And if you think about it, it makes sense. Pray in the morning for grace and strength to get through the day. Pray in the evening thanks for being upheld through work and labor, pray at night for a safe rest now and eternally. Noon is the hour for the Angelus, the Annunciation, and the prayers reflect that too.
The great thing about the Hours is that it gives you a pattern and structure for prayer, not just when you happen to remember it, and whatever you happen to pray. Don't know about you, but I appreciate a pattern to go by. You can add your own petitions, the Hours allow for that.
The Episcopalians (I used to be one) have kept the Liturgy of the Hours in modified form, so I'm used to this system. The Piskies are famous for what they call Evensong and what Catholics call Choral Vespers. It is one of the most beautiful prayer services you will ever attend. We once went to Evensong in St. Paul's Cathedral in London - they have a fabulous men-and-boys choir (the traditional English choir) and it was magnificent.
This is not Evensong (it's the Queen's jubilee service, I believe) but this is a well known anthem that you could well hear at Choral Vespers: Ralph Vaughan Williams, "Let all the world in every corner sing. Words by George Herbert. We sing this one too, but we don't have the reverb time of the St. Paul's dome.
. . . and THAT's why we have Choral Vespers! :-)
The Bible says we are to pray without ceasing.
I get praying all day, I am just not getting the different names, seems to be chaotic.
Also, I do not get prayer books, I think that prayers that are read aren’t much of a prayer.
When I pray with my grandchildren, the oldest says, “in Jesus name, send.” I love that innocence.
The youngest says, “Dear Heavily Father, Amen”. He is two.
Prayers are from the heart.
I’m a ‘cradle Catholic’, but I’m an Anglophile when it comes to Church music. I LOVE Thomas Tallis, William Byrd, and Ralph Vaughn Williams. When we lived in NJ, I was in a Parish Choir whose director used a hymnal called “Oxford Hymnal”, or something like that. Gorgeous music!