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.
O Father, that we ask be doneThrough Jesus Christ thine only Son,Who, with the Holy Ghost and thee,Shall live and reign eternally.Amen.
Ant. Alleluia.
Psalm 119 xiDefecit in salutare tuum
My soul hath longed for thy salvation * and I have a good hope because of thy word.
82Mine eyes long sore for thy word * saying, O when wilt thou comfort me?
83For I am become like a bottle in the smoke * yet do I not forget thy statutes.
84How many are the days of thy servant * when wilt thou be avenged of them that persecute me?
85The proud have digged pits for me * which are not after thy law.
86All thy commandments are true * they persecute me falsely; O be thou my help.
87They had almost made an end of me upon earth * but I forsook not thy commandments.
88O quicken me after thy loving-kindness * and so shall I keep the testimonies of thy mouth.
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 xiiIn æternum, Domine
O Lord, thy word * endureth for ever in heaven.
90Thy truth also remaineth from one generation to another * thou hast laid the foundation of the earth, and it abideth.
91They continue this day according to thine ordinance * for all things serve thee.
92If my delight had not been in thy law * I should have perished in my trouble.
93I will never forget thy commandments * for with them thou hast quickened me.
94I am thine, O save me * for I have sought thy commandments.
95The ungodly laid wait for me to destroy me * but I will consider thy testimonies.
96I see that all things come to an end * but thy commandment is exceeding broad.
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 xiiiQuomodo dilexi legem tuam
Lord, what love have I unto thy law * all the day long is my study in it.
98Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies * for they are ever with me.
99I have more understanding than my teachers * for thy testimonies are my study.
100I am wiser than the aged * because I keep thy commandments.
101I have refrained my feet from every evil way * that I may keep thy word.
102I have not shrunk from thy judgements * for thou teachest me.
103O how sweet are thy words unto my throat * yea, sweeter than honey unto my mouth.
104Through thy commandments I get understanding * therefore I hate all evil ways.
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. Alleluia, * alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Chapter
James 1:27
Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, * and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
℟.Thanks be to God.
℣.Then were the disciples glad, alleluia.
℟.When they saw the Lord, alleluia.
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 Lord, from whom all good things do come; Grant to us thy humble servants, that by thy holy inspiration we may think those things that are good, and by thy merciful guiding may perform the same. 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.