IDJC PRAYER Books
The Liturgy of the Hours is the primary inspiration for these prayer books.
Download this 12 page pdf document and print it as a "booklet."
DailyGospelReadings.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [401.2 KB]
DRAWING ON THE LIFE OF OUR LORD
Charles Dickens wrote The Life of Our Lord for his young children in the 1840’s. His family published it in 1934. It is one of several little books I like to read during long walks.
Some years ago I made a rough outline of it for retreats and such until one Monk Monday was spent with that outline and a brush and some black ink. These ink brush drawings are from that day, with apologies to real artists everywhere.
Some of the drawings appeared in a meditation rendering called A Jesus Breviary, but I have often wanted to put them with the outline of Dickens’ great little book for his children. Crayons are allowed. - Steve Wolf Christmas 2018
The outline is listed on the back cover:
Birth, Shepherds, Wise Men, Escape, The Innocents, Twelve Years Old, Baptism, Wilderness, Marriage Feast, The Twelve, Fish, Teaching, Healings, Pharisees, Son of a Widow, Asleep in a Boat, Calming of Storm, Casting Out Spirits, Beheading, Tears and Hair, Pool of Bethesda, Five Loaves and Two Fish, Walking on Water, Miracles, Sending of Disciples, Death Prediction, Transfiguration, Forgiveness, Generous Master, Unforgiving Servant, A Woman Accused, Compassionate Samaritan, Excuses of Those Invited, Zacchaeus, Prodigal Son, Rich Man and Beggar Lazarus, Proud and Humble Men, Tribute to Caesar, Widow with Two Mites, Lazarus of Bethany, Mary of Bethany, Entering On an Ass, Casting Out Tables, More Blind and Lame, Washing Feet, One Betrayer, Thirty Pieces of Silver, The Last Supper, Three Times, Gethsemane, Judas' Kiss, Peter's Denial, Scribes and Priests, Judas' Life, Pontius Pilate, Beaten Mocked Crowned with Thorns, Behold the Man, Crucify Him, Washes Hands, Nailed Alive, Clothing, People Passing, John the Beloved, Four Women, Mary, Deep Terrible Darkness, Vinegar, It Is Finished, Wrapped and Buried, Mary Magdalene, Stone Rolled Away, John and Peter at the Empty Tomb, Stranger Walking to Emmaus, Shows his Hands and Feet...
2018, paperback, 4"X6", 72 pages, $8.95
TWO WEEKS ORDINARY
Psalms, Canticles, Sayings of Jesus,
and Readings on the Christian Life
is a meditation rendering of Psalms (146 of the 150), Canticles (40), Sayings of Jesus, Scripture Readings on the Christian Life (42), and traditional songs from the public domain (46), arranged for offices of Readings, Morning Prayer, Daytime Prayer, Evening Prayer, and Night Prayer. Almost all of the Psalms and Canticles and Readings are placed on the same day of the week as in the four-week traditional cycle of the Liturgy of the Hours. Here the 1st and 3rd weeks of the four-week cycle are in Week I, and the 2nd and 4th weeks of the four-week cylcle are in Week II. Designed by a former parish priest as a straightforward introduction to praying the Liturgy of the Hours, Two Weeks Ordinary can also be used for private prayer and meditation by veterans of the breviary who wish now and then to pray the full Psalter in two weeks. Most of the antiphons are Sayings of Jesus drawn from Sunday Gospel readings: In the Sunday Lectionary, the Old Testament readings have connections with the Gospel reading, and the "responsorial psalm" is a "response" to the Old Testament reading. This means that on any given Sunday there is a relationship between the Gospel reading and the Psalm. The antiphons were chosen based on this relationship.
2017, paperback, 4.37"X7", 579 pages, $21.95
A JESUS BREVIARY
Jesus is that man who lived in the first third of what we now call the first century, in Nazareth near the Sea of Galilee in what is now called Israel, who we also know as the Son of God, Christ the Anointed One, Savior, Redeemer, Risen Lord, and a host of other names.
A Breviary is a portable prayerbook, usually with psalms, canticles, songs, scripture readings and prayers.
A Jesus Breviary is full of meditation renderings of scripture passages on the love of God; events, miracles, parables, sayings and the paschal mystery of Jesus; the Holy Spirit; and the Christian life.
2015, paperback, 4.4" X 7", eight 31-day sections, 339 pages, $14.95
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Click here for information on ordering and on the 31 Day meditation series.
ONE WEEK in ORDINARY TIME
is a meditation rendering of Psalms (146 of the 150), Canticles (40), Sayings of Jesus, Scripture Readings on the Christian Life (42), and traditional songs from the public domain (46), arranged for offices of Readings, Prophets, Morning Prayer, Daytime, Evening Prayer, and Night Prayer. Almost all of the Psalms and Canticles and Readings are placed on the same day of the week as in the four-week traditional cycle of the Liturgy of the Hours. Designed by a former parish priest as a straightforward introduction to praying the Liturgy of the Hours, One Week can also be used for private prayer and meditation by veterans of the breviary who wish now and then to pray the full Psalter in one week. Most of the antiphons are Sayings of Jesus drawn from Sunday Gospel readings: In the Sunday Lectionary, the Old Testament readings have connections with the Gospel reading, and the "responsorial psalm" is a "response" to the Old Testament reading. This means that on any given Sunday there is a relationship between the Gospel reading and the Psalm. The antiphons were chosen based on this relationship.
2016, paperback, 4.37"X7", 451 pages, $17.75
2016, paperback, 5"X8", 45 pages, $5.95
GoneBeforeUsPersonalUseEdition.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [343.6 KB]
2016, paperback, 4.37"X7", 71 pages, $6.95
A SIMPLE FAMILY BREVIARY
from the Psalms of Saint Francis of Assisi
and the Commons of Mary and the Saints
is a modern version of the Little Office of Saint Francis of Assisi by a former parish priest trying to help families pray together. Each prayer session includes a traditional song, a psalm of the season, either a psalm of Saint Francis or a psalm from the commons of Mary and the Saints, and closing praises. The order of prayer is easy to follow and offers variety day to day and month to month, and includes a calendar of major feasts of the church year. This simple once-daily prayer is suitable for a family, the classroom, midday at work, and with co-workers. Stephen Joseph Wolf was a parish priest of the diocese of Nashville, and Angie Bosio is Director of Youth Ministry at St. Stephen Catholic Community in Old Hickory, Tennessee.
Paperback Edition, 2012, 5"X8", 104 pages, $7.95
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ASimpleFamilyBreviaryEasterSample.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [866.0 KB]
Links to HymnTime.com for Tunes Used in A Simple Family Breviary;
the link gives you the song for which the tune was first written; click MIDI
to hear the melody.
Advent: Come Thou Long Expected Jesus STUTTGART
O Come, O Come, Emmanueal VENI EMMANUAL
Christmas: Angels We Have Heard On High GLORIA
O Come All Ye Faithful ADESTE FIDELES
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing MENDELSSOHN
O Sanctissima O DU FROLICHE
January: On Jordan's Bank WINCHESTER NEW
Creator of the Stars of Night CONDITOR
February: Faith of Our Ancestors ST. CATHERINE
Shepherd of Souls ST. AGNES
Lent: Forty Days and Forty Nights HEINLEIN
When I Survey the Wondrous Cross SPIRES
Easter: We Walk By Faith ST. AGNES
Ye Sons and Daughters O FILII ET FILIAE
CalendarOfMajorSaintsFeasts.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [233.2 KB]
HINGE HOURS for ORDINARY TIME
is a meditation rendering of Psalms (147), Canticles (41), Sayings of Jesus, Scripture Readings on the Christian Life (56), and traditional songs from the public domain (56), arranged for the two "hinge hours" of Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer for the four-week cycle of Ordinary Time. Designed by a former parish priest as a straightforward introduction to praying the Liturgy of the Hours, Hinge Hours For Ordinary Time can also be used for private prayer and meditation by veterans of the breviary. Most of the antiphons are Sayings of Jesus drawn from Sunday Gospel readings: In the Sunday Lectionary, the Old Testament readings have connections with the Gospel reading, and the "responsorial psalm" is a "response" to the Old Testament reading. This means that on any given Sunday there is a relationship between the Gospel reading and the Psalm, and the antiphons were chosen based on this relationship. This work was previously published as Hinge Hours Experiment.
2014, paperback, 5"X8", 521 pages, $19.95
HingeHourFourWeekSchedule.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [58.5 KB]
HINGE HOURS for ADVENT
is a meditation rendering of Psalms (147), Canticles (37), and Scripture Readings for the Season of Advent (30), and traditional Advent songs (14), arranged for the two "hinge hours" of Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer for complete Advent Season, from the Vigil of the Sunday nearest to November 30 through Morning Prayer on December 24. Designed by a parish priest as a straightforward introduction to praying the Liturgy of the Hours, Hinge Hours For Advent can also be used for private prayer and meditation by veterans of the breviary. The companion volumes are Hinge Hours for Ordinary Time, for Christmas, and for Lent & Easter.
2014, paperback, 5"X8", 453 pages, $17.95
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HINGE HOURS for CHRISTMAS
is a meditation rendering of Psalms (63), Canticles (14), Scripture Readings on the Christian Life (40), and traditional songs from the public domain (36), arranged for the two "hinge hours" of Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer for the cycle of the Season of Christmas, from Evening Prayer on December 24 through Evening Prayer of the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. Designed by a parish priest as a straightforward introduction to praying the Liturgy of the Hours, the Hinge Hours can also be used for private prayer and meditation by veterans of the breviary.
2014, paperback, 5"X8", 271 pages, $12.95
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HINGE HOURS for LENT and EASTER
is a meditation rendering of Psalms (147), Canticles (38), and Scripture Readings for the Seasons of Lent and Easter (50), and traditional songs for Lent and Easter (38), arranged for the two "hinge hours" of Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer. Designed by a former parish priest as a straightforward introduction to praying the Liturgy of the Hours, Hinge Hours for Lent and Easter can also be used for private prayer and meditation by veterans of the breviary. The companion volumes are Hinge Hours for Ordinary Time, for Advent, and for Christmas.
2015, paperback, 5"X8", 523 pages, $19.95
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HINGE HOUR SINGER
is a book of songs that most Catholics know, or want to know, traditional songs designed for use in Morning and Evening Prayer, called the "hinge hours" of the day in the instruction to the Liturgy of the Hours. Stephen Joseph Wolf is a former a parish priest who has been praying the "hinge hours" at the opening and closing of the day for thirty years, and wanted a set of songs he knows. The songs of Hinge Hour Singer are marked for the individual singer without accompaniment, and are arranged for the seven days of the week for the seasons of Advent and Christmas, Lent and Easter, and the four-week cycle of Ordinary Time. After each song are scripture suggestions for prayer in the singer's own Bible, usually 3 psalms, a canticle, and something from a New Testament letter.
2011, paperback, 5"X8", $9.95
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PSALTER of LECTIO
is a Revised guide to using your Bible to pray the way a monk might pray outside of the monastery. "Psalter" means the collection of psalms and canticles (poems and songs embedded in scripture) used by the early hermits, a collection developed by St. Benedict and the entire monastic tradition, which is always in a state of reform. "Lectio" is shorthand for "lectio divina," which means literally "sacred reading." Psalter of Lectio allows a pray-er to review the antiphons of all of the psalms and canticles prayed by the Church on a particular day of the week, choose an antiphon that seems to speak to him or her, and then go to the related psalm or canticle to listen to what the Lord might want to say on a particular day. Included are concise and descriptive paragraphs on ways to use the book, the traditional four-step process of lectio divina (read, meditate, dialogue, and being open to contemplation), brief summaries of what some of today's teachers of praying are saying, and an invitation into "lectio continua," or continuous day-to-day reading in prayer of the Bible in its entirety, as one abbot says, "omitting nothing, doing honor to the integrity of revelation." Psalms for Night Prayer are also offered, as are simple charts comparing Psalter of Lectio with the Four-Week Psalter used by most priests and religious, and a chapter-a-day reading plan for praying the entire Catholic Bible over 44 months. Most significant are the three blank lines following each psalm antiphon to allow the pray-er to enter the psalm verses prayed, and so build his or her own Personal Psalter for those times when prayer is difficult. Compiled by a former parish priest who loves praying the Psalms and the Gospels, Psalter of Lectio may be the best answer to the oft-repeated question of believers: I want to pray with my Bible; how do I begin?
2009, 2012, paperback, 5"X8", 107 pages, $7.95
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IN HEALTH and IN HEALING
is a collection of short readings of psalms, canticles, and other sacred scripture, plus songs from the Christian tradition, arranged for mornings and evenings of the seven days of the week. It is rooted in a summer chaplaincy internship at Emory Hospital in Atlanta, during the '96 Olympic games: a Catholic seminarian offering short readings from the Psalter, and watching faithful Baptists, Methodists, Jews and so many others taking in the sacred word with reverence resembling a Catholic receiving holy communion. This experience deepened a future parish priest's appreciation of the sacramentality of the word. These passages gave great consolation then, and are still helpful in pastoral care. On the occasional day of depression, Stephen Joseph Wolf uses this as his breviary.
Hardback Gift Edition, 2012, 5" by 8", 47 pages, $15.95
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Paperback Editon, 2012, 5" by 8", 47 pages, $6.95
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BEST of the PSALTER
is a meditation rendering of
40 short Psalm passages, 11 Canticles, and
35 passages from Hebrew and Christian scriptures.
Part I (Jesus, Mary & the Saints), drawn from the Commons of Mary and the Saints, have proven especially helpful for those trying to discern whether they are being called to pray the Liturgy of the Hours.
Part II (Work Hours) is inspired by the psalms and readings of the Midday Hours and reflection on years of working as a student, janitor, launderer, clerk, landscaper, accountant, and parish priest.
Part III (In Health & In Healing) has roots in a hospital chaplaincy internship, often offering short readings from the Psalter, and watching faithful Methodists, Baptists, Jews and others taking in the sacred word with a reverence that resembles a Catholic receiving holy communion.
Steve Wolf prayed the Psalter for twenty-five years from several different translations in his ministry as a former parish priest for the Diocese of Nashville, Tennessee.
2010, paperback, 5"X8", 105 pages, $8.95
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InHealthInHealingFreeEbklt.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [752.2 KB]
GOSPEL of LIFE PRAYER CYCLE
is a collection of scripture, song, seven excerpts from a Pope's encyclical, and a little pondering of a parish priest, designed to help Peace and Justice groups to pray, study, act and love. The life issues for prayer are arranged monthly, January to December: The Adoption Option, Health Care With Dignity, Nonviolence of Jesus, God's Good Earth, Work That Works, Being Sexual Beings, Freedom of Religion, Food-Clothing-Shelter, Education, Natural Dying, World Peace, and Sabbath Rest. Each set of scripture is arranged for either group or private prayer, using the New Revised Standard Version. Songs are compiled for singers from well-know melodies. The seven excerpts are from Pope John Paul II's encyclical "The Gospel of Life" (1995). The ponderings are based on the premise that everyone is "pro-life" about something, with that as a starting point for all people of faith.
2007, paperback, 5"X8", 12 prayer sessions, 127 pages, $9.95
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