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. Thy kingdom, * O Lord, is an everlasting 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 * will I praise my God.
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 * a thing it is to be thankful unto our God.
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, * O Jerusalem.
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
Heb 9:11–12
Brethren: Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, * having obtained eternal redemption for us.
℟.Thanks be to God.
Save me, O Lord, * from the lion’s mouth.
℟.Save me, O Lord, * from the lion’s mouth.
℣.Thou hast heard me also from among the horns of the unicorns.
℟.From the lion’s mouth.
℟.Save me, O Lord, * from the lion’s mouth.
Hymn
Vexilla Regis prodeunt
The royal banners forward go;The Cross shines forth in mystic glow;Where he in flesh, our flesh who made,Our sentence bore, our ransom paid.
Where deep for us the spear was dyed,Life’s torrent rushing from his side,To wash us in that precious floodWhere mingled Water flowed and Blood.
Fulfilled is all that David toldIn true prophetic song of old:Amidst the nations, God, saith he,Hath reigned and triumphed from the Tree.
O Tree of Beauty! Tree of light!O Tree with royal purple dight!Elect on whose triumphal breastThose holy limbs should find their rest:
On whose dear arms, so widely flung,The weight of this world’s ransom hung,The price of humankind to pay,And spoil the spoiler of his prey.
O Cross, our one reliance, hail!This holy Passiontide availTo give fresh merit to the saintAnd pardon to the penitent.
To thee, eternal Three in One,Let homage meet by all be done:Whom by the Cross thou dost restore,Preserve and govern evermore.Amen.
℣.Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man.
℟.And preserve me from the wicked man.
Ant. I am one * that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of 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. I am one * that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me.
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.
We beseech thee, Almighty God, mercifully to look upon thy people: that by thy great goodness they may be governed and preserved evermore, both in body and 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.
℣.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.