Moreover, the Divine Office is a most efficacious means of sanctification. Certainly it is not a mere recitation of formularies or of artistically executed chants; it is not just a question of respect for certain norms, called rubrics, or for external ceremonies of worship; it is above all a matter of elevating the mind and heart to God, in unison with the blessed spirits,49Cf. Litt. Enc Mediator Dei: A.A.S., XXXIX, 1947, p. 574. who eternally sing praises to God. Therefore, the canonical hours should be recited “worthily, attentively, and with devotion”, as we are reminded at the beginning of the Office.
TheoFons