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. Whosoever shall confess me * before men, him will I confess also before my Father.
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. Whosoever shall confess me * before men, him will I confess also before my Father.
Ant. He that followeth me * shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life, saith the Lord.
Psalm 112Beatus vir, qui timet Dominum
Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord * Sit. he hath great delight in his commandments.
2His seed shall be mighty upon earth * the generation of the faithful shall be blessed.
3Riches and plenteousness shall be in his house * and his righteousness endureth for ever.
4Unto the godly there ariseth up light in the darkness * he is merciful, loving, and righteous.
5A good man is merciful, and lendeth * and will guide his words with discretion.
6For he shall never be moved * and the righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance.
7He will not be afraid of any evil tidings * for his heart standeth fast, and believeth in the Lord.
8His heart is established, and will not shrink * until he see his desire upon his enemies.
9He hath dispersed abroad, and given to the poor * and his righteousness remaineth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour.
10The ungodly shall see it, and it shall grieve him * Stand. he shall gnash with his teeth, and consume away; the desire of the ungodly shall perish.
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. He that followeth me * shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life, saith the Lord.
Ant. If any man serve me, * let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be.
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. If any man serve me, * let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be.
Ant. Father, * I will that where I am, there may also my servant be.
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 * Stand. in the courts of the Lord’s house, even in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem. 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. Father, * I will that where I am, there may also my servant be.
Chapter
Jas 1:12
Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, * which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
℟.Thanks be to God.
Thou hast set * upon his head, O Lord.
℟.Thou hast set * upon his head, O Lord.
℣.A crown of pure gold.
℟.Upon his head, O Lord.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
℟.Thou hast set * upon his head, O Lord.
Hymn
Deus, tuorum militum
Of all thy warrior Saints, O Lord,The portion, crown, and great reward:From all transgressions set us freeWho sing thy Martyr’s victory.
The pleasures of the world he spurned,From sin’s pernicious lures he turned;Accounting them as transient all,He reached at length thy heavenly hall.
For thee through many a woe he ran,In many a fight he played the man;For thee his blood he dared to pour,And thence hath joy for evermore.
We therefore pray thee, full of love,Regard us from thy throne above:On this thy Martyr’s triumph day,Wash every stain of sin away.
Enduring laud and praise be doneTo God the Father, and the Son,And to the Holy Paraclete,For endless ages, as is meet.Amen.
℣.The righteous shall flourish like a palm-tree.
℟.And shall spread abroad like a cedar in Libanus.
Ant. Whosoever will come after me * let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow 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. Whosoever will come after me * let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow 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.
O God, who makest us to rejoice in the merits and intercession of blessed George thy Martyr: mercifully grant that we who ask for thy benefits through him, may obtain them by the gift of thy grace. 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.
Commemoration of Friday after Passion Sunday
Ant. The chief priests * consulted how they might take Jesus and kill him; but they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar among the people.
℣.Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man.
℟.And preserve me from the wicked man.
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.
Commemoration of Our Lady of Sorrows
Ant. All generations * shall call me blessed: for God hath regarded the lowliness of his handmaiden.
℣.Vouchsafe that I may praise thee, O holy Virgin.
℟.Give me strength against thine enemies.
Let us pray.
Grant, we beseech thee, O Lord God, that we thy servants may rejoice in continual health of mind and body: and that by the glorious intercession of blessed Mary ever Virgin we may be delivered from this present heaviness, and have the fruition of eternal joy. 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.