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, Hail Mary, and Apostles’ Creed 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.
I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth:
And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord: Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, Born of the Virgin Mary: Suffered under Pontius Pilate, Was crucified, dead, and buried: He descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead: He ascended into heaven, And sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty: From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Ghost: the holy Catholic Church; The Communion of Saints; The Forgiveness of sins: The Resurrection of the body: ✠ And the Life everlasting. 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
Iam lucis orto sidere
Now that the daylight fills the sky,We lift our hearts to God on high,That he, in all we do or say,Would keep us free from harm to-day:
Would guard our hearts and tongues from strife;From anger’s din would hide our life;From all ill sights would turn our eyes;Would close our ears from vanities:
Would keep our inmost conscience pure;Our souls from folly would secure;Would bid us check the pride of senseWith due and holy abstinence.
So we, when this new day is gone,And night in turn is drawing on,With conscience by the world unstained,Shall praise his Name for victory gained.
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.
Ant. Behold, the Lord shall appear.
Psalm 119 iBeati immaculati in via
Blessed are those that are undefiled in the way * and walk in the law of the Lord.
2Blessed are they that keep his testimonies * and seek him with their whole heart.
3For they who do no wickedness * walk in his ways.
4Thou hast charged * that we shall diligently keep thy commandments.
5O that my ways were made so direct * that I might keep thy statutes!
6So shall I not be confounded * while I have respect unto all thy commandments.
7I will thank thee with an unfeigned heart * when I shall have learned the judgements of thy righteousness.
8I will keep thy ceremonies * O forsake me not utterly.
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 iiIn quo corrigit adolescentior
Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way * even by ruling himself after thy word.
10With my whole heart have I sought thee * O let me not go wrong out of thy commandments.
11Thy words have I hid within my heart * that I should not sin against thee.
12Blessed art thou, O Lord * O teach me thy statutes.
13With my lips have I been telling * of all the judgements of thy mouth.
14I have had as great delight in the way of thy testimonies * as in all manner of riches.
15I will talk of thy commandments * and have respect unto thy ways.
16My delight shall be in thy statutes * and I will not forget thy word.
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 iiiRetribue servo tuo
O do well unto thy servant * that I may live, and keep thy word.
18Open thou mine eyes * that I may see the wondrous things of thy law.
19I am a stranger upon earth * O hide not thy commandments from me.
20My soul breaketh out for the very fervent desire * that it hath alway unto thy judgements.
21Thou hast rebuked the proud * and cursed are they that do err from thy commandments.
22O turn from me shame and rebuke * for I have kept thy testimonies.
23Princes also did sit and speak against me * but thy servant is occupied in thy statutes.
24For thy testimonies are my delight * and my counsellors.
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 ivAdhæsit pavimento anima mea
My soul cleaveth to the dust * O quicken thou me, according to thy word.
26I have acknowledged my ways, and thou heardest me * O teach me thy statutes.
27Make me to understand the way of thy commandments * and so shall I talk of thy wondrous works.
28My soul melteth away for very heaviness * comfort thou me according unto thy word.
29Take from me the way of lying * and cause thou me to make much of thy law.
30I have chosen the way of truth * and thy judgements have I laid before me.
31I have stuck unto thy testimonies * O Lord, confound me not.
32I will run the way of thy commandments * when thou hast set my heart at liberty.
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. Behold, the Lord shall appear * in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory, alleluia.
Chapter
1 Tim. 1:17
Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory * for ever and ever. Amen.
℟.Thanks be to God.
Litany & Lord’s Prayer
℣.O Christ, arise, help us.
℟.And deliver us for thy Name’s sake.
℣.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.
Collect
O Lord God Almighty, who hast brought us to the beginning of this day; Defend us in the same with thy mighty power, that we may not fall this day into any sin, but that all our thoughts, words, and works may be directed to the fulfilment of thy righteousness. Through Jesus Christ thy Son, our Lord, who with thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth God, world without end.
℟.Amen.
Blessing
℣.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.
Then the Martyrology is read in Choir, and this may laudably be done also in the private recitation of the Office out of Choir.
Martyrology for tomorrow, December 9
At Toledo, in Spain, the birthday of the holy virgin Leocadia, a martyr, in the persecution of the emperor Diocletian. By Dacian, prefect of Spain, she was condemned to a cruel imprisonment, where she was pining away, when, hearing of the barbarous tortures of blessed Eulalia and the other martyrs, she knelt down to pray, and yielded up her undefiled spirit to Christ.
At Carthage, St. Restitutus, bishop and martyr, on whose feast St. Augustine delivered a discourse to the people in which he set forth his praises.
Also, in Africa, the holy martyrs Peter, Successus, Bassian, Primitivus and twenty others.
At Limoges, in France, St. Valeria, virgin and martyr.
At Verona, during the persecution of Diocletian, St. Proculus, bishop, who was buffeted, scourged with rods and driven out of the city. Being at length restored to his church, he rested in peace.
At Pavia, St. Syrus, first bishop of that city, who was renowned for miracles and virtues worthy of an apostle.
At Apamea, in Syria, blessed Julian, bishop, who was distinguished for holiness in the time of Severus.
At Perigueux, in France, the holy abbot Cyprian, a man of great sanctity.
At Nazianzus, St. Gorgonia, sister of blessed Gregory the Theologian, who has related her virtues and miracles.
And in other places, many other holy martyrs, confessors, and virgins.
℟.Thanks be to God.
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.