The solemn celebration of the liturgy, especially the Eucharist, has an eminent place in the life of the Dominican nuns. It is the heart of our whole life, the chief source of our unity and the font of all grace. We have been invited to embody in a special way what St. Paul describes as the universal Christian vocation: “we are destined and appointed to live for the praise of God’s glory” (Eph.1:12b). This is to be engaged in nothing else but worshiping the Lord of heaven and earth. There is no other ministry for us. In the liturgy the mystery of God’s salvation is present and at work. This sacred action surpasses all others; it is a joint action of Jesus Christ, the high priest, and his Church for the salvation of human beings and the glorification of the heavenly Father. Liturgy is the ecclesial form of contemplation; it draws us ever deeper into the wellsprings of divine life.
A solid rhythm of prayer is given to our day by the solemn celebration of the Liturgy of the Hours. This ‘sacred office’ consists of psalms (the poetic songs of the Bible), Scripture readings, silent reflection, and prayers for the universal Church. We meet to chant the ‘office’ five times daily thus extending to the different hours of the day the praise and thanksgiving that are present in the Eucharistic mystery. Because the Liturgy of the Hours is the official worship of the Church, the community represents the Church at prayer and participates in the priestly function of Christ. The office is our incarnate participation in the prayer of Jesus himself. It is the prism allowing the pure light of the Son’s own praise to be channeled through us his adopted children (Jean Corbon, O.P.).
Dominicans also have a strong tradition of private prayer and lectio divina (sacred reading). Our private prayer is biblical and monastic; it has a breadth and depth of expression. It includes asking, thanking, praising God, thinking about Him with love and desire, abiding in Him, savoring His word of truth in the scriptures, and remembering Him (and our own needs) through short, simple, intercessory prayer throughout the day. During lectio we believe that we meet Christ, THE WORD, in the scriptures and that he draws us ever deeper into the wellsprings of divine life, into the great mystery of life and love which is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. As women of the word, Dominicans approach the scriptures with special reverence, devotion and humility to listen with open minds and hearts so that we may ‘see’ the truth of God and ourselves. Gradually we are transformed; we become what we read, configured to the very One we meet therein - Christ our Lord. Thus, at the heart of our prayer life is a sharing in the mystery of the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ.