Prayers Before the Office
Before beginning the Office, it is praiseworthy to say the following Prayers.
Open my mouth, O Lord, to bless thy holy Name: cleanse my heart from all vain, evil, and wandering thoughts; enlighten my understanding and kindle my affections, that I may fittingly recite this Office with attention and devotion, and so may be meet to be heard before the presence of thy divine Majesty. Through Christ our Lord.
℟.Amen.
O Lord, in union with that divine intention wherewith thou thyself didst offer thy praises to God while upon the earth, I now recite this Office to thee.
The Our Father and Hail Mary are said secretly.
Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. Amen.
Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and in the hour of our death. Amen.
Opening Versicles
℣.O God, ✠ make speed to save me.
℟.O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost;As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.
Alleluia
The Psalms
Psalm 67Deus misereatur nostri
God be merciful unto us, and bless us * Sit. and shew us the light of his countenance, and be merciful unto us:
2That thy way may be known upon earth * thy saving health among all nations.
3Let the people praise thee, O God * yea, let all the people praise thee.
4O let the nations rejoice and be glad * for thou shalt judge the folk righteously, and govern the nations upon earth.
5Let the people praise thee, O God * let all the people praise thee.
6Then shall the earth bring forth her increase * and God, even our own God, shall give us his blessing.
7God shall bless us * Stand. and all the ends of the world shall fear him.
Bow. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost;Stand upright. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.
Ant. Be favourable.
Psalm 51Miserere mei, Deus
Have mercy upon me, O God, after thy great goodness * Sit. according to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences.
2Wash me throughly from my wickedness * and cleanse me from my sin.
3For I acknowledge my faults * and my sin is ever before me.
4Against thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight * that thou mightest be justified in thy saying, and clear when thou art judged.
5Behold, I was shapen in wickedness * and in sin hath my mother conceived me.
6But lo, thou requirest truth in the inward parts * and shalt make me to understand wisdom secretly.
7Thou shalt purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean * thou shalt wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8Thou shalt make me hear of joy and gladness * that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.
9Turn thy face from my sins * and put out all my misdeeds.
10Make me a clean heart, O God * and renew a right spirit within me.
11Cast me not away from thy presence * and take not thy holy Spirit from me.
12O give me the comfort of thy help again * and stablish me with thy free Spirit.
13Then shall I teach thy ways unto the wicked * and sinners shall be converted unto thee.
14Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God, thou that art the God of my health * and my tongue shall sing of thy righteousness.
15Thou shalt open my lips, O Lord * and my mouth shall shew thy praise.
16For thou desirest no sacrifice, else would I give it thee * but thou delightest not in burnt-offerings.
17The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit * a broken and contrite heart, O God, shalt thou not despise.
18O be favourable and gracious unto Sion * build thou the walls of Jerusalem.
19Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifice of righteousness, with the burnt-offerings and oblations * Stand. then shall they offer young bullocks upon thine altar.
Bow. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost;Stand upright. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.
Ant. Be favourable, * O Lord, and gracious.
Ant. Hearken unto me, O Lord.
Psalm 143Domine, exaudi orationem meam
Hear my prayer, O Lord, and consider my desire * Sit. hearken unto me for thy truth and righteousness’ sake.
2And enter not into judgement with thy servant * for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.
3For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath smitten my life down to the ground * he hath laid me in the darkness, as the men that have been long dead.
4Therefore is my spirit vexed within me * and my heart within me is desolate.
5Yet do I remember the time past; I muse upon all thy works * yea, I exercise myself in the works of thy hands.
6I stretch forth my hands unto thee * my soul gaspeth unto thee as a thirsty land.
7Hear me, O Lord, and that soon, for my spirit waxeth faint * hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit.
8O let me hear thy loving-kindness betimes in the morning, for in thee is my trust * shew thou me the way that I should walk in, for I lift up my soul unto thee.
9Deliver me, O Lord, from mine enemies * for I flee unto thee to hide me.
10Teach me to do the thing that pleaseth thee, for thou art my God * let thy loving Spirit lead me forth into the land of righteousness.
11Quicken me, O Lord, for thy Name’s sake * and for thy righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble.
12And of thy goodness slay mine enemies * Stand. and destroy all them that vex my soul ; for I am thy servant.
Bow. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost;Stand upright. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.
Ant. Hearken unto me, O Lord, * for thy truth and righteousness’ sake.
Ant. Ascribe ye greatness.
Deuteronomy 32Audite, cæli, quæ loquor
Deuteronomy 32:1–43
Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak * Sit. and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.
2My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew * as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass:
3Because I will publish the Name of the Lord * ascribe ye greatness unto our God.
4He is the Rock, his work is perfect * for all his ways are judgment.
5A God of truth and without iniquity * just and right is he.
6They have corrupted themselves, their spot is not the spot of his children * they are a perverse and crooked generation.
7Do ye thus requite the Lord, O foolish people and unwise? * is not he thy Father that hath bought thee? hath he not made thee, and established thee?
8Remember the days of old * consider the years of many generations:
9Ask thy father, and he will shew thee * thy elders, and they will tell thee.
10When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance * when he separated the sons of Adam,
11He set the bounds of the people * according to the number of the children of Israel.
12For the Lord’s portion is his people * Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.
13He found him in a desert land * and in the waste howling wilderness;
14He led him about, he instructed him * he kept him as the apple of his eye.
15As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young * spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings:
16So the Lord alone did lead him * and there was no strange god with him.
17He made him ride on the high places of the earth * that he might eat the increase of the fields;
18And he made him to suck honey out of the rock * and oil out of the flinty rock;
19Butter of kine, and milk of sheep * with fat of lambs, and rams of the breed of Bashan,
20And goats, with the fat of kidneys of wheat * and thou didst drink the pure blood of the grape.
21But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked * thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness:
22Then he forsook God which made him * and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation.
23They provoked him to jealousy with strange gods * with abominations provoked they him to anger.
24They sacrificed unto devils, not to God * to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not.
25Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful * and hast forgotten God that formed thee.
26And when the Lord saw it, he abhorred them * because of the provoking of his sons, and of his daughters.
27And he said, I will hide my face from them, I will see what their end shall be * for they are a very froward generation, children in whom is no faith.
28They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God * they have provoked me to anger with their vanities:
29And I will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people * I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.
Ignis succensus est
For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell * and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains.
31I will heap mischiefs upon them * I will spend mine arrows upon them.
32They shall be burnt with hunger * and devoured with burning heat, and with bitter destruction.
33I will also send the teeth of beasts upon them * with the poison of serpents of the dust.
34The sword without, and terror within, shall destroy both the young man and the virgin * the suckling also with the man of gray hairs.
35I said, I would scatter them into corners * I would make the remembrance of them to cease from among men:
36Were it not that I feared the wrath of the enemy * lest their adversaries should behave themselves strangely,
37And lest they should say, Our hand is high * and the Lord hath not done all this.
38For they are a nation void of counsel * neither is there any understanding in them.
39O that they were wise, that they understood this * that they would consider their latter end!
40How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight * except their Rock had sold them, and the Lord had shut them up?
41For their rock is not as our Rock * even our enemies themselves being judges.
42For their vine is of the vine of Sodom * and of the fields of Gomorrah:
43Their grapes are grapes of gall * their clusters are bitter:
44Their wine is the poison of dragons * and the cruel venom of asps.
45Is not this laid up in store with me, and sealed up among my treasures? * to me belongeth vengeance and recompence.
46Their foot shall slide in due time * for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste.
47For the Lord shall judge his people * and repent himself for his servants,
48When he seeth that their power is gone * and there is none shut up, or left.
49And he shall say, Where are their gods * their rock in whom they trusted,
50Which did eat the fat of their sacrifices * and drank the wine of their drink-offerings?
51Let them rise up and help you * and be your protection.
52See now that I, even I, am he * and there is no god with me:
53I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal * neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand.
54For I lift up my hand to heaven, and say * I live for ever.
55If I whet my glittering sword, and mine hand take hold on judgment * I will render vengeance to mine enemies, and will reward them that hate me.
56I will make mine arrows drunk with blood, and my sword shall devour flesh * and that with the blood of the slain and of the captives, from the beginning of revenges upon the enemy.
57Rejoice, O ye nations, with his people * for he will avenge the blood of his servants,
58And will render vengeance to his adversaries * Stand. and will be merciful unto his land, and to his people.
Bow. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost;Stand upright. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.
Ant. Ascribe ye greatness * unto our God.
Ant. Upon the well-tuned cymbals.
Psalm 148Laudate Dominum de cælis
O praise the Lord of heaven * Sit. praise him in the height.
2Praise him, all ye angels of his * praise him, all his host.
3Praise him, sun and moon * praise him, all ye stars and light.
4Praise him, all ye heavens * and ye waters that are above the heavens.
5Let them praise the Name of the Lord * for he spake the word, and they were made; he commanded, and they were created.
6He hath made them fast for ever and ever * he hath given them a law which shall not be broken.
7Praise the Lord upon earth * ye dragons, and all deeps;
8Fire and hail, snow and vapours * wind and storm, fulfilling his word;
9Mountains and all hills * fruitful trees and all cedars;
10Beasts and all cattle * worms and feathered fowls;
11Kings of the earth and all people * princes and all judges of the world;
12Young men and maidens, old men and children, praise the Name of the Lord * for his Name only is excellent, and his praise above heaven and earth.
13He shall exalt the horn of his people; all his saints shall praise him * even the children of Israel, even the people that serveth him.
Psalm 149Cantate Domino canticum novum
O sing unto the Lord a new song * let the congregation of saints praise him.
2Let Israel rejoice in him that made him * and let the children of Sion be joyful in their King.
3Let them praise his Name in the dance * let them sing praises unto him with tabret and harp.
4For the Lord hath pleasure in his people * and helpeth the meek-hearted.
5Let the saints be joyful with glory * let them rejoice in their beds.
6Let the praises of God be in their mouth * and a two-edged sword in their hands;
7To be avenged of the heathen * and to rebuke the people;
8To bind their kings in chains * and their nobles with links of iron.
9That they may be avenged of them, as it is written * Such honour have all his saints.
Psalm 150Laudate Dominum in sanctis
O praise God in his holiness * praise him in the firmament of his power.
2Praise him in his noble acts * praise him according to his excellent greatness.
3Praise him in the sound of the trumpet * praise him upon the lute and harp.
4Praise him in the cymbals and dances * praise him upon the strings and pipe.
5Praise him upon the well-tuned cymbals * praise him upon the loud cymbals.
6Let every thing that hath breath * Stand. praise the Lord.
Bow. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost;Stand upright. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.
Ant. Upon the well-tuned cymbals * O praise God.
Chapter
Rom. 13:12–13
The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day.
℟.Thanks be to God.
The Short Responsory
Heal my soul, * for I have sinned against thee.
℟.Heal my soul, * for I have sinned against thee.
℣.I said, Lord be merciful unto me.
℟.For I have sinned against thee.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
℟.Heal my soul, * for I have sinned against thee.
Hymn
Aurora iam spargit polum
Dawn sprinkles all the east with light;Day o’er the earth is gliding bright;Morn’s glittering rays their course begin;Farewell to darkness and to sin.
Each phantom of night, depart,Each thought of guilt, forsake the heart:Let every ill that darkness broughtBeneath its shade, now come to nought!
So that last morning, dread and great,Which we with trembling hope await,With blesséd light for us shall glow,Who chant the song we sang below.
All laud to God the Father be,All praise, eternal Son, to Thee;All glory, as is ever meet,To God the holy Paraclete.Amen.
The Versicle
℣.O satisfy us with thy mercy, and that soon.
℟.So shall we rejoice and be glad all the days of our life.
The Gospel Canticle
Ant. Give light, O Lord.
BenedictusBenedictus Dominus, Deus Israël
Luke 1:68–79
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; * for he hath visited, and redeemed his people;
2And hath raised up a mighty salvation for us, * in the house of his servant David;
3As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, * which have been since the world began:
4That we should be saved from our enemies, * and from the hand of all that hate us;
5To perform the mercy promised to our forefathers, * and to remember his holy covenant;
6To perform the oath which he sware to our forefather Abraham, * that he would give us;
7That we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies * might serve him without fear,
8In holiness and righteousness before him, * all the days of our life.
9And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: * for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;
10To give knowledge of salvation unto his people * for the remission of their sins,
11Through the tender mercy of our God; * whereby the day-spring from on high hath visited us;
12To give light to them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death, * and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Bow. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost;Stand upright. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.
Ant. Give light, O Lord, * to them that sit in darkness: and guide our feet into the way of peace, thou God of Israel.
The Prayers
℣.Kyrie, eleison.
℟.Christe, eleison.
All:Kyrie, eleison.
Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation,
℟.But deliver us from evil. Amen.
℣.O Lord, hear my prayer.
℟.And let my cry come unto thee.
℣.The Lord be with you.
℟.And with thy spirit.
Let us pray.
Almighty, everlasting God, who by wholesome self-restraint dost heal both mind and body: we humbly entreat thy Majesty that thou, being well-pleased by the devout prayers of thy fasting people, mayest grant us thy help both now and in the time to come. Through thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who with thee in the unity of the Holy Spirit, liveth and reigneth God, world without end.
℟.Amen.
Commemoration of St Januarius & companions, Martyrs
Ant. The very hairs of your head * are all numbered: fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.
℣.Let the Saints be joyful with glory.
℟.Let them rejoice in their beds.
Let us pray.
O God, who dost suffer us to honour the birthday of thy holy Martyrs Januarius and his Companions: grant us to rejoice in their eternal and blessed fellowship.
Commemoration of St Theodore of Canterbury, Bishop & Confessor
Ant. Well done, * good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things, saith the Lord.
℣.The Lord guided the righteous in right paths.
℟.And shewed him the kingdom of God.
Let us pray.
Grant, we beseech thee, Almighty God: that the reverend solemnity of blessed Theodore of Canterbury, thy Confessor and Bishop, may both increase our devotion and set forward our salvation. Through thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who with thee in the unity of the Holy Spirit, liveth and reigneth God, world without end.
℟.Amen.
℣.O Lord, hear my prayer.
℟.And let my cry come unto thee.
℣.The Lord be with you.
℟.And with thy spirit.
℣.Let us bless the Lord.
℟.Thanks be to God.
℣.May the souls of the faithful, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
℟.Amen.
Our Father is said secretly.
Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. Amen.
℣.The Lord give us his peace.
℟.And life everlasting. Amen.
Salve Regina
Mary we hail thee * Mother and Queen compassionate;
Mary our comfort, life, and hope, we hail thee.
To thee we exiles, children of Eve, lift our crying.
To thee we are sighing, as mournful and weeping, we pass through this vale of sorrow.
Turn thou, therefore, O our intercessor, those thine eyes of pity and loving-kindness upon us sinners.
Hereafter, when our earthly exile shall be ended, shew us Jesus, the blessed fruit of thy womb.
O gentle, O tender, O gracious Virgin Mary.
℣.Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
℟.That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray.
Almighty and everlasting God, who by the co-operation of the Holy Ghost, didst prepare the body and soul of the glorious Virgin Mother Mary to become a habitation meet for thy Son: grant that as we rejoice in her commemoration, we may be delivered by her loving intercession from our present evils and from eternal death. Through the same Christ our Lord.
℟.Amen.
℣.May the divine help remain with us always.
℟.And with our absent brethren. Amen.
Prayers After the Office
To the holy and undivided Trinity, to the humanity of our crucified Lord, Jesus Christ, to the fruitful Virginity of the blessed and glorious ever Virgin Mary, and to the whole company of the Saints, be everlasting praise, honour, power, and glory from every creature, and unto us the remission of all our sins for ever, world without end.
℟.Amen.
℣.Blessed is the womb of the Virgin Mary, which bore the Son of the Father eternal.
℟.And blessed are the paps which gave suck to Christ the Lord.
Then is said secretly Our Father and Hail Mary.
Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. Amen.
Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and in the hour of our death. Amen.