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. Before the morning star begotten.
Psalm 142Voce mea ad Dominum
I cried unto the Lord with my voice * Sit. yea, even unto the Lord did I make my supplication.
2I poured out my complaints before him * and shewed him of my trouble.
3When my spirit was in heaviness thou knewest my path * in the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me.
4I looked also upon my right hand * and saw there was no man that would know me.
5I had no place to flee unto * and no man cared for my soul.
6I cried unto thee, O Lord, and said * Thou art my hope, and my portion in the land of the living.
7Consider my complaint * for I am brought very low.
8O deliver me from my persecutors * for they are too strong for me.
9Bring my soul out of prison, that I may give thanks unto thy Name * Stand. which thing if thou wilt grant me, then shall the righteous resort unto my company.
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. Before the morning star begotten, * and Lord from everlasting, our Saviour is made manifest unto the world to-day.
Ant. Thy light is come.
Psalm 144aBenedictus Dominus, Deus meus
Blessed be the Lord my strength * Sit. who teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight;
2My hope and my fortress, my castle and deliverer, my defender in whom I trust * who subdueth my people that is under me.
3Lord, what is man, that thou hast such respect unto him * or the son of man, that thou so regardest him?
4Man is like a thing of nought * his time passeth away like a shadow.
5Bow thy heavens, O Lord, and come down * touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.
6Cast forth thy lightning, and tear them * shoot out thine arrows, and consume them.
7Send down thine hand from above * deliver me, and take me out of the great waters, from the hand of strange children;
8Whose mouth talketh of vanity * Stand. and their right hand is a right hand of wickedness.
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. Thy light is come, * O Jerusalem, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee: and the Gentiles shall come to thy light, alleluia.
Ant. When they had opened their treasures.
Psalm 144bDeus, canticum novum cantabo
I will sing a new song unto thee, O God * Sit. and sing praises unto thee upon a ten-stringed lute.
10Thou hast given victory unto kings * and hast delivered David thy servant from the peril of the sword.
11Save me, and deliver me from the hand of strange children * whose mouth talketh of vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of iniquity.
12That our sons may grow up as the young plants * and that our daughters may be as the polished corners of the temple.
13That our garners may be full and plenteous with all manner of store * that our sheep may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our streets.
14That our oxen may be strong to labour, that there be no decay * no leading into captivity, and no complaining in our streets.
15Happy are the people that are in such a case * Stand. yea, blessed are the people who have the Lord for their God.
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. When they had opened their treasures, * the wise men presented unto the Lord gold, frankincense, and myrrh, alleluia.
Ant. Like a flame of fire.
Psalm 145aExaltabo te, Deus meus
I will magnify thee, O God, my King * Sit. and I will praise thy Name for ever and ever.
2Every day will I give thanks unto thee * and praise thy Name for ever and ever.
3Great is the Lord, and marvellous worthy to be praised * there is no end of his greatness.
4One generation shall praise thy works unto another * and declare thy power.
5As for me, I will be talking of thy worship * thy glory, thy praise, and wondrous works;
6So that men shall speak of the might of thy marvellous acts * and I will also tell of thy greatness.
7The memorial of thine abundant kindness shall be shewed * and men shall sing of thy righteousness.
8The Lord is gracious and merciful * long-suffering and of great goodness.
9The Lord is loving unto every man * and his mercy is over all his works.
10All thy works praise thee, O Lord * 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 * Stand. and thy dominion endureth throughout all ages.
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. Like a flame of fire, * that star glittereth yonder, revealing God, the King of kings: the wise men, when they beheld it, offered presents unto the mighty Ruler.
Chapter
Rom 12:1
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
℟.Thanks be to God.
All they from Sheba shall come, * alleluia, alleluia.
℟.All they from Sheba shall come, * alleluia, alleluia.
℣.They shall bring gold and incense.
℟.Alleluia, alleluia.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
℟.All they from Sheba shall come, * alleluia, alleluia.
Hymn
Hostis Herodes impie
Why, impious Herod, vainly fearThat Christ the Saviour cometh here?He takes not earthly realms awayWho gives the crown that lasts for aye.
To greet his birth the wise men went,Led by the star before them sent;Called on by light, towards Light they pressed,And by their gifts they God confessed.
In holy Jordan’s purest waveThe heavenly Lamb vouchsafed to lave;That he, to whom was sin unknown,Might cleanse his people from their own.
New miracle of power divine!The water reddens into wine:He spake the word, and poured the waveIn other streams than nature gave.
All glory, Lord, to thee we payFor thine Epiphany today;All glory, as is ever meet,To Father and to Paraclete.Amen.
℣.We have seen his star in the east, alleluia.
℟.And are come with gifts to worship the Lord, alleluia.
Ant. He hath put down the mighty.
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. He hath put down the mighty * that persecute the holy; and hath exalted the humble that confess his Christ.
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, we beseech thee mercifully to receive the prayers of thy people who call upon thee; and grant that they may both perceive and know what things they ought to do, and also may have grace and power faithfully to fulfil the same. 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 VI within the Octave of the Epiphany
Ant. The wise men, being warned * in dreams by an Angel, departed into their own country another way.
℣.The kings of Tharsis and of the isles shall give presents.
℟.The kings of Arabia and Saba shall bring gifts.
Let us pray.
O God, who by the leading of a star didst manifest thy only-begotten Son to the Gentiles; Mercifully grant that we, who know thee now by faith, may after this life have the fruition of thy glorious Godhead.
Commemoration of St Benedict Biscop, Abbot
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, by whose gift the blessed Abbot Benedict left all things that he might be made perfect: grant unto all those who have entered upon the path of evangelical perfection, that they may neither look back nor linger in the way; but hastening to thee without stumbling, may lay hold upon eternal life. 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.
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.
℣.After Childbearing, O Virgin, thou didst remain inviolate.
℟.Intercede for us, O Mother of God.
Let us pray.
O God, who by the fruitful virginity of blessed Mary hast bestowed upon mankind the reward of eternal salvation: grant, we beseech thee, that we may know the help of her intercession, through whom we have been accounted worthy to receive the Author of our life, Jesus Christ thy Son 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.