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.
Before the Office are 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.
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
Hymn
Rerum Deus tenax vigor
O God, creation’s secret force,Thyself unmoved, all motion’s source,Who from the morn till evening’s ray,Through all its changes guidest the day:
Grant us, when this short life is past,The glorious evening that shall last;That, by a holy death attained,Eternal glory may be gained.
All glory, Lord, to thee we payFor thine Epiphany today;All glory, as is ever meet,To Father and to Paraclete.Amen.
Ant. When holy Benedict.
Psalm 119 xxVide humilitatem meam
O consider mine adversity, and deliver me * for I do not forget thy law.
154Avenge thou my cause, and deliver me * quicken me, according to thy word.
155Health is far from the ungodly * for they regard not thy statutes.
156Great is thy mercy, O Lord * quicken me, as thou art wont.
157Many there are that trouble me, and persecute me * yet do I not swerve from thy testimonies.
158It grieveth me when I see the transgressors * because they keep not thy law.
159Consider, O Lord, how I love thy commandments * O quicken me, according to thy loving-kindness.
160Thy word is true from everlasting * all the judgements of thy righteousness endure for evermore.
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.
Psalm 119 xxiPrincipes persecuti sunt me
Princes have persecuted me without a cause * but my heart standeth in awe of thy word.
162I am as glad of thy word * as one that findeth great spoils.
163As for lies, I hate and abhor them * but thy law do I love.
164Seven times a day do I praise thee * because of thy righteous judgements.
165Great is the peace that they have who love thy law * and they are not offended at it.
166Lord, I have looked for thy saving health * and done after thy commandments.
167My soul hath kept thy testimonies * and loved them exceedingly.
168I have kept thy commandments and testimonies * for all my ways are before thee.
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.
Psalm 119 xxiiAppropinquet deprecatio mea
Let my complaint come before thee, O Lord * give me understanding, according to thy word.
170Let my supplication come before thee * deliver me, according to thy word.
171My lips shall speak of thy praise * when thou hast taught me thy statutes.
172Yea, my tongue shall sing of thy word * for all thy commandments are righteous.
173Let thine hand help me * for I have chosen thy commandments.
174I have longed for thy saving health, O Lord * and in thy law is my delight.
175O let my soul live, and it shall praise thee * and thy judgements shall help me.
176I have gone astray like a sheep that is lost * O seek thy servant, for I do not forget thy commandments.
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.
Ant. When holy Benedict * had withdrawn himself in his cell for three days, he lifted up his eyes, and saw the soul of his sister, departing from the body in the likeness of a dove, enter the secret places of the heavens.
Chapter
Cant 5:12
Her eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters, * washed with milk, and fitly set.
℟.Thanks be to God.
℣.God hath chosen her and preferred her.
℟.He hath made her to dwell in his tabernacle.
Closing 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 didst reveal in a vision the soul of blessed Scholastica thy Virgin entering heaven in the likeness of a dove, that thou mightest shew the way of the undefiled: grant us by the aid of her merits and prayers so innocently to live, that we may worthily attain unto joys eternal. 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.
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.