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
Rector potens, verax Deus
O God of truth, O Lord of might,Who orderest time and change aright,And sendest the early morning ray,And lightest the glow of perfect day;
Extinguish thou each sinful fire,And banish every ill desire:And while thou keepest the body whole,Shed forth thy peace upon the soul.
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 viiiPortio mea, Domine
Thou art my portion, O Lord * I have promised to keep thy law.
58I made my humble petition in thy presence with my whole heart * O be merciful unto me, according to thy word.
59I called mine own ways to remembrance * and turned my feet unto thy testimonies.
60I made haste, and prolonged not the time * to keep thy commandments.
61The congregations of the ungodly have robbed me * but I have not forgotten thy law.
62At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee * because of thy righteous judgements.
63I am a companion of all them that fear thee * and keep thy commandments.
64The earth, O Lord, is full of thy mercy * O teach me thy statutes.
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 ixBonitatem fecisti cum servo
O Lord, thou hast dealt graciously with thy servant * according unto thy word.
66O learn me true understanding and knowledge * for I have believed thy commandments.
67Before I was troubled, I went wrong * but now have I kept thy word.
68Thou art good and gracious * O teach me thy statutes.
69The proud have imagined a lie against me * but I will keep thy commandments with my whole heart.
70Their heart is as fat as brawn * but my delight hath been in thy law.
71It is good for me that I have been in trouble * that I may learn thy statutes.
72The law of thy mouth is dearer unto me * than thousands of gold and silver.
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 xManus tuæ fecerunt me
Thy hands have made me and fashioned me * O give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments.
74They that fear thee will be glad when they see me * because I have put my trust in thy word.
75I know, O Lord, that thy judgements are right * and that thou of very faithfulness hast caused me to be troubled.
76O let thy merciful kindness be my comfort * according to thy word unto thy servant.
77O let thy loving mercies come unto me, that I may live * for thy law is my delight.
78Let the proud be confounded, for they go wickedly about to destroy me * but I will be occupied in thy commandments.
79Let such as fear thee, and have known thy testimonies * be turned unto me.
80O let my heart be sound in thy statutes * that I be not ashamed.
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.
Chapter
Gal. 6:2
Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
℟.Thanks be to God.
℣.The Lord is my shepherd; therefore can I lack nothing.
℟.He shall feed me in a green pasture.
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.
Grant, we beseech thee, Almighty God: that, ever thinking upon reasonable things, we may accomplish what is pleasing unto thee, both in word and deed. 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.