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. Christ the Lord.
Psalm 110Dixit Dominus Domino meo
The Lord said unto my Lord * Sit. Sit thou on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
2The Lord shall send the rod of thy power out of Sion * be thou ruler, even in the midst among thine enemies.
3In the day of thy power shall the people offer thee free-will offerings with an holy worship * the dew of thy birth is of the womb of the morning.
4The Lord sware, and will not repent * Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech.
5The Lord upon thy right hand * shall wound even kings in the day of his wrath.
6He shall judge among the heathen; he shall fill the places with the dead bodies * and smite in sunder the heads over divers countries.
7He shall drink of the brook in the way * Stand. therefore shall he lift up his head.
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. Christ the Lord, * a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech, offered bread and wine.
Ant. The merciful and gracious Lord.
Psalm 111Confitebor tibi, Domine
I will give thanks unto the Lord with my whole heart * Sit. secretly among the faithful, and in the congregation.
2The works of the Lord are great * sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.
3His work is worthy to be praised and had in honour * and his righteousness endureth for ever.
4The merciful and gracious Lord hath so done his marvellous works * that they ought to be had in remembrance.
5He hath given meat unto them that fear him * he shall ever be mindful of his covenant.
6He hath shewed his people the power of his works * that he may give them the heritage of the heathen.
7The works of his hands are verity and judgement * all his commandments are true.
8They stand fast for ever and ever * and are done in truth and equity.
9He sent redemption unto his people * he hath commanded his covenant for ever; holy and reverend is his Name.
10The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom * Stand. a good understanding have all they that do thereafter; the praise of it endureth 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. The merciful and gracious Lord * hath given meat unto them that fear him, in remembrance of his marvellous doings.
Ant. I will receive.
Psalm 116bCredidi, propter quod locutus sum
I believed, and therefore will I speak; but I was sore troubled * Sit. I said in my haste, All men are liars.
11What reward shall I give unto the Lord * for all the benefits that he hath done unto me?
12I will receive the cup of salvation * and call upon the Name of the Lord.
13I will pay my vows now in the presence of all his people * right dear in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.
14Behold, O Lord, how that I am thy servant * I am thy servant, and the son of thine handmaid; thou hast broken my bonds in sunder.
15I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving * and will call upon the Name of the Lord.
16I will pay my vows unto the Lord, in the sight of all his people * Stand. in the courts of the Lord’s house, even in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem. Praise the Lord.
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. I will receive * the cup of salvation, and offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving.
Ant. May the children.
Psalm 128Beati, omnes, qui timent Dominum
Blessed are all they that fear the Lord * Sit. and walk in his ways.
2For thou shalt eat the labours of thine hands * O well is thee, and happy shalt thou be.
3Thy wife shall be as the fruitful vine * upon the walls of thine house.
4Thy children like the olive-branches * round about thy table.
5Lo, thus shall the man be blessed * that feareth the Lord.
6The Lord from out of Sion shall so bless thee * that thou shalt see Jerusalem in prosperity all thy life long.
7Yea, that thou shalt see thy children’s children * Stand. and peace upon Israel.
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. May the children * of the Church be like the olive-branches, round about the table of the Lord.
Chapter
1 John 3:13–14
Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you. We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren.
℟.Thanks be to God.
He gave them bread from heaven, * alleluia, alleluia.
℟.He gave them bread from heaven, * alleluia, alleluia.
℣.So man did eat angels’ food.
℟.Alleluia, alleluia.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
℟.He gave them bread from heaven, * alleluia, alleluia.
Hymn
Pange lingua gloriosi
Now, my tongue, the Mystery telling,Of the glorious Body sing,And the Blood, all price excelling,Which the Gentiles’ Lord and King,In a noble womb once dwelling,Shed for this world’s ransoming.
Given for us, and condescending,To be born for us below,He, with men in converse blending,Dwelt the seed of truth to sow,Till he closed with wondrous endingHis most patient life of woe.
That last night, at supper lying,’Mid the Twelve, his chosen band,Jesus, with the Law complying,Keeps the Feast its rites demand;Then, more precious Food supplying,Gives himself with his own hand.
Word-made-Flesh, by word he maketh,Very bread his Flesh to be;Man in wine Christ’s Blood partaketh:And if senses fail to see,Faith alone the true heart wakethTo behold the Mystery.
Therefore we, before him bending,This great Sacrament revere;Types and shadows have their ending,For the newer rite is here;Faith, our outward sense befriending,Makes the inward vision clear.
Glory let us give, and blessing,To the Father, and the Son,Honour, might, and praise addressing,While unending ages run;Ever too his love confessingWho from Both with Both is One.Amen.
℣.He fed them with the finest wheat flour, alleluia.
℟.And with honey out of the stony rock did he satisfy them, alleluia.
Ant. Go out quickly.
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. Go out quickly * into the streets and lanes of the city, and compel them to come in; the poor and the maimed, the halt and the blind, that my house may be filled, 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 Lord, who never failest to help and govern those whom thou dost bring up in thy stedfast fear and love: keep us, we beseech thee, under the protection of thy good providence, and make us to have a perpetual fear and love of thy holy Name. 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 Day IV within the Octave of Corpus Christi
Ant. O how sweet * is thy Spirit, O Lord, who that thou mightest shew thy kindness unto thy children, givest them that sweetest bread from heaven, fillest the hungry with good things, and sendest the rich and scornful empty away.
℣.Thou gavest them bread from heaven, alleluia.
℟.Containing in itself all sweetness, alleluia.
Let us pray.
O God, who in a wonderful Sacrament hast left unto us a memorial of thy Passion: grant us, we beseech thee, so to venerate the sacred mysteries of thy Body and Blood, that we may ever perceive within ourselves the fruit of thy redemption.
Commemoration of St Alban, Protomartyr of England
Ant. Whosoever will come after me * let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
℣.The righteous shall flourish like a palm-tree.
℟.And shall spread abroad like a cedar in Libanus.
Let us pray.
O God, who didst hallow this day by the martyrdom of blessed Alban: grant, we beseech thee, that we who year by year rejoice in his feast day may be supported by his continual assistance.
Commemoration of St Etheldreda, Queen & Virgin
Ant. Come, thou Bride of Christ, * receive the crown which the Lord hath prepared for thee for ever.
℣.In thy grace and in thy beauty.
℟.Go forth, ride prosperously, and reign.
Let us pray.
O God, who makest us glad with the yearly solemnity of blessed Etheldreda, thy Virgin: mercifully grant; that as we are enlightened by the example of her purity so we may be succoured by her prayers. 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.
℣.The Lord give us his peace.
℟.And life everlasting. Amen.
Salve Regina
Mary we hail thee * Mother and Queen compassionate;
Mary our comfort, life, and hope, we hail thee.
To thee we exiles, children of Eve, lift our crying.
To thee we are sighing, as mournful and weeping, we pass through this vale of sorrow.
Turn thou, therefore, O our intercessor, those thine eyes of pity and loving-kindness upon us sinners.
Hereafter, when our earthly exile shall be ended, shew us Jesus, the blessed fruit of thy womb.
O gentle, O tender, O gracious Virgin Mary.
℣.Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
℟.That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray.
Almighty and everlasting God, who by the co-operation of the Holy Ghost, didst prepare the body and soul of the glorious Virgin Mother Mary to become a habitation meet for thy Son: grant that as we rejoice in her commemoration, we may be delivered by her loving intercession from our present evils and from eternal death. 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.