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. The Angel of the Lord * descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it, alleluia, alleluia.
Psalm 142Voce mea ad Dominum
I cried unto the Lord with my voice * Sit. yea, even unto the Lord did I make my supplication.
2I poured out my complaints before him * and shewed him of my trouble.
3When my spirit was in heaviness thou knewest my path * in the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me.
4I looked also upon my right hand * and saw there was no man that would know me.
5I had no place to flee unto * and no man cared for my soul.
6I cried unto thee, O Lord, and said * Thou art my hope, and my portion in the land of the living.
7Consider my complaint * for I am brought very low.
8O deliver me from my persecutors * for they are too strong for me.
9Bring my soul out of prison, that I may give thanks unto thy Name * Stand. which thing if thou wilt grant me, then shall the righteous resort unto my company.
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 of the Lord * descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it, alleluia, alleluia.
Ant. And behold, * there was a great earthquake: for the Angel of the Lord descended from heaven, alleluia.
Psalm 144aBenedictus Dominus, Deus meus
Blessed be the Lord my strength * Sit. who teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight;
2My hope and my fortress, my castle and deliverer, my defender in whom I trust * who subdueth my people that is under me.
3Lord, what is man, that thou hast such respect unto him * or the son of man, that thou so regardest him?
4Man is like a thing of nought * his time passeth away like a shadow.
5Bow thy heavens, O Lord, and come down * touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.
6Cast forth thy lightning, and tear them * shoot out thine arrows, and consume them.
7Send down thine hand from above * deliver me, and take me out of the great waters, from the hand of strange children;
8Whose mouth talketh of vanity * Stand. and their right hand is a right hand of wickedness.
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. And behold, * there was a great earthquake: for the Angel of the Lord descended from heaven, alleluia.
Ant. His countenance * was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow, alleluia, alleluia.
Psalm 144bDeus, canticum novum cantabo
I will sing a new song unto thee, O God * Sit. and sing praises unto thee upon a ten-stringed lute.
10Thou hast given victory unto kings * and hast delivered David thy servant from the peril of the sword.
11Save me, and deliver me from the hand of strange children * whose mouth talketh of vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of iniquity.
12That our sons may grow up as the young plants * and that our daughters may be as the polished corners of the temple.
13That our garners may be full and plenteous with all manner of store * that our sheep may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our streets.
14That our oxen may be strong to labour, that there be no decay * no leading into captivity, and no complaining in our streets.
15Happy are the people that are in such a case * Stand. yea, blessed are the people who have the Lord for their God.
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. His countenance * was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow, alleluia, alleluia.
Ant. And for fear of him * the keepers did shake, and became as dead men, alleluia.
Psalm 145aExaltabo te, Deus meus
I will magnify thee, O God, my King * Sit. and I will praise thy Name for ever and ever.
2Every day will I give thanks unto thee * and praise thy Name for ever and ever.
3Great is the Lord, and marvellous worthy to be praised * there is no end of his greatness.
4One generation shall praise thy works unto another * and declare thy power.
5As for me, I will be talking of thy worship * thy glory, thy praise, and wondrous works;
6So that men shall speak of the might of thy marvellous acts * and I will also tell of thy greatness.
7The memorial of thine abundant kindness shall be shewed * and men shall sing of thy righteousness.
8The Lord is gracious and merciful * long-suffering and of great goodness.
9The Lord is loving unto every man * and his mercy is over all his works.
10All thy works praise thee, O Lord * 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 * Stand. and thy dominion endureth throughout all ages.
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. And for fear of him * the keepers did shake, and became as dead men, alleluia.
Chapter
Rom 6:9–10
Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
℟.Thanks be to God.
The Lord is risen from the tomb, alleluia, alleluia.
The Lord is risen from the tomb, alleluia, alleluia.
℣.Who for our sakes hung upon the tree.
℟.Alleluia, alleluia.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
℟.The Lord is risen from the tomb, alleluia, alleluia.
Hymn
Ad cenam Agni providi
The Lamb’s high banquet we awaitIn snow-white robes of royal state:And now, the Red Sea’s channel past,To Christ our Prince we sing at last.
Upon the Altar of the CrossHis body hath redeemed our loss:And tasting of his roseate Blood,Our life is hid with him in God.
That Paschal Eve God’s arm was bared,The devastating Angel spared:By strength of hand our hosts went freeFrom Pharaoh’s ruthless tyranny.
Now Christ, our Paschal Lamb, is slain,The Lamb of God that knows no stain,The true Oblation offered here,Our own unleavened Bread sincere.
O thou, from whom hell’s monarch flies,O great, O very Sacrifice,Thy captive people are set free,And endless life restored in thee.
For Christ, arising from the dead,From conquered hell victorious sped,And thrust the tyrant down to chains,And Paradise for man regains.
We pray thee, King with glory decked,In this our Paschal joy, protectFrom all that death would fain effectThy ransomed flock, thine own elect.
To thee, who, dead, again dost live,All glory, Lord, thy people give;All glory, as is ever meet,To Father and to Paraclete.Amen.
℣.Abide with us, Lord, alleluia.
℟.For it is toward evening, alleluia.
Ant. All power * is given unto me in heaven and in earth, alleluia.
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. All power * is given unto me in heaven and in earth, 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.
Almighty God, who through thine only-begotten Son Jesus Christ hast overcome death, and opened unto us the gate of everlasting life; We humbly beseech thee that, as by thy special grace preventing us thou dost put into our minds good desires, so by thy continual help we may bring the same to good effect. 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.
Regina Caeli
O Queen of Heaven, * be joyful, alleluia.
Because he whom so meetly thou barest, alleluia.
Hath arisen, as he promised, alleluia.
Pray for us to the Father, alleluia.
℣.Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia.
℟.For the Lord is risen indeed, alleluia.
Let us pray.
O God, who, by the Resurrection of thy Son Jesus Christ didst vouchsafe to give gladness unto the world: Grant, we beseech thee, that we, being holpen by the Virgin Mary, his Mother, may attain unto the joys of everlasting life. 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.