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. The Angel Gabriel was sent * to Mary, a Virgin espoused to Joseph.
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. The Angel Gabriel was sent * to Mary, a Virgin espoused to Joseph.
Ant. Hail Mary, * thou that art full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
Psalm 113Laudate, pueri, Dominum
Praise the Lord, ye servants * Sit. O praise the Name of the Lord.
2Blessed be the Name of the Lord * from this time forth for evermore.
3The Lord’s Name is praised * from the rising up of the sun unto the going down of the same.
4The Lord is high above all heathen * and his glory above the heavens.
5Who is like unto the Lord our God, that hath his dwelling so high * and yet humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven and earth?
6He taketh up the simple out of the dust * and lifteth the poor out of the mire;
7That he may set him with the princes * even with the princes of his people.
8He maketh the barren woman to keep house * Stand. and to be a joyful mother of children.
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. Hail Mary, * thou that art full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
Ant. Fear not, Mary, * for thou hast found favour with the Lord: behold, thou shalt conceive, and bring forth a Son.
Psalm 122Lætatus sum in his
I was glad when they said unto me * Sit. We will go into the house of the Lord.
2Our feet shall stand in thy gates * O Jerusalem.
3Jerusalem is built as a city * that is at unity in itself.
4For thither the tribes go up, even the tribes of the Lord * to testify unto Israel, to give thanks unto the Name of the Lord.
5For there is the seat of judgement * even the seat of the house of David.
6O pray for the peace of Jerusalem * they shall prosper that love thee.
7Peace be within thy walls * and plenteousness within thy palaces.
8For my brethren and companions’ sakes * I will wish thee prosperity.
9Yea, because of the house of the Lord our God * Stand. I will seek to do thee good.
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. Fear not, Mary, * for thou hast found favour with the Lord: behold, thou shalt conceive, and bring forth a Son.
Ant. The Lord shall give unto him * the throne of his father David, and he shall reign for ever.
Psalm 127Nisi Dominus ædificaverit domum
Except the Lord build the house * Sit. their labour is but lost that build it.
2Except the Lord keep the city * the watchman waketh but in vain.
3It is but lost labour that ye haste to rise up early, and so late take rest, and eat the bread of carefulness * for so he giveth his beloved sleep.
4Lo, children and the fruit of the womb * are an heritage and gift that cometh of the Lord.
5Like as the arrows in the hand of the giant * even so are the young children.
6Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them * Stand. they shall not be ashamed when they speak with their enemies in the gate.
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 shall give unto him * the throne of his father David, and he shall reign for ever.
Chapter
Isa 7:14–15
Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. * Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good.
℟.Thanks be to God.
The Angel of the Lord * announced unto Mary.
℟.The Angel of the Lord * announced unto Mary.
℣.And she conceived by the Holy Ghost.
℟.Announced unto Mary.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
℟.The Angel of the Lord * announced unto Mary.
Hymn
Ave, maris stella
The first stanza of the following hymn is said kneeling.
Star of ocean fairest,Mother, God who barest,Virgin thou immortal,Heaven’s blissful portal.
Ave thou receivest,Gabriel’s word believest,Change to peace and gladnessEva’s name of sadness.
Loose the bonds of terror,Lighten blinded error,All our ills repressing,Pray for every blessing.
Mother’s care displaying,Offer him thy praying,Who, when born our Brother,Chose thee for his Mother.
Virgin all-excelling,Gentle past our telling,Pardoned sinners renderGentle, chaste, and tender.
In pure paths direct us,On our way protect us,Till, on Jesus gazing,We shall join thy praising.
Father, Son eternal,Holy Ghost supernal,With one praise we bless thee,Three in One confess thee.Amen.
℣.Hail Mary, full of grace.
℟.The Lord is with thee.
Ant. The Holy Ghost * shall come upon thee, Mary: and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee.
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 Holy Ghost * shall come upon thee, Mary: and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee.
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 didst ordain that thy Word should take flesh in the womb of the blessed Virgin Mary, at the message of an Angel: grant that we thy suppliants, who believe her to be indeed the Mother of God, may be aided by her intercessions before thee. 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.
Commemoration of Tuesday after Lent IV
Ant. But no man * laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come.
℣.God shall give his Angels charge over thee.
℟.To keep thee in all thy ways.
Let us pray.
Grant, we beseech thee, Almighty God: that we, who for our evil deeds do worthily deserve to be punished, by the comfort of thy grace may mercifully be relieved; through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Commemoration of St Gabriel the Archangel
Ant. The Archangel Gabriel * said unto Mary: With God nothing shall be impossible. And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord: be it unto me according to thy word. And the Angel departed from her.
℣.In the presence of the Angels I will sing praise unto thee, O my God.
℟.I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy Name.
Let us pray.
O God, who from among other Angels didst choose the Archangel Gabriel to announce the mystery of thy Incarnation: mercifully grant that we who celebrate his feast on earth may experience his protection from heaven. 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.
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.