On the other hand, when one recites the Office with attention, what merit and what profit does one derive from it. What lights are then obtained from the divine words! With what holy maxims is the soul penetrated! How many acts of love, of confidence, of humility, of contrition, may one not make by merely paying attention to the verses that one recites! Above all, what beautiful prayers are found in each psalm! There is no doubt that, when recited with faith and fervor, they merit treasures of grace, according to the infallible promise made by our Lord that he would hear whoever prays to him : Ask, and it shall be given you.(Matt. 8:7) For every one that asketh, receiveth.(Luke 9:10)
What Happiness is enjoyed in reciting the Office
I add that the Office, recited without devotion and with the only thought of finishing it as soon as possible, becomes one of the heaviest burdens and at the same time is so tedious as to seem to be of an interminable length; on the contrary, when it is recited with devotion, with a true desire of profiting by it, by applying mind and heart to the sacred words, its burden becomes light and sweet: of this all the saints have had experience. The saints found more pleasure in reciting the Office than worldlings find in the midst of pastimes and amusements. One single Office recited with devotion may gain for us many degrees of glory in heaven.