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. 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
2 Cor. 1:3–4
Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort, who comforteth us in all our tribulation.
℟.Thanks be to God.
I will bless the Lord * At all times.
℟.I will bless the Lord * At all times.
℣.His praise shall ever be in my mouth.
℟.At all times.
℣.Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
℟.I will bless the Lord * At all times.
Hymn
Immense caeli Conditor
O GREAT Creator of the sky,Who wouldest not the floods on highWith earthly waters to confound,But madest the firmament their bound:
The floods above thou didst ordain;The floods below thou didst restrain:That moisture might attemper heat,Lest the parched earth should ruin meet.
Upon our souls, good Lord, bestowThe gift of grace in endless flow:Lest some renewed deceit or wileOf former sin should us beguile.
Let Faith discover heavenly light;So shall her ray direct us right:And let this Faith each error chase,And never give to falsehood place.
O Father, that we ask be doneThrough Jesus Christ, thine only Son,Who, with the Holy Ghost and thee,Shall live and reign eternally.Amen.
℣.Lord, let my prayer be set forth.
℟.In thy sight as the incense.
Ant. My soul.
These words are not repeated in the Canticle.
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. My soul * doth magnify the Lord, for he hath regarded my lowliness.
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 beseech thee to keep thy household the Church in continual godliness; that through thy protection it may be free from all adversities, and devoutly given to serve thee in good works, to the glory of thy Name. 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.
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.