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. The Angel * Gabriel was sent to Mary, a Virgin espoused to Joseph.
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. The Angel * Gabriel was sent to Mary, a Virgin espoused to Joseph.
Ant. Hail Mary, * thou that art full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women, alleluia.
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. Hail Mary, * thou that art full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women, alleluia.
Ant. Fear not, Mary, * for thou hast found favour with the Lord: behold, thou shalt conceive, and bring forth a Son, alleluia.
Psalm 122Lætatus sum in his
I was glad when they said unto me * Sit. We will go into the house of the Lord.
2Our feet shall stand in thy gates * O Jerusalem.
3Jerusalem is built as a city * that is at unity in itself.
4For thither the tribes go up, even the tribes of the Lord * to testify unto Israel, to give thanks unto the Name of the Lord.
5For there is the seat of judgement * even the seat of the house of David.
6O pray for the peace of Jerusalem * they shall prosper that love thee.
7Peace be within thy walls * and plenteousness within thy palaces.
8For my brethren and companions’ sakes * I will wish thee prosperity.
9Yea, because of the house of the Lord our God * Stand. I will seek to do thee good.
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. Fear not, Mary, * for thou hast found favour with the Lord: behold, thou shalt conceive, and bring forth a Son, alleluia.
Ant. Of the fruit * of thy body shall I set upon thy seat.
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. Of the fruit * of thy body shall I set upon thy seat.
Chapter
Isa 11:1–2
There shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, † and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: * and the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him.
℟.Thanks be to God.
Drop down, ye heavens, from above, * and let the skies pour down righteousness.
℟.Drop down, ye heavens, from above, * and let the skies pour down righteousness.
℣.Let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation.
℟.And let the skies pour down righteousness.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
℟.Drop down, ye heavens, from above, * and let the skies pour down righteousness.
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.
℣.Hail, Mary, full of grace.
℟.The Lord is with thee.
Ant. O Virgin of Virgins, * how shall this be? for neither before thee was any seen like thee, nor shall be after. Daughters of Jerusalem, why marvel ye at me? The thing which ye behold is a divine mystery.
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 Virgin of Virgins, * how shall this be? for neither before thee was any seen like thee, nor shall be after. Daughters of Jerusalem, why marvel ye at me? The thing which ye behold is a divine mystery.
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 didst ordain that thy Word should take flesh in the womb of the blessed Virgin Mary, at the message of an Angel: grant that we thy suppliants, who believe her to be indeed the Mother of God, may be aided by her intercessions before thee. 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.
Commemoration of Monday after Advent III
Ant. O Adonai, * and Leader of the house of Israel, who appearedst in the bush to Moses in a flame of fire, and gavest him the law in Sinai: Come and redeem us with an outstretched arm.
℣.Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness.
℟.Let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation.
Let us pray.
Incline thine ear to our prayers, O Lord, we beseech thee; and lighten the darkness of our minds by the grace of thy visitation. 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.