could see a river were I to walk that far
we pray five times a day
and here no one laughs at the mis-said lines when guest or brother misses a cue
reads loudly into the silence
then fades—embarrassed perhaps
smiling I hope
and no one begins the reading
“now here’s a surprise—
the people did what was evil
in the sight of the Lord”
and no one slurps coffee
in the midst of confession

yet both catch me and hold
because these prayers are not woven by angels but are built

every day every office anew by human voice and hunger

the work of a people
who have been doing this a long time

~abh~ Transfiguration 2002 Emery House

for Tom Barrington

for the Brothers at Emery House (Printed with permission Amy B. Hunter)

Comments

[Richard Proctor]

Thanks Bob. I find that I am much better amd more faithful at praying the office in community at h to be church. Your post reminded me that on a balcony with a glass of wine FaceTiming with a friend is also meet and right so to do when no other options exist. I have a habit of skipping the office on Sat and Sun bc we don’t offer it at the church then. You inspired me to be more intentional about saying it at home in my pajamas. Thank you.

[Robert Gallagher, OA]

Makes sense to me. Today's MP reading seems related. “Two men went up to the temple to pray, ..... but all who humble themselves will be exalted.”

[Edward Moore]

Yes. I need to be more intentional. I am a work in progress. Slow progress at that! I start anew.