Prime

Office I (Candlemas to Advent), 1910 Roman calendar

Prayers Before the Office

O Lord, open Thou my mouth, that it may bless Thy holy name; cleanse my heart, too, from all vain, evil, or wandering thoughts. Enlighten mine understanding, kindle mine affections, that I may be able to say this Office meetly with attention and devotion and may deserve 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, while on earth, didst offer praises unto God, I offer these Hours unto Thee.

Introduction

Hail Mary, full of grace; The Lord is with thee; Blessed art thou amongst women, And blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, Pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

℣ O God, ✠ hasten to mine aid

℟ 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. (outside lent:) Alleluia. (from Septuagesima to Holy Saturday:) Praise be to Thee, O Lord, King of glory everlasting.

Hymn

Remember, O creator Lord,
That in the Virgin's sacred womb
Thou wast conceived, and of her flesh
Didst our mortality assume.

Mother of grace! O Mary blest!
To thee, sweet fount of love, we fly;
Shield us through life, and take us hence
To thy dear bosom, when we die.

O Jesu! born of Virgin bright,
Immortal glory be to Thee;
Praise to the Father infinite,
And Holy Ghost eternally.

Amen.

Psalm 53

• Save me, O God, by Thy name; and judge me in Thy strength.
• Hear my prayer, O God : give ear unto the words of my mouth.
• For strangers have risen up against me, and the mighty have sought after my soul: and they have not set God before their eyes.
• For behold, God is my helper, and the Lord is the protector of my soul.
• Turn back evil upon mine enemies : and destroy them in Thy truth.
• I will freely sacrifice unto Thee, and will give thanks to Thy name, O Lord, for it is good.
• For Thou has delivered me out of all my trouble; and mine eye hath looked down upon mine enemies.
• 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.

Psalm 84

• Thou hast blessed Thy land, O Lord: Thou hast turned away the captivity of Jacob.
• Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of Thy people: Thou hast covered all their sins.
• Thou hast softened all Thine anger: Thou hast turned away from the wrath of Thine indignation.
• Convert us, O God, our Saviour; and turn away Thine anger from us.
• Wilt Thou be angry with us for ever: or wilt Thou stretch out Thy wrath from generation to generation?
• Thou wilt turn again, O God, and quicken us; and Thy people shall rejoice in Thee.
• Show us Thy mercy, O Lord; and grant us Thy salvation.
• I will hearken what the Lord shall say within me; for He will speak peace unto His people.
• And unto His saints; and unto them that are converted in heart.
• Surely His salvation is unto them that fear Him: that glory may dwell in our land.
• Mercy and truth have met together: justice and peace have kissed.
• Truth is sprung out of the earth; and justice hath looked down from heaven.
• For the Lord shall give goodness; and our earth shall yield her fruit.
• Justice shall walk before Him; and shall set His steps in the right way.
• 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.

Psalm 116

• Praise the Lord, all ye nations: praise Him, all ye peoples.
• For His mercy is confirmed upon us; and the truth of the Lord remaineth for ever.
• 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.

Little Chapter

Song of Songs 6:9

Who is she that cometh forth as the morning rising, fair as the moon, bright as the sun, terrible as an army set in array?

℟ Thanks be to God.

℣ Vouchsafe that I may praise thee, O holy Virgin.

℟ Grant me strength against thine enemies.

Lord, have mercy on us.

Christ, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us.

Prayer

℣ O Lord, hear my prayer.

℟ And let my cry come unto Thee.

Let us pray.

O God, Who didst vouchsafe to choose the virgin palace of blessed Mary for Thy dwelling; grant, we beseech Thee, that we, who are shielded by her protection, may by Thy grace join with gladness in her commemoration. Who livest and reignest with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end.

Amen.

Conclusion

℣ O Lord, hear my prayer.

℟ And let my cry come unto Thee.

℣ Let us bless the Lord.

℟ Thanks be to God.

℣ May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

℟ Amen.

Prayers After the Office

To the most holy and undivided Trinity, to the manhood of our crucified Lord Jesus Christ, to the fruitful virginity of the most blessed and glorious Mary, ever a virgin, to the entire assembly of the saints, be ascribed everlasting praise, honor, power, and glory, by every creature; and to us be granted the remission of all our sins, world without end.

℟ Amen.

℣ Blessed is the Virgin Mary's womb, which bore the Son of the everlasting Father.

℟ And blessed are the breasts which nourished Christ our Lord.

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 amongst women, And blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, Pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried: he descended into hell; the third day he arose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven; sitteth at the right hand of God the Father almighty: from thence he shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy catholic Church, the communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins. The resurrection of the body. And life everlasting. Amen.