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. This is my commandment.
Psalm 1Beatus vir, qui non abiit
Blessed is the man that hath not walked in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stood in the way of sinners * and hath not sat in the seat of the scornful.
2But his delight is in the law of the Lord * and in his law will he exercise himself day and night.
3And he shall be like a tree planted by the water-side * that will bring forth his fruit in due season.
4His leaf also shall not wither * and look, whatsoever he doeth, it shall prosper.
5As for the ungodly, it is not so with them * but they are like the chaff, which the wind scattereth away from the face of the earth.
6Therefore the ungodly shall not be able to stand in the judgement * neither the sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
7But the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous * and the way of the ungodly shall perish.
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 2Quare fremuerunt gentes
Why do the heathen so furiously rage together * and why do the people imagine a vain thing?
2The kings of the earth stand up, and the rulers take counsel together * against the Lord, and against his Anointed.
3Let us break their bonds asunder * and cast away their cords from us.
4He that dwelleth in heaven shall laugh them to scorn * the Lord shall have them in derision.
5Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath * and vex them in his sore displeasure.
6Yet have I set my King * upon my holy hill of Sion.
7I will preach the law, whereof the Lord hath said unto me * Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.
8Desire of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance * and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession.
9Thou shalt bruise them with a rod of iron * and break them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.
10Be wise now therefore, O ye kings * be learned, ye that are judges of the earth.
11Serve the Lord in fear * and rejoice unto him with reverence.
12Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and so ye perish from the right way * if his wrath be kindled, (yea, but a little,) blessed are all they that put their trust in him.
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 6Domine, ne in furore
O Lord, rebuke me not in thine indignation * neither chasten me in thy displeasure.
2Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am weak * O Lord, heal me, for my bones are vexed.
3My soul also is sore troubled * but, Lord, how long wilt thou punish me?
4Turn thee, O Lord, and deliver my soul * O save me for thy mercy’s sake.
5For in death no man remembereth thee * and who will give thee thanks in the pit?
6I am weary of my groaning; every night wash I my bed * and water my couch with my tears.
7My beauty is gone for very trouble * and worn away because of all mine enemies.
8Away from me, all ye that work vanity * for the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping.
9The Lord hath heard my petition * the Lord will receive my prayer.
10All mine enemies shall be confounded, and sore vexed * they shall be turned back, and put to shame suddenly.
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. This is my commandment * that ye love one another, as I have loved you.
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 22
At Rome, between the two bay-trees on the Lavican road, the birthday of thirty holy martyrs, who were all on one day crowned with martyrdom, in the persecution of Diocletian.
In the same city, St. Flavian, ex-prefect, who, under Julian the Apostate, was condemned to be branded for Christ, and banished to Aquae Taurinae, where he gave up his soul to God in prayer.
At Ostia, the holy martyrs Demetrius, Honoratus and Florus.
At Alexandria, the holy martyr Ischyrion. Because he despised all the cruelties they made him suffer to force him to sacrifice to idols, they transpierced his bowels with a sharp-pointed stake, and thus put him to death.
In Egypt, the Saint Chæremon, bishop of Nilopolis, and many other martyrs. Some of them fled whilst the persecution of Decius was raging, and wandering in different directions through deserts, were killed by wild beasts; others perished by famine, cold and sickness; others again were murdered by barbarians and robbers, and thus all were crowned with a glorious martyrdom.
At Nicomedia, St. Zeno, soldier, who derided Diocletian for sacrificing to Ceres, wherefore he had his jawbones fractured, his teeth plucked out and his head struck off.
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.