It is 3:45
"The silence of the night makes even the smallest prayer great."
Saint Raphael Arnáiz Baron
Matins
3:45, the bell has been ringing for half an hour. The monks, standing and ready, head into the cloister towards the church for the first office of the day: Matins.
Why rise to pray at night? This question is often asked. Visiting a hospital at this hour, encountering the distress and solitude of those dark hours spent in painful anticipation of dawn, provides part of the answer. The monk prays for those who are unable to do so at that moment. At night, the monk, in the church, is a lantern in the darkness of the world.
Lauds and Mass
6:30 rings out from the bell tower. Immediately after, the three strokes announcing Lauds are heard. Once the office is finished, the Mass begins.
Mass is the central pivot of the monk’s entire day. This unique time when grace surrounds him and carries him through the rest of the day.
Terce – Sext – None
After Mass and a personal time of thanksgiving, Terce begins, the first office of the "little hours." It lasts about 15 minutes and marks the start of work and study for the rest of the morning. This time will be punctuated by Sext before the midday meal, and then by None before the resumption of afternoon work. These three short times, spent in the church, help the monk to keep his main goal in sight: to know how to leave behind material tasks and return to prayer and a life of intimacy with Jesus throughout the day.
Vespers
After a day of work, the monks gather in the late afternoon to celebrate Vespers in the church. With the heat eased, a long hymn of praise is sung to give thanks and remain in the presence of the Lord.
Compline
Night has fallen. The monks, before retiring, sing one last office. Reassured by the protective mantle of the Virgin, they place their spirits into the hands of the Lord.