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 and in these hymns of love of the Spouse of Christ.

2. This prayer is most excellent, if we consider the sentiment and the words used. When we pray privately or in common, we express human feelings modified and colored by their natural source. But the prayers of the Church are almost wholly from Sacred Scripture; they express feelings inspired by the Holy Ghost Himself. When we use the inspired language of the Holy Spirit these words of the prayer of the Church are worthy of God, because they are His own words. This prayer is divine, therefore, both in the feelings it expresses and even in the words used.

This, then, is our position when, in the name of the Church, we take up our Office book and say our Hours — as the Apostle says: we “put on the Lord Jesus Christ” We are taking part in the heavenly worship which goes on forever before the great Throne, and are lending our voices to all creation to praise Him Who sits thereon. With such thoughts as these we shall enter upon our Office with a heart attuned to the work we have to do and we shall get from it the profit that Our Lord intends.

Liturgical prayer, such as we have it in the Office and as is laid upon us by the Church, is no private devotion; it is the prayer which the Word Incarnate is ever