Morning Prayer: Explaining the Invitatory
The Invitatory is the Church’s formal call to prayer at the beginning of the day. It is not simply a psalm; it is a ritual moment that opens the entire daily cycle of the Liturgy of the Hours.
It consists of:
The opening verse (“Lord, open my lips…”)
The Invitatory Psalm (usually Psalm 95, but 100, 67, or 24 may be used)
The antiphon of the day or season
Its purpose is theological. Before the Church prays anything else, she “invites” herself to listen, to praise, and to enter the rhythm of the day with God.
Invitatory: “To be used in the first hour of the day”: What that actually means
In the Liturgy of the Hours, “the first hour of the day” does not mean 6 a.m. or sunrise. It means: The first Hour you personally pray on that calendar day.
If the first Hour you pray is:
Office of Readings → the Invitatory goes there
Morning Prayer (Lauds) → the Invitatory goes there
Midmorning Prayer (if you overslept or your schedule is unusual) → the Invitatory goes there
The Church is not concerned with clock time. She is concerned with the order of prayer, not the hour on the clock.
Why it is not repeated later
The Invitatory is prayed once per day because it is the opening of the day’s prayer. Once the day has been “opened,” it stays open.
Liturgically:
The Invitatory is a threshold.
You cross it once.
After that, you are already “inside” the day’s prayer.
If you pray Morning Prayer first and then later pray the Office of Readings, you do not repeat the Invitatory. If you pray the Office of Readings first and then Morning Prayer, you do not repeat it. It is not “optional” in the sense of “you may skip it if you feel like it.” It is optional only in the sense that:
If your first Hour is not Morning Prayer, the Invitatory simply appears elsewhere.
If you have already prayed it, you do not pray it again.
Why the Church treats it this way
Because the Liturgy of the Hours is not a collection of isolated prayers. It is one continuous liturgy stretched across the day.
The Invitatory is the entrance rite of that liturgy.
Just as you do not repeat the entrance rite halfway through Mass, you do not repeat the Invitatory halfway through the Hours.
In brief:
The Invitatory is the Church’s doorway into the day. It is prayed only once, at the first Hour we pray—whether that is the Office of Readings, Morning Prayer, or even a later Hour. Once we have crossed that threshold, the rest of the Hours unfold inside the day already opened to God.
Note about Morning Prayer: Each morning prayer post reflects on one phrase from the Morning Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours. which can be found in the iBreviary (a downloadable app), Universalis (website) or Divine Office (publication and website).
post production may be assisted by AI in image generation and content (research and wording)
Read more Morning Prayer posts.
Morning Prayer posts inspired by Being Catholic in Troubled Times (Dennis Ortman)
Book Description:
These are times that try our souls. This book is addressed to all, not just Catholics, who search for deeper meaning in tough times. Our age is marked by division and alienation. We long for some message that will bring peace to our world and our hearts.
This book suggests that the Catholic faith can provide strength in these troubled times. The word "catholic" means "all-embracing, universal." Nothing is excluded in the catholic mind. The truth that sets us free can be found everywhere, especially in unexpected places. It is often hidden in plain sight. In our darkest moments, we find new light and life. When we are most despairing, a ray of hope shines through.
Dr. Dennis Ortman, former priest and current psychologist, is the author of Anger Anonymous, Anxiety Anonymous, Depression Anonymous, Being Catholic in Troubled Times, and Life, Liberty, and COVID-19.
For more posts by and about Dennis and his award-winning books, click HERE.
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