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. Christ the Lord.
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. Christ the Lord, * a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech, offered bread and wine.
Ant. The merciful and gracious Lord.
Psalm 111Confitebor tibi, Domine
I will give thanks unto the Lord with my whole heart * Sit. secretly among the faithful, and in the congregation.
2The works of the Lord are great * sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.
3His work is worthy to be praised and had in honour * and his righteousness endureth for ever.
4The merciful and gracious Lord hath so done his marvellous works * that they ought to be had in remembrance.
5He hath given meat unto them that fear him * he shall ever be mindful of his covenant.
6He hath shewed his people the power of his works * that he may give them the heritage of the heathen.
7The works of his hands are verity and judgement * all his commandments are true.
8They stand fast for ever and ever * and are done in truth and equity.
9He sent redemption unto his people * he hath commanded his covenant for ever; holy and reverend is his Name.
10The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom * Stand. a good understanding have all they that do thereafter; the praise of it endureth 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. The merciful and gracious Lord * hath given meat unto them that fear him, in remembrance of his marvellous doings.
Ant. I will receive.
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. I will receive * the cup of salvation, and offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving.
Ant. He that maketh.
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. He that maketh * peace in the Church’s borders is the Lord, who filleth us with the flour of wheat.
Chapter
1 John 3:13–14
Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you. We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren.
℟.Thanks be to God.
He gave them bread from heaven, * alleluia, alleluia.
℟.He gave them bread from heaven, * alleluia, alleluia.
℣.So man did eat angels’ food.
℟.Alleluia, alleluia.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
℟.He gave them bread from heaven, * alleluia, alleluia.
Hymn
Pange lingua gloriosi
Now, my tongue, the Mystery telling,Of the glorious Body sing,And the Blood, all price excelling,Which the Gentiles’ Lord and King,In a noble womb once dwelling,Shed for this world’s ransoming.
Given for us, and condescending,To be born for us below,He, with men in converse blending,Dwelt the seed of truth to sow,Till he closed with wondrous endingHis most patient life of woe.
That last night, at supper lying,’Mid the Twelve, his chosen band,Jesus, with the Law complying,Keeps the Feast its rites demand;Then, more precious Food supplying,Gives himself with his own hand.
Word-made-Flesh, by word he maketh,Very bread his Flesh to be;Man in wine Christ’s Blood partaketh:And if senses fail to see,Faith alone the true heart wakethTo behold the Mystery.
Therefore we, before him bending,This great Sacrament revere;Types and shadows have their ending,For the newer rite is here;Faith, our outward sense befriending,Makes the inward vision clear.
Glory let us give, and blessing,To the Father, and the Son,Honour, might, and praise addressing,While unending ages run;Ever too his love confessingWho from Both with Both is One.Amen.
℣.He fed them with the finest wheat flour, alleluia.
℟.And with honey out of the stony rock did he satisfy them, alleluia.
Ant. The child Samuel.
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. The child Samuel * ministered unto the Lord before Eli, and the word of the Lord was precious in his sight.
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 Lord, who never failest to help and govern those whom thou dost bring up in thy stedfast fear and love: Keep us, we beseech thee, under the protection of thy good providence, and make us to have a perpetual fear and love of thy holy 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.
Commemoration of Day III within the Octave of Corpus Christi
Ant. O sacred banquet, * wherein Christ is received, the memory of his Passion is renewed; the soul with grace is filled, and a pledge of future glory is bestowed, alleluia.
℣.Thou gavest them bread from heaven, alleluia.
℟.Containing in itself all sweetness, alleluia.
Let us pray.
O God, who in a wonderful Sacrament hast left unto us a memorial of thy Passion: grant us, we beseech thee, so to venerate the sacred mysteries of thy Body and Blood, that we may ever perceive within ourselves the fruit of thy redemption.
Commemoration of St Irenaeus of Lyon, Bishop & Martyr
Ant. Whosoever will come after me * let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
℣.The righteous shall flourish like a palm-tree.
℟.And shall spread abroad like a cedar in Libanus.
Let us pray.
O God, who gavest grace to blessed Irenaeus thy Martyr and Bishop to overcome false doctrine by the truth of his teaching, and favourably to establish peace in thy Church: give thy people, we beseech thee, constancy in holy religion, and grant us thy peace all the days of our life.
Commemoration of Day VI within the Octave of Ss Peter & Paul
Ant. Thou art the shepherd of the sheep, * O chief of the Apostles: unto thee were given the keys of the kingdom of heaven.
℣.Thou shalt make them princes in all lands.
℟.They shall remember thy Name, O Lord.
Let us pray.
O God, who hast consecrated this day by the martyrdom of thine Apostles Peter and Paul: grant unto thy Church that in all things she may follow the precepts of those through whom she received the beginning of her religion.
Commemoration of All Saints of Antioch
Ant. I will liken him * unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock.
℣.The Lord loved him and adorned him.
℟.He clothed him with a robe of glory.
Let us pray.
O God, who makest us glad by the yearly solemnity of thy blessed Confessor All Saints of Antioch: mercifully grant that we who honour his birthday may also imitate his good deeds. 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.
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.