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. Blow ye the trumpet * in Sion, for the day of the Lord is nigh at hand: behold, he cometh to save us, alleluia, alleluia.
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. Blow ye the trumpet * in Sion, for the day of the Lord is nigh at hand: behold, he cometh to save us, alleluia, alleluia.
Ant. Behold * the Desire of all nations shall come: and the house of the Lord shall be filled with glory, alleluia.
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. Behold * the Desire of all nations shall come: and the house of the Lord shall be filled with glory, alleluia.
Ant. The crooked * shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: come, O Lord, and do not tarry, alleluia.
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. The crooked * shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: come, O Lord, and do not tarry, alleluia.
Ant. Thine Almighty Word, * O Lord, leapeth down from heaven out of thy royal throne, alleluia.
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. Thine Almighty Word, * O Lord, leapeth down from heaven out of thy royal throne, alleluia.
Chapter
1 Cor 4:1–2
Brethren: Let a man so account of us as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required in stewards that a man be found faithful.
℟.Thanks be to God.
Shew us * thy mercy, O Lord.
℟.Shew us * thy mercy, O Lord.
℣.And grant us thy salvation.
℟.Thy mercy, O Lord.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
℟.Shew us * thy mercy, O Lord.
Hymn
Conditor alme siderum
Creator of the stars of night,Thy people’s everlasting light,Jesu, Redeemer, save us all,And hear thy servants when they call.
Thou grieving that the ancient curseShould doom to death an universe,Hast found the medicine, full of grace,To save and heal a ruined race.
Thou camest, the Bridegroom of the Bride,As drew the world to evening tide,Proceeding from a virgin shrine,The spotless Victim all divine.
At whose dread Name, majestic now,All knees must bend, all hearts must bow;And things celestial thee shall own,And things terrestrial, Lord alone.
O thou whose coming is with dread,To judge and doom the quick and dead,Preserve us, while we dwell below,From every insult of the foe.
To God the Father, God the Son,And God the Spirit, Three in One,Laud, honour, might, and glory beFrom age to age eternally.Amen.
℣.Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness.
℟.Let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation.
Ant. O Root of Jesse, * which standest for an ensign of the people, at whom kings shall shut their mouths, unto whom the Gentiles shall seek: Come and deliver us, and tarry not.
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. O Root of Jesse, * which standest for an ensign of the people, at whom kings shall shut their mouths, unto whom the Gentiles shall seek: Come and deliver us, and tarry not.
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.
Stir up thy power, we beseech thee, O Lord, and come: and with great might succour us, that with the help of thy grace that which is hindered by our sins may be hastened by thy merciful forgiveness. 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.
Alma Redemptoris Mater
Gracious * Mother of our Redeemer, for ever abiding Heaven’s gateway, and star of ocean,
O succour the people, Who, though falling, strive to rise again.
Thou Maiden who barest thy holy Creator, to the wonder of all nature;
Ever Virgin, after as before thou receivedst that Ave from the mouth of Gabriel;
have compassion on us sinners.
℣.The Angel of the Lord announced unto Mary.
℟.And she conceived by the Holy Ghost.
Let us pray.
We beseech thee, O Lord, pour thy grace into our hearts: that, as we have known the incarnation of thy Son Jesus Christ by the message of an Angel, so by his cross and passion we may be brought unto the glory of his resurrection. 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.