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. Alleluia, * alleluia, alleluia.
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.
Psalm 76Notus in Judæa Deus
In Jewry is God known * Sit. his Name is great in Israel.
2At Salem is his tabernacle * and his dwelling in Sion.
3There brake he the arrows of the bow * the shield, the sword, and the battle.
4Thou art of more honour and might * than the hills of the robbers.
5The proud are robbed, they have slept their sleep * and all the men whose hands were mighty have found nothing.
6At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob * both the chariot and horse are fallen.
7Thou, even thou art to be feared * and who may stand in thy sight when thou art angry?
8Thou didst cause thy judgement to be heard from heaven * the earth trembled, and was still;
9When God arose to judgement * and to help all the meek upon earth.
10The fierceness of man shall turn to thy praise * and the fierceness of them shalt thou refrain.
11Promise unto the Lord your God, and keep it, all ye that are round about him * bring presents unto him that ought to be feared.
12He shall refrain the spirit of princes * Stand. and is wonderful among the kings of the earth.
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.
Psalm 92Bonum est confiteri Domino
It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord * Sit. and to sing praises unto thy Name, O most Highest;
2To tell of thy loving-kindness early in the morning * and of thy truth in the night-season;
3Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the lute * upon a loud instrument, and upon the harp.
4For thou, Lord, hast made me glad through thy works * and I will rejoice in giving praise for the operations of thy hands.
5O Lord, how glorious are thy works * thy thoughts are very deep.
6An unwise man doth not well consider this * and a fool doth not understand it.
7When the ungodly are green as the grass, and when all the workers of wickedness do flourish * then shall they be destroyed for ever; but thou, Lord, art the most Highest for evermore.
8For lo, thine enemies, O Lord, lo, thine enemies shall perish * and all the workers of wickedness shall be destroyed.
9But mine horn shall be exalted like the horn of an unicorn * for I am anointed with fresh oil.
10Mine eye also shall see his lust of mine enemies * and mine ear shall hear his desire of the wicked that arise up against me.
11The righteous shall flourish like a palm-tree * and shall spread abroad like a cedar in Libanus.
12Such as are planted in the house of the Lord * shall flourish in the courts of the house of our God.
13They also shall bring forth more fruit in their age * and shall be fat and well-liking.
14That they may shew how true the Lord my strength is * Stand. and that there is no unrighteousness in 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. Alleluia, * alleluia, alleluia.
Ant. In the Lord * shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory. Alleluia.
Isaiah 45Vere tu es Deus absconditus
Isaiah 45:15–25
Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself, * Sit. O God of Israel, the Saviour.
2They shall be ashamed, and also confounded, all of them: * they shall go to confusion together that are makers of idols.
3But Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation: * ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end.
4For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; * God himself that formed the earth and made it;
5He hath established it, he created it not in vain, * he formed it to be inhabited;
6I am the Lord, * and there is none else.
7I have not spoken in secret, * in a dark place of the earth:
8I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: * I the Lord speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.
9Assemble yourselves and come; * draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations:
10They have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, * and pray unto a god that cannot save.
11Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: * who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time?
12Have not I the Lord? and there is no God else beside me; * a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me.
13Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: * for I am God, and there is none else.
14I have sworn by myself, * the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return,
15That unto me every knee shall bow, * every tongue shall swear.
16Surely, shall one say, in the Lord have I righteousness and strength: * even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed.
17In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified, * Stand. and shall glory.
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. In the Lord * shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory. Alleluia.
Ant. Alleluia, * alleluia, alleluia.
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. Alleluia, * alleluia, alleluia.
Chapter
Sir 31:8–9
Blessed is the man that is found without blemish, and hath not gone after gold. * Who is he? and we will call him blessed: for wonderful things hath he done among his people.
℟.Thanks be to God.
The Short Responsory
The Lord loved him and adorned him, * alleluia, alleluia.
℟.The Lord loved him and adorned him, alleluia, alleluia.
℣.He clothed him with a robe of glory.
℟.Alleluia, alleluia.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
℟.The Lord loved him and adorned him, alleluia, alleluia.
Hymn
Jesu, corona celsior
O Jesu, Crown above the sky,Thou everlasting Truth most high,Who dost to thy Confessor giveRewards with those that ever live.
Thy lowly band of suppliants spare;O may we, holpen by his prayer,Remission of our sins obtain,And freedom from each binding chain.
Again the slowly circling yearThe day of glory bringeth hereWhereon thy Saint, from flesh set free,In power ascended up to thee.
He deemed the vain delights of earth,Its boasted glories, little worth;And spurning them as tainted, passedTo heaven’s triumphant joy at last.
By ever owning thee his King,O Christ most gracious, did he flingThe haughty foe beneath his feet,And all his minions bravely beat.
Renowned for faith and virtue, heConfessed his Lord right constantly,And with such fasts his flesh subduedThat he obtained supernal food.
O thou, most full of love and grace,We humbly fall before thy face;For this thy servant’s sake, we pray,Wipe all the debt we owe away.
All glory, Lord, to thee we pay,Ascending o’er the stars today;All glory, as is ever meet,To Father and to Paraclete.Amen.
The Versicle
℣.The Lord guided the righteous in right paths, alleluia.
℟.And shewed him the kingdom of God, alleluia.
The Gospel Canticle
Ant. Well done, good and faithful servant, * thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord, alleluia.
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. Well done, good and faithful servant, * thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord, alleluia.
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.
O God, who hast vouchsafed to enlighten thy Church by the wondrous learning and the excellent merits and life of blessed Ephrem thy Confessor and Doctor: we humbly beseech thee that at his intercession, thou wouldst protect it by thy power against every assault of wickedness and error. 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 Friday after the Octave of Ascension
Ant. When the Comforter is come, * whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me, alleluia.
℣.When Christ ascended up on high, alleluia.
℟.He led captivity captive, alleluia.
Let us pray.
Almighty, everlasting God: grant that we may always devote our wills to thy service, and wait upon thy Majesty with singleness of heart.
Commemoration of Ss Mark & Marcellianus, Martyrs
Ant. Daughters of Jerusalem, * come forth and behold the Martyrs with the diadems wherewith the Lord hath crowned them in the day of solemnity and rejoicing, alleluia, alleluia.
℣.Right dear in the sight of the Lord, alleluia.
℟.Is the death of his Saints, alleluia.
Let us pray.
O God, who dost suffer us to honour the birthday of thy holy Martyrs Mark & Marcellianus: grant us to rejoice in their eternal and blessed fellowship. 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.
Regina Caeli
O Queen of Heaven, * be joyful, alleluia.
Because he whom so meetly thou barest, alleluia.
Hath arisen, as he promised, alleluia.
Pray for us to the Father, alleluia.
℣.Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia.
℟.For the Lord is risen indeed, alleluia.
Let us pray.
O God, who, by the Resurrection of thy Son Jesus Christ didst vouchsafe to give gladness unto the world: Grant, we beseech thee, that we, being holpen by the Virgin Mary, his Mother, may attain unto the joys of everlasting life. 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.