A few months ago I got an idea and placed an alarm on my smartphone to remind me both at miday and six to say the Angelus, with wonderful results. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angelus The Angelus (/ˈændʒələs/; Latin for "angel") in case people forget goes as follows: ℣. The Angel of the LORD declared unto Mary, ℟. And she conceived of the Holy Ghost. Hail Mary, full of grace; the LORD is with thee: blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the Fruit of thy womb, Jesus.* Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. ℣. Behold the handmaid of the LORD. ℟. Be it done unto me according to thy word. Hail Mary, full of grace; the LORD is with thee: blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the Fruit of thy womb, Jesus.* Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. ℣. And the Word was made flesh. ℟. And dwelt among us. Hail Mary, full of grace; the LORD is with thee: blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the Fruit of thy womb, Jesus.* Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. ℣. Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God. ℟. That we might be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Let us pray, Pour forth, we beseech Thee, LORD, Thy grace into our hearts; that, we, to whom the Incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection. Through the same Christ our Lord. ℟. Amen.[16] 'In Ireland, the Angelus is broadcast every night before the main evening news at 6:00 pm on the main national TV channel, RTÉ One, and on the broadcaster's sister radio station, Radio 1, at noon and 6:00 pm. In 2015, in advertising for a commission to independent film makers to produce versions of the Angelus, RTÉ described the playing of the Angelus as follows:[7] "The daily "Angelus" broadcast on RTÉ One is by far RTÉ's longest-running and most watched Religious Programme. It's also, possibly, the most controversial. For some, the reflective slot, which airs for just one minute in every 1440 per day and on only one RTÉ TV channel, is as much part of Ireland's unique cultural identity as the harp on your passport; for others, it's an anachronism – a reminder of more homogenously and observantly Christian times." RTÉ Audience Research finds that a clear majority of Irish viewers still favours keeping the "Angelus" broadcasts, chimes and all. Its appeal is summarised in one audience member as follows as, "To the person of faith, it's a moment of grace; to the person without faith, it's a moment of peace. What's not to like?" The station also notes that the prayer itself is never broadcast.'
Last week, while I was away camping I was walking through the woods with the dogs one very beautiful Autumn evening I heard the evning bells from St Malachy's Church in the village below chiming out the Angelus in the village below . It I stopped to pray and it was as though the entire woods had become a Church and heaven bowed down to listen. All things Marain same to take on this heavenly beauty. The American poet Francis Bret Hart catches the moment well when he write about the bells sounding the angelus at a California Mission. View attachment 3558 The Angelus By F. Bret Harte Heard at the Mission Dolores, 1868 BELLS of the Past, whose long-forgotten music Still fills the wide expanse, Tingeing the sober twilight of the Present With color of romance: I hear your call, and see the sun descending 5 On rock and wave and sand, As down the coast the Mission voices blending Girdle the heathen land. Within the circle of your incantation No blight nor mildew falls; 10 Nor fierce unrest, nor lust, nor low ambition Passes those airy walls. Borne on the swell of your long waves receding, I touch the farther Past,— I see the dying glow of Spanish glory, 15 The sunset dream and last! Before me rise the dome-shaped Mission towers, The white Presidio; The swart commander in his leathern jerkin, The priest in stole of snow. 20 Once more I see Portola’s cross uplifting Above the setting sun; And past the headland, northward, slowly drifting The freighted galleon. O solemn bells! whose consecrated masses 25 Recall the faith of old,— O tinkling bells! that lulled with twilight music The spiritual fold! Your voices break and falter in the darkness,— Break, falter, and are still; 30 And veiled and mystic, like the Host descending, The sun sinks from the hill! Mission Dolores
I remeber when I was a very small child at school the Brothers used to make us stand up to say the Angelus every noon. But ike so many spiritual practises of childhood it ,sadly, faded away. So atarting it again came as a wonderful surprise , for I'd long since forgotten what good this pious practise brings.
It always comes to me as a surprise for I seem always to be busy and the chimes of the phone are like a little tap on the shoulder from heaven. It is a bit like a spiritual brake causing me to pause and stop. I try as far as I can to simply stop what I am doing and give the moment to prayer. To make the moment sacred . You know what? It really does work for me and for those very few brief seconds my world becomes a Church and Sacred. The moments linger on often , thinking of the wonders of the mystery of the Incarnation and Mary's yes and what it meant and for the whole world.
I use my phone alarm for mercy hour. But when anyone asks what it's for i rarely have the courage to say. Sorry God, a moment to give witness wasted.
I have set my alarm for 3pm for the Divine Mercy prayer as well......it's a great way to pause and take a moment for prayer!
Not usually, especially with all the differents ring tones, buzzes and beeps from devices these days. I have told some who have asked though, otherwise I'll just say it's my 3 o'clock reminder and leave it that. Depending also on where I am, I can set it to just vibrate as well. I'm just a newbie to really practicing the faith (and the forum) so I'm not very confident to verbally witness yet. Trying hard just to live by example.
