As promised, this is the first of a short series of posts on the individual hours to help those new to the Benedictine Office navigate my notes on it.
When is Lauds said?
The first of the 'day' hours that St Benedict lists in chapter 16 of the Rule is Lauds, which he wanted his monks to start at first light each day (so the start time varies with the season).
That isn't always practical for either monks or oblates these days, but whatever time you actually say it, it is worth keeping in mind the symbolism of the rising of the sun/rising of the Son (Resurrection) and bringing of light both to our own souls, and to the world.
Where is it in your Office book?
The texts for Lauds are in the psalter section of your Office book (in the middle of the Diurnal, after the 'of time' section, or at the beginning of the Antiphonale).
It follows immediately after Prime even though it is said before it because the psalter more or less follows the numerical order of the psalms.
The structure of the hour
The structure of the hour and relevant page numbers for the Diurnal are summarised below.
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Opening prayers – Deus… | MD 1, 37-8 or 58.
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Psalm 66 – Deus misereatur… | MD 38, 58-9. |
Antiphons (said before and after each psalm, canticle, or group of psalms) | Of the day of the week, feast or season. |
Sunday: Psalm 50, 117, 62; Benedicite (canticle); Laudate Psalms Festal: Psalm 92, 99, 62; Benedicite or festal canticle of the day of the week; Laudate psalms Ferial: Psalm 50; 2 variable psalms of the day of the week; OT canticle of the day; Laudate psalms Ps 148-150 | Sunday: MD 39 and following (ff) Festal (for feasts): MD 44 ff. Monday: MD 59 ff. Tuesday: MD 76 ff. Wednesday: MD 89 ff. Thursday: MD 102 ff. Friday: MD 118 ff. Saturday: MD 133 ff. |
Chapter (default texts for the day(s) of the week are in psalter section under each day of the week as above. | For day, season or feast. |
Short Responsory (default text in psalter section) | For day, season or feast. |
Hymn (default text in psalter section) | For day, season or feast. |
Versicle (default text in psalter section) | For day, season or feast. |
Antiphon for the Benedictus (said before and after the canticle). | Sunday: For the Sunday of the liturgical year (or feast). Weekdays: For day, season or feast. |
Benedictus | MD 56-7 or 73-4. |
Closing prayers - Kyrie… | MD 57-8 or 75. |
- Collect | Of the week of the liturgical year, special day (Saturday of Our Lady, Lent or Ember Day, etc) or feast. |
- Commemoration of the saint or day | Canticle antiphon, versicle and collect said immediately after the collect of the day |
For more detailed notes on how to say the hour, go here.
A few key things to keep in mind with Lauds are that:
- the three Laudate psalms, 148 - 150 (which close the psalms of the hour) are said under one doxology (Gloria Patri/Glory be) rather than a doxology for each psalm as is usually the case;
- the short responsory used at Lauds is usually given in abbreviated form rather than being written out in full. To learn how to interpret the abbreviated form, go here; and
- Sundays have an antiphon for the Benedictus canticle that is for the specific Sunday of the liturgical year (the Sunday after Pentecost etc) which can be found in the 'of time' section of your book.
There are also two very common questions around Lauds that you might want to read up on:
- when and how to make a 'commemoration' of a feast or day; and
- (when) should you use the festal canticles of Lauds.
