A Book of Hours

This book is a difficult one to rate. As one who daily reads the writings of Merton, while also struggling to keep focused praying with one of the standard church breviaries, I avoided this book for a number of years thinking it was a gimmick. Yet, I kept seeing this Merton A Book of Hours at numerous retreat centers that I attended. Eventually, I gave it a go and ordered a copy, not really thinking that it would become a regular part of my daily prayer. Yet, it has. Kathleen Deignan should be congratulated for piecing together this breviary-like book, based on the poetry and prose of Merton. I was delighted to see three of my favorites included, Hagia Sophia, the Fire Watch, and The Letter of Contemplatives to the World (which is the evening lesson during the week). There is plenty of room to adapt each hour, which I typically do by adding a Psalm or two from the Bible. The emphasis on silence during each hour is a great reminder, as well.The Merton Book of Hours will be appreciated by Merton fans and those who seek to be more contemplative in their daily prayer. It may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I greatly appreciate this text and have used it regularly for daily prayer and reflection.

The Book of Hours by Thomas Merton called me to a deeper sense of myself. Each day of the week, Merton's thoughts, meditations, and prayers pulled me into a journey of love. Merton is considered one of the great spiritual directors of the 20th century. The anguish and joy through his own journey toward the mystery we call God acts as a guidepost for those who wish to find the peace that only God can offer. This little gem of a book enables those who want to find a more penetrating prayer time to find words and images that help in the journey to the "small light that burns within each of us, that light being God."The editors manipulated a wealth of Merton's poetry, letters, canticles and journal entries to meld into a liturgically poetic book of hours or opus dei for the every day. The reader is presented with a week's worth of prayers and meditations organized in the traditional monastic style. However, instead of the seven hours or calls to prayer in the day, the editors shaped the daily prayer into four notable "hours:" Dawn, Day, Dusk, and Dark. Each part of the day brings the reader a reason to move forward, a reason to be, a reason to love each other more.Merton's writing is never an easy read. He demands much of his audience. Often a meditation or prayer needs to be reread to glean its potential meaning for the reader, but that is the beauty of reading the mind of a seeker of peace in this world and the next. For those new to Merton, there may be an urge to put the little tome down, but hang in there. With every paragraph, this monk provides another window for inspiration and contemplation. He even encourages creative responses to silence:Night calls, the door opens;Darkness envelops the walk.Forest stars bring me home.Frank ChampineLanghorne, PA

I don't think this book will be for everyone. But if you're a fan of Merton and want a book of hours to change up your daily office, this is worth a try. Personally I am at times positively challenged, other times comforted, and once in a while perplexed with selections made for this book. I go to it often, especially when I need a break from routine. I often wonder what Merton would have thought of this book. It's likely he'd hate it for reasons of modesty, but maybe not. I think he'd be as challenged as we are because the things he's written are fundamental observations and questions.While I don't use it every day, I will go through it five or six times each year, often not completing each hour but doing morning and evening parts. Occasionally I have found it useful to bring to work to do a mid-day office. It's also a great book if you're going on a retreat into nature--in fact this for me has been the best use as Merton's words are inextricably connected to his natural surroundings.

A book that takes Thomas Merton's BEST writings and arranges them in prayers for Sunday (Genesis) to Saturday (Wisdom) at the 4 Hours named: DAWN, DAY, DUSK, & DARK. These are the best formed Breviary prayers I've found in a lifetime. The writings selected from Merton are his more lyrical, mystical, and poetic writings, and lacks the dusty prose quality he sometimes has. I found this book to be the new central structure of my life time now. It shoved aside all manner of chaff. I enjoy much more time in prayer and contemplation now, and much less time online wasting hours. I did not find the traditional OFFICE to help in this regard, and this doesn't displace or replace the other more traditional breviaries, but it is a serious and beautiful alternative for solitary or communal prayer. I have experienced my entire life restructured around what I can only say is MY VOCATION REKINDLED. Solitude, contemplation, prayer have returned after many years of abeyance. The book is always new. For the solitary, this is a great window of light beaming in from the sun! You'll not be surprised that I've bought several as gifts for others, and keep extra here in my hermitage so prayer aloud with visitors is enabled. Benedicite! Taste and try....

I had never even heard of Thomas Merton when I was a Protestant. So far as a Catholic convert I have yet to read any of his books, though I am looking forward to having a look when I can get around to it. As I am a sucker for prayer books, especially those containing a daily office, I bought this.This is not quite what I expected. I was expected that it would follow the tradition of a Medieval Book of Hours, with Psalms and Scripture readings, interspersed with meditations from the writings of Thomas Merton. However, while it follows the structure of a daily office, with Psalms, canticles, readings and collects, the material is entirely taken from Thomas Merton's writings. Given that Merton was a monk who prayed the Psalms daily, I have my doubts that he would have approved the replacement of inspired Scripture with his own words.Some of Merton's words are very beautiful and inspiring. However, a lot of the time his profound thoughts leave me scratching my head, confused as to what he is actually saying. There is a time for reading opaque and challenging spiritual writings, but I do not think morning and evening prayer is that time. A daily office is all about routine, consistency and simplicity. When one has just cleaned one's teeth and needs to set off for work in twenty minutes one is better off reading the Psalms. There are people of a poetical and mystical temperament who will relish this book. This may be the book they want; but it is not necessarily the book they need.One thing I did really appreciate was the emphasis on Sophia, divine wisdom in the Saturday office. This fits nicely with the tradition of Marian devotion on Saturday. When one has time on one's hands, it may be worth using this book of hours for a few days.

Merton wrote in a most thought provoking and quirky way. A contemplative, he shares his experience in a unique style; not ramming sanctity and puritanical values down the reader's throat, but humorously, poetically, simply. The reader can feel nature singing all around, from the humble husk of the fruit to the hills and the sun above. He observes human and Divine nature in a subtle but truly deep manner that amuses and delights.

I was on a retreat at Alton Abbey and we were studying Thomas Merton and I found the book very interesting and I brought more of his books to read

I have the ebook, but having the book in your hands is far better.

Superb book but spoilt by previous owners notes all over it !