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.
Praise be to thee, O Lord, King of eternal glory.
Ant. But we who live.
Psalm 114In exitu Israël
When Israel came out of Egypt * Sit. and the house of Jacob from among the strange people,
2Judah was his sanctuary * and Israel his dominion.
3The sea saw that, and fled * Jordan was driven back.
4The mountains skipped like rams * and the little hills like young sheep.
5What aileth thee, O thou sea, that thou fleddest * and thou Jordan, that thou wast driven back?
6Ye mountains, that ye skipped like rams * and ye little hills, like young sheep?
7Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord * at the presence of the God of Jacob;
8Who turned the hard rock into a standing water * and the flint-stone into a springing well.
Psalm 115Non nobis, Domine
Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy Name give the praise * for thy loving mercy and for thy truth’s sake.
2Wherefore shall the heathen say * Where is now their God?
3As for our God, he is in heaven * he hath done whatsoever pleased him.
4Their idols are silver and gold * even the work of men’s hands.
5They have mouths, and speak not * eyes have they, and see not.
6They have ears, and hear not * noses have they, and smell not.
7They have hands, and handle not; feet have they, and walk not * neither speak they through their throat.
8They that make them are like unto them * and so are all such as put their trust in them.
9But thou, house of Israel, trust thou in the Lord * he is their succour and defence.
10Ye house of Aaron, put your trust in the Lord * he is their helper and defender.
11Ye that fear the Lord, put your trust in the Lord * he is their helper and defender.
12The Lord hath been mindful of us, and he shall bless us * even he shall bless the house of Israel, he shall bless the house of Aaron.
13He shall bless them that fear the Lord * both small and great.
14The Lord shall increase you more and more * you and your children.
15Ye are the blessed of the Lord * who made heaven and earth.
16All the whole heavens are the Lord’s * the earth hath he given to the children of men.
17The dead praise not thee, O Lord * neither all they that go down into silence.
18But we will praise the Lord * Stand. from this time forth for evermore. 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. But we who live * from this time forth will praise the Lord.
Ant. The Lord hath inclined.
Psalm 116aDilexi, quoniam exaudiet Dominus
I am well pleased * Sit. that the Lord hath heard the voice of my prayer;
2That he hath inclined his ear unto me * therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.
3The snares of death compassed me round about * and the pains of hell gat hold upon me.
4I shall find trouble and heaviness, and I will call upon the Name of the Lord * O Lord, I beseech thee, deliver my soul.
5Gracious is the Lord, and righteous * yea, our God is merciful.
6The Lord preserveth the simple * I was in misery, and he helped me.
7Turn again then unto thy rest, O my soul * for the Lord hath rewarded thee.
8And why? thou hast delivered my soul from death * mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.
9I will walk before the Lord * Stand. in the land of the living.
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 hath inclined * his ear unto me.
Ant. I believed.
These words are not repeated in the Psalm.
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 * in the courts of the Lord’s house, even in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem. Praise the Lord.
Psalm 117Laudate Dominum, omnes gentes
O praise the Lord, all ye heathen * praise him, all ye nations.
2For his merciful kindness is ever more and more towards us * Stand. and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever. 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 believed, * and therefore will I speak.
Ant. Many a time.
These words are not repeated in the Psalm.
Psalm 129Sæpe expugnaverunt me
Many a time have they fought against me from my youth up * Sit. may Israel now say.
2Yea, many a time have they vexed me from my youth up * but they have not prevailed against me.
3The plowers plowed upon my back * and made long furrows.
4But the righteous Lord * hath hewn the snares of the ungodly in pieces.
5Let them be confounded and turned backward * as many as have evil will at Sion.
6Let them be even as the grass growing upon the house-tops * which withereth afore it be plucked up;
7Whereof the mower filleth not his hand * neither he that bindeth up the sheaves his bosom.
8So that they who go by say not so much as, The Lord prosper you * Stand. we wish you good luck in the Name of 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. Many a time * have they fought against me from my youth up.
Chapter
Joel 2:17
Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them.
℟.Thanks be to God.
He shall defend thee * under his wings.
℟.He shall defend thee * under his wings.
℣.And thou shalt be safe under his feathers.
℟.Under his wings.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
℟.He shall defend thee * under his wings.
Hymn
Audi benigne Conditor
O Maker of the world, give ear;Accept the prayer and own the tearTowards thy seat of mercy sentIn this most holy fast of Lent.
Each heart is manifest to thee;Thou knowest our infirmity.Forgive thou then each soul that fainWould seek to thee, and turn again.
Our sins are manifold and sore,But pardon them that sin deplore:And for thy Name’s sake, make each soulThat feels and owns its languor, whole.
So mortify we every senseBy grace of outward abstinence,That from each stain and spot of sinThe soul may keep her fast within.
Grant, O thou blessed Trinity,Grant, O essential Unity,That this our fast of forty daysMay work our profit and thy praise.Amen.
℣.God shall give his Angels charge over thee.
℟.To keep thee in all thy ways.
Ant. He that sent me.
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. He that sent me * is with me; the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.
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.
Almighty God, who seest that we have no power of ourselves to help ourselves; keep us both outwardly in our bodies, and inwardly in our souls; that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul. 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 The Forty Holy Martyrs
Ant. For theirs is the kingdom of heaven, * who despised worldly living: who have won the rewards of the kingdom and have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb.
℣.Be glad, O ye righteous, and rejoice in the Lord.
℟.And be joyful, all ye that are true of heart.
Let us pray.
O God, who dost suffer us to honour the birthday of thy holy Martyrs The Forty Holy Martyrs: grant us to rejoice in their eternal and blessed 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.
Ave Regina Caelorum
Queen of the heavens, we hail thee *
Hail thee, Lady of all the Angels.
Thou the dawn, the door of morning
Whence the world’s true Light is risen:
Joy to thee, O Virgin glorious,
Beautiful beyond all other;
Hail, and farewell, O most gracious,
Intercede for us alway to Jesus.
℣.Vouchsafe that I may praise thee, O holy Virgin.
℟.Give me strength against thine enemies.
Let us pray.
Grant us, O merciful God, protection in our weakness: that we who celebrate the memory of the holy Mother of God may, through the aid of her intercession, rise again from our sins. 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.