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. Thy kingdom.
Psalm 145bConfiteantur tibi, Domine
All thy works praise thee, O Lord * Sit. and thy saints give thanks unto thee.
11They shew the glory of thy kingdom * and talk of thy power;
12That thy power, thy glory, and mightiness of thy kingdom * might be known unto men.
13Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom * and thy dominion endureth throughout all ages.
14The Lord upholdeth all such as fall * and lifteth up all those that are down.
15The eyes of all wait upon thee, O Lord * and thou givest them their meat in due season.
16Thou openest thine hand * and fillest all things living with plenteousness.
17The Lord is righteous in all his ways * and holy in all his works.
18The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him * yea, all such as call upon him faithfully.
19He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him * he also will hear their cry, and will help them.
20The Lord preserveth all them that love him * but scattereth abroad all the ungodly.
21My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord * Stand. and let all flesh give thanks unto his holy Name for ever and 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. Thy kingdom, * O Lord, is an everlasting kingdom.
Ant. While I have my being.
Psalm 146Lauda, anima mea, Dominum
Praise the Lord, O my soul; while I live will I praise the Lord * Sit. yea, as long as I have any being, I will sing praises unto my God.
2O put not your trust in princes, nor in any child of man * for there is no help in them.
3For when the breath of man goeth forth he shall turn again to his earth * and then all his thoughts perish.
4Blessed is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help * and whose hope is in the Lord his God;
5Who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that therein is * who keepeth his promise for ever;
6Who helpeth them to right that suffer wrong * who feedeth the hungry.
7The Lord looseth men out of prison * the Lord giveth sight to the blind.
8The Lord helpeth them that are fallen * the Lord careth for the righteous.
9The Lord careth for the strangers, he defendeth the fatherless and widow * as for the way of the ungodly, he turneth it upside down.
10The Lord thy God, O Sion, shall be King for evermore * Stand. and throughout all generations.
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. While I have my being * will I praise my God.
Ant. O how joyful.
Psalm 147aLaudate Dominum quoniam bonus
O praise the Lord, for it is a good thing to sing praises unto our God * Sit. yea, a joyful and pleasant thing it is to be thankful.
2The Lord doth build up Jerusalem * and gather together the out-casts of Israel.
3He healeth those that are broken in heart * and giveth medicine to heal their sickness.
4He telleth the number of the stars * and calleth them all by their names.
5Great is our Lord, and great is his power * yea, and his wisdom is infinite.
6The Lord setteth up the meek * and bringeth the ungodly down to the ground.
7O sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving * sing praises upon the harp unto our God;
8Who covereth the heaven with clouds, and prepareth rain for the earth * and maketh the grass to grow upon the mountains, and herb for the use of men;
9Who giveth fodder unto the cattle * and feedeth the young ravens that call upon him.
10He hath no pleasure in the strength of an horse * neither delighteth he in any man’s legs.
11But the Lord’s delight is in them that fear him * Stand. and put their trust in his mercy.
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 how joyful * a thing it is to be thankful unto our God.
Ant. Praise the Lord.
These words are not repeated in the Psalm.
Psalm 147bLauda, Jerusalem, Dominum
Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem * Sit. praise thy God, O Sion.
13For he hath made fast the bars of thy gates * and hath blessed thy children within thee.
14He maketh peace in thy borders * and filleth thee with the flour of wheat.
15He sendeth forth his commandment upon earth * and his word runneth very swiftly.
16He giveth snow like wool * and scattereth the hoar-frost like ashes.
17He casteth forth his ice like morsels * who is able to abide his frost?
18He sendeth out his word, and melteth them * he bloweth with his wind, and the waters flow.
19He sheweth his word unto Jacob * his statutes and ordinances unto Israel.
20He hath not dealt so with any nation * Stand. neither have the heathen knowledge of his laws.
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. Praise the Lord, * O Jerusalem.
Chapter
Rom. 11:33
O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
℟.Thanks be to God.
Great is our Lord * and great is his power.
℟.Great is our Lord * and great is his power.
℣.Yea, and his wisdom is infinite.
℟.And great is his power.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
℟.Great is our Lord * and great is his power.
Hymn
O lux beata Trinitas
O Trinity of blessed light,O Unity of princely might,The fiery sun now goes his way;Shed thou within our hearts thy ray.
To thee our morning song of praise,To thee our evening prayer we raise;Thy glory suppliant we adoreFor ever and for evermore.
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.
℣.Let our evening prayer come up before thee, O Lord.
℟.And let thy mercy come down on us.
Ant. The Lord open your hearts.
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. The Lord open your hearts * in his law and commandments; and may the Lord our God send you peace.
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.
Lord, we pray thee that thy grace may always prevent and follow us; and make us continually to be given to all good works. 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 St Wenceslaus, Duke, Martyr
Ant. This is a Martyr * who strove for his Master’s precepts, even unto death: and feared not the words of evil men, forasmuch as he was stablished on a sure foundation.
℣.Thou hast crowned him with glory and honour, O Lord.
℟.And madest him to have dominion of the works of thy hands.
Let us pray.
O God, who through the victory of martyrdom didst translate blessed Wenceslas from an earthly principality to the glory of heaven: defend us through his prayers from all adversity; and grant us likewise to rejoice in his fellowship.
Suffrage of All Saints
Ant. May the blessed Mother of God, * the Virgin Mary, and all the Saints, intercede for us to the Lord.
℣.The Lord hath made his Saints wonderful.
℟.And hath heard them when they called upon him.
Let us pray.
Defend us, we beseech thee, O Lord, from all perils of mind and body: and at the intercession of the blessed and glorious Mary, the ever Virgin Mother of God, of blessed Joseph, of thy blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, of our blessed Father Benedict and all Saints, graciously bestow upon us both peace and safety: that all adversity and error being done away, thy Church may serve thee in untroubled freedom. Through the same 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.