Monday, July 23, 2007

Morning Prayer

So, as mentioned previously, I prayed Morning Prayer this morning. There was a reading from 1 Samuel and one from Acts, psalms 110 to 113 (I do the 30-day rotation), and the canticles Ecce, Deus and Magna et Mirabilia. I was glad to start with those two, because they're pretty good. The Cantemus Domino - Miriam's song from the far bank of the Red Sea, after watching Pharoah's army drown - is one I struggle with when it comes up every Thursday. My favorite of the canticles is the Surge, Illuminare, which makes my voice smile whenever I pray it.

Yesterday, in preparation, I gathered my bible (Harper-Collins Study Bible, in case you're interested - an NRSV study bible with the apocrypha), the comfortable and well worn BCP that I was given at confirmation, and my psalter. I got the right page marked in the daily office lectionary and marked the readings for this morning in my bible. And then, in a fit of geekiness, started leafing through the BCP psalter and my chant psalter, and marking each psalm in the psalter with which day it falls on and whether it is prayed in morning or evening. I got partway through 119 before running out of time.

And why, oh why, did I start praying Morning Prayer before getting to 119 in the rotation? It seems to go on forever!

So this morning, I got a candle to light while I prayed, and I sat at my table with my books. And I realized, I don't have anything to light this candle with! So I shrugged (with my left shoulder, anyway) and began the Office. It was good. Comfortable. Like slipping into your favorite bathrobe and slippers on the first really chilly day of autumn. Like snuggling into freshly washed sheets and burrowing under the covers. Like drinking a tall glass of cold lemonade after mowing the lawn in August.

God is good.
Amen.

P.S. Hey, mompriest! I had thought about ordering the Contemporary Daily Office book, or also about putting my name on the list for the combo BCP/NRSV book. But yesterday, book lust combined with music lust to get the better of me, and I ordered not one but three copies of this instead. I don't need three of them - two are gifts - but I can't wait to try out some of those descants on my flute! Especially the ones described as "reflective and quiet" - YUM!