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 and Hail Mary 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.
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
Ant. Alleluia, * alleluia, alleluia.
Psalm 130De profundis clamavi
Out of the deep have I called unto thee, O Lord * Sit. Lord, hear my voice.
2O let thine ears consider well * the voice of my complaint.
3If thou, Lord, wilt be extreme to mark what is done amiss * O Lord, who may abide it?
4For there is mercy with thee * therefore shalt thou be feared.
5I look for the Lord; my soul doth wait for him * in his word is my trust.
6My soul fleeth unto the Lord * before the morning watch, I say, before the morning watch.
7O Israel, trust in the Lord, for with the Lord there is mercy * and with him is plenteous redemption.
8And he shall redeem Israel * Stand. from all his sins.
Bow. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost;Stand upright. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.
Psalm 131Domine, non est exaltatum
Lord, I am not high-minded * Sit. I have no proud looks.
2I do not exercise myself in great matters * which are too high for me.
3But I refrain my soul, and keep it low, like as a child that is weaned from his mother * yea, my soul is even as a weaned child.
4O Israel, trust in the Lord * Stand. from this time forth for evermore.
Bow. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost;Stand upright. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.
Psalm 132Memento, Domine, David
Lord, remember David * Sit. and all his trouble;
2How he sware unto the Lord * and vowed a vow unto the Almighty God of Jacob;
3I will not come within the tabernacle of mine house * nor climb up into my bed;
4I will not suffer mine eyes to sleep, nor mine eye-lids to slumber * neither the temples of my head to take any rest;
5Until I find out a place for the temple of the Lord * an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob.
6Lo, we heard of the same at Ephrata * and found it in the wood.
7We will go into his tabernacle * and fall low on our knees before his footstool.
8Arise, O Lord, into thy resting-place * thou, and the ark of thy strength.
9Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness * and let thy saints sing with joyfulness.
10For thy servant David’s sake * turn not away the presence of thine Anointed.
11The Lord hath made a faithful oath unto David * and he shall not shrink from it;
12Of the fruit of thy body * shall I set upon thy seat.
13If thy children will keep my covenant, and my testimonies that I shall learn them * their children also shall sit upon thy seat for evermore.
14For the Lord hath chosen Sion to be an habitation for himself * he hath longed for her.
15This shall be my rest for ever * here will I dwell, for I have a delight therein.
16I will bless her victuals with increase * and will satisfy her poor with bread.
17I will deck her priests with health * and her saints shall rejoice and sing.
18There shall I make the horn of David to flourish * I have ordained a lantern for mine Anointed.
19As for his enemies, I shall clothe them with shame * Stand. but upon himself shall his crown flourish.
Bow. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost;Stand upright. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.
Psalm 133Ecce quam bonum
Behold, how good and joyful a thing it is * Sit. brethren, to dwell together in unity!
2It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down unto the beard * even unto Aaron’s beard, and went down to the skirts of his clothing.
3Like as the dew of Hermon * which fell upon the hill of Sion.
4For there the Lord promised his blessing * Stand. and life for evermore.
Bow. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost;Stand upright. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.
Ant. Alleluia, * alleluia, alleluia.
Chapter
Sir 44:17
Behold a great priest who in his days pleased God and was found righteous: * and in the time of wrath he was made a reconciliation.
℟.Thanks be to God.
The Lord chose him for a priest unto himself, * alleluia, alleluia.
℟.The Lord chose him for a priest unto himself, alleluia, alleluia.
℣.To offer unto him the sacrifice of praise.
℟.Alleluia, alleluia.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
℟.The Lord chose him for a priest unto himself, alleluia, alleluia.
Hymn
Iste Confessor
This the Confessor of the Lord, whose triumphNow through the wide world celebrate the faithful,Merited this day joyfully to enterHeavenly mansions.
Saintly and prudent, continent and humble,Chaste was he ever, peaceable and sober,While living vigour, coursing through his body,Quickened his being.
When to his honoured sepulchre with membersLanguishing sorely, sufferers resorted,Oft unto wholeness did the Lord restore themAt his petition.
Wherefore our chorus chanteth in his honourHere, on his feast day, this most willing anthem;That in his merits we may have a portion,Now and for ever.
His be the glory, power and salvationWho, o’er the heavens, dwelling in the highest,Earth’s mighty fabric ruleth and directeth,Onely and Trinal.Amen.
℣.The Lord guided the righteous in right paths, alleluia.
℟.And shewed him the kingdom of God, alleluia.
Ant. O Teacher right excellent, * O light of Holy Church, O blessed Gregory, lover of the divine law: intercede for us unto the Son of God. Alleluia.
MagnificatMagnificat anima mea Dominum
Luke 1:46–55
My soul doth magnify the Lord, * and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
2For he hath regarded * the lowliness of his handmaiden.
3For behold, from henceforth * all generations shall call me blessed.
4For he that is mighty hath magnified me: * and holy is his Name.
5And his mercy is on them that fear him * throughout all generations.
6He hath shewed strength with his arm: * he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
7He hath put down the mighty from their seat, * and hath exalted the humble and meek.
8He hath filled the hungry with good things; * and the rich he hath sent empty away.
9He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel; * as he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed, for ever.
Bow. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost;Stand upright. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.
Ant. O Teacher right excellent, * O light of Holy Church, O blessed Gregory, lover of the divine law: intercede for us unto the Son of God. Alleluia.
The 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 gavest blessed Gregory to thy people as a minister of eternal salvation: grant, we beseech thee, that we may be worthy to have him as our intercessor in heaven, whom we had as our teacher here upon earth. 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.
Commemoration of Ss Gordian & Epimachus, Martyrs
Ant. Light perpetual * shall shine upon thy Saints, O Lord; and an ageless eternity, alleluia.
℣.O ye holy and righteous, rejoice in the Lord, alleluia.
℟.God hath chosen you to him to be his inheritance, alleluia.
Let us pray.
O God, who dost suffer us to honour the birthday of thy holy Martyrs Gordian & Epimachus: grant us to rejoice in their eternal and blessed fellowship.
Commemoration of Octave of the Solemnity of St Joseph
Ant. When Mary * the mother of Jesus was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost, alleluia.
℣.I do give praise unto thy name, alleluia.
℟.For thou art my defender and helper, alleluia.
Let us pray.
O God, who in thine ineffable providence vouchsafed to choose blessed Joseph as the spouse of thy holy Mother: grant, we beseech thee; that we may be worthy to have him as our intercessor in heaven, whom we venerate as our protector here upon earth. Who with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit livest and reignest 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.
℣.The Lord give us his peace.
℟.And life everlasting. Amen.
Regina Caeli
O Queen of Heaven, * be joyful, alleluia.
Because he whom so meetly thou barest, alleluia.
Hath arisen, as he promised, alleluia.
Pray for us to the Father, alleluia.
℣.Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia.
℟.For the Lord is risen indeed, alleluia.
Let us pray.
O God, who, by the Resurrection of thy Son Jesus Christ didst vouchsafe to give gladness unto the world: Grant, we beseech thee, that we, being holpen by the Virgin Mary, his Mother, may attain unto the joys of everlasting life. Through the same Christ our Lord.
℟.Amen.
℣.May the divine help remain with us always.
℟.And with our absent brethren. 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.