Back
In Praying the Psalms in the Voice of Christ, Frank J. Matera offers a way to pray the psalms within the Liturgy of the Hours rooted in the New Testament and the great writers of the early church. Taking his cue from Saint Augustine, Matera demonstrates how to hear the voice of Christ in the psalms so that they can be prayed in the voice of Christ and his Body, the church. In addition to this introduction to a christological reading of the psalms, Matera also provides a commentary on the psalms as they occur in the four weeks of the Divine Office.
Frank J. Matera is professor emeritus at The Catholic University of America and pastor of St. Mary’s Church in Simsbury, Connecticut. He previously served as professor of biblical studies at The Catholic University of America from 1988 to 2012. He is the former president of the Catholic Biblical Association and the author of more than fourteen books and over fifty articles.
“The central role of prayer in the life of the Christian church, and other non-Christian religions, is not only a feature of their existence, but also a motivation and driving force for their effective presence in the world and society. The Roman Catholic tradition, continuing a practice that has its origins in the life of Israel, by means of its Liturgy of the Hours invites those closely associated with the life and ministry of the church, and any one else who might feel so inclined, to pray the Book of Psalms across the days, weeks, and months of the year. Frank Matera guides and encourages all who pray the Psalms by associating every hymn with the person and mission of Jesus Christ, recalling a practice of the earliest Fathers and Mothers of the church. A systematic use of this delightful book, structured to follow the use of the psalms as they appear across the church’s year, gives profound Christian energy to our daily prayer.” — Francis J. Moloney, SDB, Catholic Theological College, University of Divinity, Melbourne, Australia
