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. Out of the deep.
These words are not repeated in the Psalm.
Psalm 130De profundis clamavi
Out of the deep have I called unto thee, O Lord * Sit. Lord, hear my voice.
2O let thine ears consider well * the voice of my complaint.
3If thou, Lord, wilt be extreme to mark what is done amiss * O Lord, who may abide it?
4For there is mercy with thee * therefore shalt thou be feared.
5I look for the Lord; my soul doth wait for him * in his word is my trust.
6My soul fleeth unto the Lord * before the morning watch, I say, before the morning watch.
7O Israel, trust in the Lord, for with the Lord there is mercy * and with him is plenteous redemption.
8And he shall redeem Israel * Stand. from all his sins.
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. Out of the deep * have I called unto thee, O Lord.
Ant. O Israel.
Psalm 131Domine, non est exaltatum
Lord, I am not high-minded * Sit. I have no proud looks.
2I do not exercise myself in great matters * which are too high for me.
3But I refrain my soul, and keep it low, like as a child that is weaned from his mother * yea, my soul is even as a weaned child.
4O Israel, trust in the Lord * Stand. from this time forth for evermore.
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 Israel, * trust in the Lord.
Ant. And all.
Psalm 132Memento, Domine, David
Lord, remember David * Sit. and all his trouble;
2How he sware unto the Lord * and vowed a vow unto the Almighty God of Jacob;
3I will not come within the tabernacle of mine house * nor climb up into my bed;
4I will not suffer mine eyes to sleep, nor mine eye-lids to slumber * neither the temples of my head to take any rest;
5Until I find out a place for the temple of the Lord * an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob.
6Lo, we heard of the same at Ephrata * and found it in the wood.
7We will go into his tabernacle * and fall low on our knees before his footstool.
8Arise, O Lord, into thy resting-place * thou, and the ark of thy strength.
9Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness * and let thy saints sing with joyfulness.
10For thy servant David’s sake * turn not away the presence of thine Anointed.
11The Lord hath made a faithful oath unto David * and he shall not shrink from it;
12Of the fruit of thy body * shall I set upon thy seat.
13If thy children will keep my covenant, and my testimonies that I shall learn them * their children also shall sit upon thy seat for evermore.
14For the Lord hath chosen Sion to be an habitation for himself * he hath longed for her.
15This shall be my rest for ever * here will I dwell, for I have a delight therein.
16I will bless her victuals with increase * and will satisfy her poor with bread.
17I will deck her priests with health * and her saints shall rejoice and sing.
18There shall I make the horn of David to flourish * I have ordained a lantern for mine Anointed.
19As for his enemies, I shall clothe them with shame * Stand. but upon himself shall his crown flourish.
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 all * his trouble.
Ant. Behold.
These words are not repeated in the Psalm.
Psalm 133Ecce quam bonum
Behold, how good and joyful a thing it is * Sit. brethren, to dwell together in unity!
2It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down unto the beard * even unto Aaron’s beard, and went down to the skirts of his clothing.
3Like as the dew of Hermon * which fell upon the hill of Sion.
4For there the Lord promised his blessing * Stand. and life for evermore.
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, * how good and joyful a thing it is, brethren, to dwell together in unity.
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
Telluris ingens Conditor
EARTH’s mighty Maker, whose commandRaised from the sea the solid land;And drove each billowy heap away,And bade the earth stand firm for aye:
That so the soil might herbage yield,And blossoms fair to deck the field,And golden fruit and harvest bear,And pleasant food for man prepare.
Our spirit’s rankling wounds effaceWith dewy freshness of thy grace:That grief may cleanse each deed of ill,And o’er each lust may triumph still.
Let every soul thy law obey,And keep from every evil way:Rejoice each promised good to win,And flee from every mortal sin.
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. Let my spirit rejoice.
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. Let my spirit rejoice * in God my Saviour.
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, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people; that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may by thee be plenteously rewarded. 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 St Saturninus, Bishop & Martyr
Ant. This is a Martyr * who strove for his Master’s precepts, even unto death: and feared not the words of evil men, forasmuch as he was stablished on a sure foundation.
℣.Thou hast crowned him with glory and honour, O Lord.
℟.And madest him to have dominion of the works of thy hands.
Let us pray.
O God, who dost permit us to rejoice in the birthday of thy blessed Martyr Saturninus: grant that we may be helped by his merits.
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.