Holy Rule for February 23
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St. Mary's Monastery
Feb 22, 2026, 5:54:41 PMFeb 22
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Br. Jerome Leo’s Daily Reflection on the Holy Rule
February 23, June 24, October 24
Chapter 18: In What Order the Psalms Are to Be Said (12-19)
Vespers are to be sung with four Psalms every day. These shall begin with Psalm 109 and go on to Psalm 147, omitting those which are set apart for other Hours; that is to say that with the exception of Psalms 117 to 127 and Psalms 133 and 142, all the rest of these are to be said at Vespers. And since there are three Psalms too few, let the longer ones of the above number be divided, namely Psalms 138, 143 and 144. But let Psalm 116 because of its brevity be joined to Psalm 115.
The order of the Vesper Psalms being thus settled, let the rest of the Hour - lesson, responsory, hymn, verse and canticle - be carried out as we prescribed above.
At Compline the same Psalms are to be repeated every day, namely Psalms 4, 90 and 133.
REFLECTION
The hours of Vespers and Compline are very different and refreshing. They are evening hours, not followed by work, except for the light clean up after supper. Vespers is like finally getting home and shutting the door after a long day and a tough commute. It is a flavor no other hour has. It ends the workday, leaving the evening for family. Not shabby! A rite of passage from the job to the home hearth!
A brief glance at the Psalms for Vespers will show that they are yet another example of consecutive, running psalmody. One right after another, except for a few which get bumped elsewhere or thoughtfully divided because of their length. Apparently by numerical happenstance, Psalm 140 winds up in the Vespers grouping, and it is most appropriate: "Let my prayer ascend to You like incense and the lifting up of my hands like an evening sacrifice." Historically, Psalm 140 has appeared in the Vespers or services of light (Lucenaria) of many, many rites.
For active monasteries, or for busy Oblates in the world, evening and early morning are often the only times available for relative cloister and focus. The morning hours are largely available to anyone willing or able to get up while the rest of the world (including the kids!) sleeps, the evening hours perhaps less so. Those evenings are family times par excellence and our first vocations must always be respected.
If, as a working parent or spouse, getting home means just getting started with dinner, don't despair! There is (or can be, if you provide for it,) a lot of undistracted solitude in cooking, even if it is rather harried cooking. The solitude of a cook in the kitchen, at work feeding loved ones, is a rich one, indeed. That exercise of care for your loved ones is truly prayer, a graced act of love!
If you are into CD's, get one of somebody else singing Vespers and play it. Heaven knows, if you can put up with the kids' music, they can put up with yours for half an hour a day. Even if you do not listen to every word, the soothing chant will settle into your bones, become a backdrop of peace on which you can position the rest of your evening. Give it a shot for two weeks and I'll bet you find your evening meals and later times very different, because YOU are different!
We carry a CD in our gift shop from the monks of Solesmes which has Sunday Vespers and Compline. Click on this link:
https://stmarysgiftshop.com/chant-cds/vespers-compline-chant-cd.html
Br. Jerome Leo Hughes, OSB (RIP)
Br. Jerome Leo’s Daily Reflection on the Holy Rule
February 23, June 24, October 24
Chapter 18: In What Order the Psalms Are to Be Said (12-19)
Vespers are to be sung with four Psalms every day. These shall begin with Psalm 109 and go on to Psalm 147, omitting those which are set apart for other Hours; that is to say that with the exception of Psalms 117 to 127 and Psalms 133 and 142, all the rest of these are to be said at Vespers. And since there are three Psalms too few, let the longer ones of the above number be divided, namely Psalms 138, 143 and 144. But let Psalm 116 because of its brevity be joined to Psalm 115.
The order of the Vesper Psalms being thus settled, let the rest of the Hour - lesson, responsory, hymn, verse and canticle - be carried out as we prescribed above.
At Compline the same Psalms are to be repeated every day, namely Psalms 4, 90 and 133.
REFLECTION
The hours of Vespers and Compline are very different and refreshing. They are evening hours, not followed by work, except for the light clean up after supper. Vespers is like finally getting home and shutting the door after a long day and a tough commute. It is a flavor no other hour has. It ends the workday, leaving the evening for family. Not shabby! A rite of passage from the job to the home hearth!
A brief glance at the Psalms for Vespers will show that they are yet another example of consecutive, running psalmody. One right after another, except for a few which get bumped elsewhere or thoughtfully divided because of their length. Apparently by numerical happenstance, Psalm 140 winds up in the Vespers grouping, and it is most appropriate: "Let my prayer ascend to You like incense and the lifting up of my hands like an evening sacrifice." Historically, Psalm 140 has appeared in the Vespers or services of light (Lucenaria) of many, many rites.
For active monasteries, or for busy Oblates in the world, evening and early morning are often the only times available for relative cloister and focus. The morning hours are largely available to anyone willing or able to get up while the rest of the world (including the kids!) sleeps, the evening hours perhaps less so. Those evenings are family times par excellence and our first vocations must always be respected.
If, as a working parent or spouse, getting home means just getting started with dinner, don't despair! There is (or can be, if you provide for it,) a lot of undistracted solitude in cooking, even if it is rather harried cooking. The solitude of a cook in the kitchen, at work feeding loved ones, is a rich one, indeed. That exercise of care for your loved ones is truly prayer, a graced act of love!
If you are into CD's, get one of somebody else singing Vespers and play it. Heaven knows, if you can put up with the kids' music, they can put up with yours for half an hour a day. Even if you do not listen to every word, the soothing chant will settle into your bones, become a backdrop of peace on which you can position the rest of your evening. Give it a shot for two weeks and I'll bet you find your evening meals and later times very different, because YOU are different!
We carry a CD in our gift shop from the monks of Solesmes which has Sunday Vespers and Compline. Click on this link:
https://stmarysgiftshop.com/chant-cds/vespers-compline-chant-cd.html
Br. Jerome Leo Hughes, OSB (RIP)
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