The blessing of daily prayer. . .

Though we all know the blessing of prayer, too often we pray only when we face emergencies outside our control.  Then the urgent prayer of the faithful petitions the God who sits upon His throne of grace in pursuit not only of an answer but also for peace to the anxious soul and troubled heart and mind.  But the daily prayer offices do just that.  They direct us to the comfort of God's presence, His power against the evil one, and His promise to deliver us to everlasting life.  No matter what urgency we bring before the Lord, those needs were probably already addressed in the daily prayer offices and directed to the Lord.

Take Compline, for example.  The office begins with words that direct you to the point of it all.

Opening Versicles

The Lord Almighty grant us a quiet night and peace at the last.

Amen.

 

It is good to give thanks to the Lord, 

to sing praises to Your name, O Most High;

 

to herald Your love in the morning,

Your truth at the close of the day.

Then directly to confession.  There is no peace for the soul unless we have been set right with God through confession and there is no peace on earth until we are reconciled to our brothers and sisters.

Confession of Sins

I confess to God Almighty, before the whole company of heaven and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have sinned in thought, word, and deed by my fault, by my own fault, by my own most grievous fault; wherefore I pray God Almighty to have mercy on me, forgive me all my sins, and bring me to everlasting life. Amen.

The almighty and merciful Lord grant you pardon, forgiveness, and remission of all your sins. Amen.

I confess to God Almighty, before the whole company of heaven and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have sinned in thought, word, and deed by my fault, by my own fault, by my own most grievous fault; wherefore I pray God Almighty to have mercy on me, forgive me all my sins, and bring me to everlasting life. Amen.

The almighty and merciful Lord grant you pardon, forgiveness, and remission of all your sins.

Amen.

Then comes the Word of the Lord with Psalm and reading (best appointed from the daily lectionary or perhaps a lectio continua that leads you through entire books).  What word gives peace to the soul more than the Word of the Lord that endures forever.  And then the Responsory -- the repeated response hitting us over and over and over again.  Do you get it yet?

Responsory

Into Your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.

Into Your hands I commend my spirit.

You have redeemed me, O Lord, God of truth.

Into Your hands I commend my spirit.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. 

Into Your hands I commend my spirit.

And the prayers. Is that not why we are here? What may seem trite (apple of Your eye) is Scripture.  God's Word.

Is there a better prayer than to pray Scripture? We pray back to God in faith what He has given us as promise.

Versicles

Hear my prayer, O Lord;

listen to my cry.

 

Keep me as the apple of Your eye;

hide me in the shadow of Your wings.

 

In righteousness I shall see You;

when I awake, Your presence will give me joy.

Adding a traditional collect for Compline puts the focus where it needs to be.  Abide with us, in our homes, and drive away the evil one and all his taunts, temptations, and lies.  Instead place the angels with us to preserve us by Your mighty power in the perfect peace that passes understanding.

Visit our dwellings, O Lord, and drive from them all the snares of the enemy; let Your holy angels dwell with us to preserve us in peace; and let Your blessing be on us always; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.  Amen.

And then the night song of the Church -- the words the Holy Spirit taught us through Simeon.  Is there a better song to sing in the night hours as we prepare ourselves for the little death of sleep and from little death that must give way to Christ's power and raise us to be with Him where He has prepared the place forevermore?

Nunc Dimittis

Guide us waking, O Lord,

and guard us sleeping

that awake we may watch with Christ

and sleep we may rest in peace.

 

Lord, now You let Your servant go in peace;

Your word has been fulfilled.

My own eyes have seen the salvation

which You have prepared in the sight of ev’ry people:

a light to reveal You to the nations

and the glory of Your people Israel.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son

and to the Holy Spirit;

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen.

Guide us waking, O Lord,

and guard us sleeping

that awake we may watch with Christ

and asleep we may rest in peace.

And just in case you did not hear it first,, the antiphon that introduces the Nunc Dimittis is put in your own mouth and you sing it.  Personally, I cannot imagine words more concise and comfortable to the soul that this little prayer that introduces and ends the Song of Simeon.

And what is left?  Then go joyfully to your rest, in the assurance that God is with you and nothing can separate you from the power of His love that has already redeemed you, restored you through forgiveness, and raised you in baptism to be His own and to live under Him in His kingdom now and forever.

I'm already nodding off. . . . .