Invitatorium: A Liturgy of the Hours Player

Purple

Advent

December 17

Thursday · Weekday · Psalter Week 3

The audio isn’t available for this day right now. The full text of each hour is below, and you can select it to have your phone read it aloud.

The Hours

Invitatorium

Now

Invitatory

The audio for this hour isn’t ready. The prayers are here to read: tap Read above.

Lord, open my lips.

And my mouth will proclaim your praise.

Ant. The Lord is close at hand; come, let us worship him.

Come, let us sing to the Lord

and shout with joy to the Rock who saves us.

Let us approach him with praise and thanksgiving

and sing joyful songs to the Lord.

The Lord is God, the mighty God,

the great king over all the gods.

He holds in his hands the depths of the earth

and the highest mountains as well.

He made the sea; it belongs to him,

the dry land, too, for it was formed by his hands.

Come, then, let us bow down and worship,

bending the knee before the Lord, our maker.

For he is our God and we are his people,

the flock he shepherds.

Today, listen to the voice of the Lord:

Do not grow stubborn, as your fathers did

in the wilderness,

when at Meriba and Massah

they challenged me and provoked me,

Although they had seen all of my works.

Forty years I endured that generation.

I said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray

and they do not know my ways.”

So I swore in my anger,

“They shall not enter into my rest.”

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. The Lord is close at hand; come, let us worship him.

Matins

Now

Office of Readings

The audio for this hour isn’t ready. The prayers are here to read: tap Read above.

God, come to my assistance.

Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

HYMN

Redeemer of the nations, come;

reveal yourself by virgin birth.

Let ev’ry age with wonder know

that such a birth befits our God.

Conceived not from the seed of man

but by the Spirit’s wondrous breath,

the Word of God is now made flesh,

as Mary’s womb brings forth its fruit.

The Virgin’s womb grows great with child,

this cloister is for ever pure;

the banners of her virtues gleam,

for in this temple God resides.

From bridal chamber let him come,

from royal Virgin, palace chaste,

with two-fold nature God and man,

a champion swift to run his course.

Th e

eternal Father’s Equal, come,

bind on the trophy of our flesh,

and strengthen with your lasting pow’r

the weakness of our mortal frame.

Your manger now with splendor shines

and night breathes forth new radiant light,

which no night may corrupt or dim:

so let it shine through constant faith.

To you, O Christ, most loving King,

and to the Father, glory be,

one with the Spirit Paraclete,

from age to age for evermore. Amen.

Psalm 89:39-53

Ant. Look on us, Lord, and see how we are despised.

And yet you have rejected and spurned

and are angry with the one you have anointed.

You have broken your covenant with your servant

and dishonored his crown in the dust.

You have broken down all his walls

and reduced his fortresses to ruins.

He is despoiled by all who pass by:

he has become the taunt of his neighbors.

You have exalted the right hand of his foes;

you have made all his enemies rejoice.

You have made his sword give way,

you have not upheld him in battle.

You have brought his glory to an end;

you have hurled his throne to the ground.

You have cut short the years of his youth;

you have heaped disgrace upon him.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Look on us, Lord, and see how we are despised.

Ant. I am the root and stock of David; I am the morning star.

How long, O Lord? Will you hide yourself for ever?

How long will your anger burn like a fire?

Remember, Lord, the shortness of my life

and how frail you have made the sons of men.

What man can live and never see death?

Who can save himself from the grasp of the grave?

Where are your mercies of the past, O Lord,

which you have sworn in your faithfulness to David?

Remember, Lord, how your servant is taunted,

how I have to bear all the insults of the peoples.

Thus your enemies taunt me, O Lord,

mocking your anointed at every step.

Blessed be the Lord for ever. Amen, amen!

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. I am the root and stock of David; I am the morning star.

Psalm 90

Ant. Our years wither away like grass, but you, Lord God, are eternal.

O Lord, you have been our refuge

from one generation to the next.

Before the mountains were born

or the earth or the world brought forth,

you are God, without beginning or end.

You turn men back into dust

and say: “Go back, sons of men.”

To your eyes a thousand years

are like yesterday, come and gone,

no more than a watch in the night.

You sweep men away like a dream,

like grass which springs up in the morning.

In the morning it springs up and flowers:

by evening it withers and fades.

So we are destroyed in your anger,

struck with terror in your fury.

Our guilt lies open before you;

our secrets in the light of your face.

All our days pass away in your anger.

Our life is over like a sigh.

Our span is seventy years

or eighty for those who are strong.

And most of these are emptiness and pain.

They pass swiftly and we are gone.

Who understands the power of your anger

and fears the strength of your fury?

Make us know the shortness of our life

that we may gain wisdom of heart.

Lord, relent! Is your anger for ever?

Show pity to your servants.

In the morning, fill us with your love;

we shall exult and rejoice all our days.

Give us joy to balance our affliction

for the years when we knew misfortune.

Show forth your work to your servants;

let your glory shine on their children.

Let the favor of the Lord be upon us:

give success to the work of our hands,

give success to the work of our hands.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Our years wither away like grass, but you, Lord God, are eternal.

The Lord proclaims his word to Jacob.

His laws and decrees to Israel.

A reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah

Thus says the Lord to his anointed, Cyrus,

whose right hand I grasp,

Subduing nations before him,

and making kings run in his service,

Opening doors before him

and leaving the gates unbarred:

I will go before you

and level the mountains;

Bronze doors I will shatter,

and iron bars I will snap.

I will give you treasures out of the darkness,

and riches that have been hidden away,

That you may know that I am the Lord,

the God of Israel, who calls you by your name.

For the sake of Jacob, my servant,

of Israel my chosen one,

I have called you by your name,

giving you a title, though you knew me not.

I am the Lord and there is no other,

there is no God besides me.

It is I who arm you, though you know me not,

so that toward the rising and the setting of the sun

men may know that there is none besides me.

I am the Lord, there is no other;

I form the light, and create the darkness,

I make well-being and create woe;

I, the Lord, do all these things.

Let justice descend, O heavens, like dew from above,

like gentle rain let the skies drop it down.

Let the earth open and salvation bud forth;

let justice also spring up!

I, the Lord, have created this.

Woe to him who contends with his Maker;

a potsherd among potsherds of the earth!

Dare the clay say to its modeler, “What are you doing?”

or, “What you are making has no hands”?

Woe to him who asks a father, “What are you begetting?”

or a woman, “What are you giving birth to?”

Thus says the Lord,

the Holy One of Israel, his maker:

You question me about my children,

or prescribe the work of my hands for me!

It was I who made the earth

and created mankind upon it;

It was my hands that stretched out the heavens;

I gave the order to all their host.

It was I who stirred up one for the triumph of justice;

all his ways I make level.

He shall rebuild my city

and let my exiles go free

Without price or ransom,

says the Lord of hosts.

Isaiah 45:8; see 16:1

Let the heavens drop down gentle showers,

let the clouds rain down the Just One,

and let the earth bring forth a Savior.

Lord, send the Lamb, the ruler of the earth, from the Rock in the desert to the mountain of the daughter of Zion.

And let the earth bring forth a Savior.

From a letter by Saint Leo the Great, pope

To speak of our Lord, the son of the Blessed Virgin Mary, as true and perfect man is of no value to us if we do not believe that he is descended from the line of ancestors set out in the Gospel. Matthew’s gospel begins by setting out

the genealogy of Jesus Christ, son of David, son of Abraham,

and then traces his human descent by bringing his ancestral line down to his mother’s husband, Joseph. On the other hand, Luke traces his parentage backward step by step to the actual father of mankind, to show that both the first and the last Adam share the same nature.

No doubt the Son of God in his omnipotence could have taught and sanctified men by appearing to them in a semblance of human form as he did to the patriarchs and prophets, when for instance he engaged in a wrestling contest or entered into conversation with them, or when he accepted their hospitality and even ate the food they set before him. But these appearances were only types, signs that mysteriously foretold the coming of one who would take a true human nature from the stock of the patriarchs who had gone before him. No mere figure, then, fulfilled the mystery of our reconciliation with God, ordained from all eternity. The Holy Spirit had not yet come upon the Virgin nor had the power of the Most High overshadowed her, so that within her spotless womb Wisdom might build itself a house and the Word become flesh. The divine nature and the nature of a servant were to be united in one person so that the Creator of time might be born in time, and he through whom all things were made might be brought forth in their midst.

For unless the new man, by being made

in the likeness of sinful flesh,

had taken on himself the nature of our first parents, unless he had stooped to be one in substance with his mother while sharing the Father’s substance and, being alone free from sin, united our nature to his, the whole human race would still be held captive under the dominion of Satan. The Conqueror’s victory would have profited us nothing if the battle had been fought outside our human condition. But through this wonderful blending the mystery of new birth shone upon us, so that through the same Spirit by whom Christ was conceived and brought forth we too might be born again in a spiritual birth; and in consequence the evangelist declares the faithful to

have been born not of blood, nor of the desire of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

See Isaiah 11:10; Luke 1:32

Behold the root of Jesse will come down to save the people,

the nations will entreat him;

and his name will be held in reverence.

The Lord God will give him the throne of David, his father,

and he will rule over the house of Jacob for ever.

And his name will be held in reverence.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Let us pray.

O God, Creator and Redeemer of human nature,

who willed that your Word should take flesh

in an ever-virgin womb,

look with favor on our prayers,

that your only Begotten Son,

having taken to himself our humanity,

may be pleased to grant us a share in his divinity.

Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever.

Amen.

ACCLAMATION

Let us praise the Lord.

And give him thanks.

Lauds

Now

Morning Prayer

The audio for this hour isn’t ready. The prayers are here to read: tap Read above.

God, come to my assistance.

Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

HYMN

With mighty voice the prophets cry

that Christ the Lord is drawing near;

rejoicing, they foresee the grace

by which he saves us and redeems.

And so our morning sun shines forth,

our hearts ablaze with radiant joy;

we hear the faithful voice resound,

precursor of God’s glorious gift.

At that first Advent Christ our God

came forth not to condemn the world,

but came to cleanse our gaping wound,

to seek and save what had been lost.

Christ’s Second Coming warns us all

that he is standing at the gates

to give to saints their glorious crowns

and open wide the heav’nly realm.

Eternal light is now foretold,

the saving star is shining forth,

its radiant splendor summons us

and calls us to the heav’nly court.

Christ Jesus, you alone we seek

to see you face to face as God;

may this unending vision be

an everlasting hymn of praise. Amen.

Psalm 87

Ant. To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul; come and rescue me, for you are my refuge and my strength.

On the holy mountain is his city

cherished by the Lord.

The Lord prefers the gates of Zion

to all Jacob’s dwellings.

Of you are told glorious things,

O city of God!

“Babylon and Egypt I will count

among those who know me;

Philistia, Tyre, Ethiopia,

these will be her children

and Zion shall be called ‘Mother’

for all shall be her children.”

It is he, the Lord Most High,

who gives each his place.

In his register of peoples he writes:

“These are her children,”

and while they dance they will sing:

“In you all find their home.”

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul; come and rescue me, for you are my refuge and my strength.

Isaiah 40:10-17

Ant. Bless those, O Lord, who have waited for your coming; let your prophets be proved true.

Here comes with power

the Lord God, who rules by his strong arm;

here is his reward with him,

his recompense before him.

Like a shepherd he feeds his flock;

in his arms he gathers the lambs,

carrying them in his bosom,

and leading the ewes with care.

Who has cupped in his hand the waters of the sea,

and marked off the heavens with a span?

Who has held in a measure the dust of the earth,

weighed the mountains in scales

and the hills in a balance?

Who has directed the spirit of the Lord,

or has instructed him as his counselor?

Whom did he consult to gain knowledge?

Who taught him the path of judgment,

or showed him the way of understanding?

Behold, the nations count as a drop of the bucket,

as dust on the scales;

the coastlands weigh no more than powder.

Lebanon would not suffice for fuel,

nor its animals be enough for holocausts.

Before him all the nations are as nought,

as nothing and void he accounts them.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Bless those, O Lord, who have waited for your coming; let your prophets be proved true.

Psalm 99

Ant. Turn to us, O Lord, make haste to help your people.

The Lord is king; the peoples tremble.

He is throned on the cherubim; the earth quakes.

The Lord is great in Zion.

He is supreme over all the peoples.

Let them praise his name, so terrible and great.

He is holy, full of power.

You are a king who loves what is right;

you have established equity, justice and right;

you have established them in Jacob.

Exalt the Lord our God;

bow down before Zion, his footstool.

He the Lord is holy.

Among his priests were Aaron and Moses,

among those who invoked his name was Samuel.

They invoked the Lord and he answered.

To them he spoke in the pillar of cloud.

They did his will; they kept the law,

which he, the Lord, had given.

O Lord our God, you answered them.

For them you were a God who forgives;

yet you punished all their offenses.

Exalt the Lord our God;

bow down before his holy mountain

for the Lord our God is holy.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Turn to us, O Lord, make haste to help your people.

Isaiah 11:1-3a

A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse,

and from his roots a bud shall blossom.

The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him:

a spirit of wisdom and of understanding,

A spirit of counsel and of strength,

a spirit of knowledge and of fear of the Lord,

and his delight shall be the fear of the Lord.

RESPONSORY

Your light will come, Jerusalem;

the Lord will dawn on you in radiant beauty.

Your light will come, Jerusalem;

the Lord will dawn on you in radiant beauty.

You will see his glory within you;

the Lord will dawn on you in radiant beauty.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Your light will come, Jerusalem;

the Lord will dawn on you in radiant beauty.

Canticle of Zechariah

Ant. Believe me, the kingdom of God is at hand: I tell you solemnly, your Savior will not delay his coming.

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;

he has come to his people and set them free.

He has raised up for us a mighty savior,

born of the house of his servant David.

Through his holy prophets he promised of old

that he would save us from our enemies,

from the hands of all who hate us.

He promised to show mercy to our fathers

and to remember his holy covenant.

This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:

to set us free from the hands of our enemies,

free to worship him without fear,

holy and righteous in his sight

all the days of our life.

You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High;

for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,

to give his people knowledge of salvation

by the forgiveness of their sins.

In the tender compassion of our God

the dawn from on high shall break upon us,

to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,

and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Believe me, the kingdom of God is at hand: I tell you solemnly, your Savior will not delay his coming.

INTERCESSIONS

Let us pray to God our Father, who from of old has called his people to salvation:

Lord, protect your people.

You promised to plant the seed of justice among your people,

protect the holiness of your Church.

Lord, protect your people.

Lord, teach all men and women to listen to your word,

and help believers to persevere in holiness.

Lord, protect your people.

Keep us in the love of your Spirit,

that we may receive the mercy of your Son who is to come.

Lord, protect your people.

Father most merciful, strengthen us to the last,

until the day of the coming of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Lord, protect your people.

THE LORD’S PRAYER

With longing for the coming of God’s kingdom, let us offer our prayer to the Father:

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.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

O God, Creator and Redeemer of human nature,

who willed that your Word should take flesh

in an ever-virgin womb,

look with favor on our prayers,

that your only Begotten Son,

having taken to himself our humanity,

may be pleased to grant us a share in his divinity.

Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever.

Amen.

DISMISSAL

May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.

Terce

Now

Midmorning Prayer · 9 AM

The audio for this hour isn’t ready. The prayers are here to read: tap Read above.

INTRODUCTION

God, come to my assistance.

Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

HYMN

We keep the order of the day

with loving heart and earnest prayer;

at this third hour we humbly beg

the glory of your threefold pow’r.

That we may be a dwelling place

where God the Holy Spirit dwells,

who at this hour, in parted tongues,

on each Apostle came to rest.

Throughout the course of daily hours

the Author of the heavn’ly realm

with splendor has adorned all things

to be our everlasting crown.

To God the Father glory be,

all honor to his only Son,

one with the Spirit Paraclete,

from age to age for evermore. Amen.

Psalm 119:113-120

Ant. This is the good news the prophets foretold: The Savior will be born of the Virgin Mary.

I have no love for half-hearted men:

my love is for your law.

You are my shelter, my shield;

I hope in your word.

Leave me, you who do evil;

I will keep God’s command.

If you uphold me by your promise I shall live;

let my hopes not be in vain.

Sustain me and I shall be saved

and ever observe your commands.

You spurn all who swerve from your statutes;

their cunning is in vain.

You throw away the wicked like dross:

so I love your will.

I tremble before you in terror;

I fear your decrees.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm 79:1-5

O God, the nations have invaded our land,

they have profaned your holy temple.

They have made Jerusalem a heap of ruins.

They have handed over the bodies of your servants

as food to feed the birds of heaven

and the flesh of your faithful to the beasts of the earth.

They have poured out blood like water in Jerusalem;

no one is left to bury the dead.

We have become the taunt of our neighbors,

the mockery and scorn of those who surround us.

How long, O Lord? Will you be angry for ever,

how long will your anger burn like fire?

Do not hold the guilt of our fathers against us.

Let your compassion hasten to meet us;

we are left in the depths of distress.

O God our savior, come to our help,

come for the sake of the glory of your name.

O Lord our God, forgive us our sins;

rescue us for the sake of your name.

Why should the nations say: “Where is their God?”

Let us see the nations around us repaid

with vengeance for the blood of your servants that was shed!

Let the groans of the prisoners come before you;

let your strong arm reprieve those condemned to die.

But we, your people, the flock of your pasture,

will give you thanks for ever and ever.

We will tell your praise from age to age.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm 80

O shepherd of Israel, hear us,

you who lead Joseph’s flock,

shine forth from your cherubim throne

upon Ephraim, Benjamin, Manasseh.

O Lord, rouse up your might,

O Lord, come to our help.

God of hosts, bring us back;

let your face shine on us and we shall be saved.

Lord God of hosts, how long

will you frown on your people’s plea?

You have fed them with tears for their bread,

an abundance of tears for their drink.

You have made us the taunt of our neighbors,

our enemies laugh us to scorn.

God of hosts, bring us back;

let your face shine on us and we shall be saved.

You brought a vine out of Egypt;

to plant it you drove out the nations.

Before it you cleared the ground;

it took root and spread through the land.

The mountains were covered with its shadow,

the cedars of God with its boughs.

It stretched out its branches to the sea,

to the Great River it stretched out its shoots.

Then why have you broken down its walls?

It is plucked by all who pass by.

It is ravaged by the boar of the forest,

devoured by the beasts of the field.

God of hosts, turn again, we implore,

look down from heaven and see.

Visit this vine and protect it,

the vine your right hand has planted.

Men have burnt it with fire and destroyed it.

May they perish at the frown of your face.

May your hand be on the man you have chosen,

the man you have given your strength.

And we shall never forsake you again:

give us life that we may call upon your name.

God of hosts, bring us back;

let your face shine on us and we shall be saved.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. This is the good news the prophets foretold: The Savior will be born of the Virgin Mary.

Isaiah 4:2

On that day,

The branch of the Lord will be luster and glory,

and the fruit of the earth will be honor and splendor

for the survivors of Israel.

The nations will revere your name, O Lord.

And the great ones of the earth will acknowledge your glory.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Let us pray.

O God, Creator and Redeemer of human nature,

who willed that your Word should take flesh

in an ever-virgin womb,

look with favor on our prayers,

that your only Begotten Son,

having taken to himself our humanity,

may be pleased to grant us a share in his divinity.

Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.

Amen.

DISMISSAL

Let us praise the Lord.

And give him thanks.

Sext

Now

Midday Prayer · 12 PM

The audio for this hour isn’t ready. The prayers are here to read: tap Read above.

INTRODUCTION

God, come to my assistance.

Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

HYMN

Let us sing praises to the Lord

with willing mind and fervent heart;

the noonday hour returns again

and summons us once more to prayer.

For to the faithful at this hour

true saving glory was restored

by off’ring of the blessed Lamb

and by the power of his Cross.

The Cross obscures the noonday sun

by its most clear and brilliant light;

let us receive with all our heart

the gift of such resplendent grace.

To God the Father glory be,

all honor to his only Son,

one with the Spirit Paraclete,

from age to age for evermore. Amen.

Psalm 119:113-120

Ant. The angel Gabriel said to Mary in greeting: Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women.

I have no love for half-hearted men:

my love is for your law.

You are my shelter, my shield;

I hope in your word.

Leave me, you who do evil;

I will keep God’s command.

If you uphold me by your promise I shall live;

let my hopes not be in vain.

Sustain me and I shall be saved

and ever observe your commands.

You spurn all who swerve from your statutes;

their cunning is in vain.

You throw away the wicked like dross:

so I love your will.

I tremble before you in terror;

I fear your decrees.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm 79:1-5

O God, the nations have invaded our land,

they have profaned your holy temple.

They have made Jerusalem a heap of ruins.

They have handed over the bodies of your servants

as food to feed the birds of heaven

and the flesh of your faithful to the beasts of the earth.

They have poured out blood like water in Jerusalem;

no one is left to bury the dead.

We have become the taunt of our neighbors,

the mockery and scorn of those who surround us.

How long, O Lord? Will you be angry for ever,

how long will your anger burn like fire?

Do not hold the guilt of our fathers against us.

Let your compassion hasten to meet us;

we are left in the depths of distress.

O God our savior, come to our help,

come for the sake of the glory of your name.

O Lord our God, forgive us our sins;

rescue us for the sake of your name.

Why should the nations say: “Where is their God?”

Let us see the nations around us repaid

with vengeance for the blood of your servants that was shed!

Let the groans of the prisoners come before you;

let your strong arm reprieve those condemned to die.

But we, your people, the flock of your pasture,

will give you thanks for ever and ever.

We will tell your praise from age to age.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm 80

O shepherd of Israel, hear us,

you who lead Joseph’s flock,

shine forth from your cherubim throne

upon Ephraim, Benjamin, Manasseh.

O Lord, rouse up your might,

O Lord, come to our help.

God of hosts, bring us back;

let your face shine on us and we shall be saved.

Lord God of hosts, how long

will you frown on your people’s plea?

You have fed them with tears for their bread,

an abundance of tears for their drink.

You have made us the taunt of our neighbors,

our enemies laugh us to scorn.

God of hosts, bring us back;

let your face shine on us and we shall be saved.

You brought a vine out of Egypt;

to plant it you drove out the nations.

Before it you cleared the ground;

it took root and spread through the land.

The mountains were covered with its shadow,

the cedars of God with its boughs.

It stretched out its branches to the sea,

to the Great River it stretched out its shoots.

Then why have you broken down its walls?

It is plucked by all who pass by.

It is ravaged by the boar of the forest,

devoured by the beasts of the field.

God of hosts, turn again, we implore,

look down from heaven and see.

Visit this vine and protect it,

the vine your right hand has planted.

Men have burnt it with fire and destroyed it.

May they perish at the frown of your face.

May your hand be on the man you have chosen,

the man you have given your strength.

And we shall never forsake you again:

give us life that we may call upon your name.

God of hosts, bring us back;

let your face shine on us and we shall be saved.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. The angel Gabriel said to Mary in greeting: Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women.

Isaiah 4:3

He who remains in Zion

and he that is left in Jerusalem

Will be called holy:

every one marked down for life in Jerusalem.

Remember us, Lord, because of the love you have for your people.

Come and bring us your salvation.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Let us pray.

O God, Creator and Redeemer of human nature,

who willed that your Word should take flesh

in an ever-virgin womb,

look with favor on our prayers,

that your only Begotten Son,

having taken to himself our humanity,

may be pleased to grant us a share in his divinity.

Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.

Amen.

DISMISSAL

Let us praise the Lord.

And give him thanks.

None

Now

Midafternoon Prayer · 3 PM

The audio for this hour isn’t ready. The prayers are here to read: tap Read above.

INTRODUCTION

God, come to my assistance.

Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

HYMN

Three times the cycle of the hours

returns to us by gift of God;

let us devoutly sing to him

who is the perfect Three in One.

We keep with pure and faithful hearts

the sacred myst’ry of our God;

this is the rule that Peter taught

and showed with wondrous, healing signs.

Let us sing psalms with heart and mind

and to th

Apostles let us cling,

that they may guide with pow’r from Christ

our feeble steps that falter still.

To God the Father glory be,

all honor to his only Son,

one with the Spirit Paraclete,

from age to age for evermore. Amen.

Psalm 119:113-120

Ant. Mary said: My soul is deeply troubled; what can this greeting mean? Am I to give birth to my King and yet remain a virgin for ever?

I have no love for half-hearted men:

my love is for your law.

You are my shelter, my shield;

I hope in your word.

Leave me, you who do evil;

I will keep God’s command.

If you uphold me by your promise I shall live;

let my hopes not be in vain.

Sustain me and I shall be saved

and ever observe your commands.

You spurn all who swerve from your statutes;

their cunning is in vain.

You throw away the wicked like dross:

so I love your will.

I tremble before you in terror;

I fear your decrees.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm 79:1-5

O God, the nations have invaded our land,

they have profaned your holy temple.

They have made Jerusalem a heap of ruins.

They have handed over the bodies of your servants

as food to feed the birds of heaven

and the flesh of your faithful to the beasts of the earth.

They have poured out blood like water in Jerusalem;

no one is left to bury the dead.

We have become the taunt of our neighbors,

the mockery and scorn of those who surround us.

How long, O Lord? Will you be angry for ever,

how long will your anger burn like fire?

Do not hold the guilt of our fathers against us.

Let your compassion hasten to meet us;

we are left in the depths of distress.

O God our savior, come to our help,

come for the sake of the glory of your name.

O Lord our God, forgive us our sins;

rescue us for the sake of your name.

Why should the nations say: “Where is their God?”

Let us see the nations around us repaid

with vengeance for the blood of your servants that was shed!

Let the groans of the prisoners come before you;

let your strong arm reprieve those condemned to die.

But we, your people, the flock of your pasture,

will give you thanks for ever and ever.

We will tell your praise from age to age.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm 80

O shepherd of Israel, hear us,

you who lead Joseph’s flock,

shine forth from your cherubim throne

upon Ephraim, Benjamin, Manasseh.

O Lord, rouse up your might,

O Lord, come to our help.

God of hosts, bring us back;

let your face shine on us and we shall be saved.

Lord God of hosts, how long

will you frown on your people’s plea?

You have fed them with tears for their bread,

an abundance of tears for their drink.

You have made us the taunt of our neighbors,

our enemies laugh us to scorn.

God of hosts, bring us back;

let your face shine on us and we shall be saved.

You brought a vine out of Egypt;

to plant it you drove out the nations.

Before it you cleared the ground;

it took root and spread through the land.

The mountains were covered with its shadow,

the cedars of God with its boughs.

It stretched out its branches to the sea,

to the Great River it stretched out its shoots.

Then why have you broken down its walls?

It is plucked by all who pass by.

It is ravaged by the boar of the forest,

devoured by the beasts of the field.

God of hosts, turn again, we implore,

look down from heaven and see.

Visit this vine and protect it,

the vine your right hand has planted.

Men have burnt it with fire and destroyed it.

May they perish at the frown of your face.

May your hand be on the man you have chosen,

the man you have given your strength.

And we shall never forsake you again:

give us life that we may call upon your name.

God of hosts, bring us back;

let your face shine on us and we shall be saved.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Mary said: My soul is deeply troubled; what can this greeting mean? Am I to give birth to my King and yet remain a virgin for ever?

Isaiah 61:11

As the earth brings forth its plants,

and a garden makes its growth spring up,

So will the Lord God make justice and praise

spring up before all the nations.

Come, Lord, do not delay.

Free your people from their sinfulness.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Let us pray.

O God, Creator and Redeemer of human nature,

who willed that your Word should take flesh

in an ever-virgin womb,

look with favor on our prayers,

that your only Begotten Son,

having taken to himself our humanity,

may be pleased to grant us a share in his divinity.

Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.

Amen.

DISMISSAL

Let us praise the Lord.

And give him thanks.

Vespers

Now

Evening Prayer

The audio for this hour isn’t ready. The prayers are here to read: tap Read above.

INTRODUCTION

God, come to my assistance.

Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

HYMN

O loving Maker of the stars,

believers’ everlasting light,

O Christ, Redeemer of us all,

with kindness hear our humble prayer.

With pity, you beheld the fate

that death imposed on ages past;

you gave the guilty healing grace

and saved a weak and fallen world.

When evening fell upon the earth,

as bridegroom from the bridal room,

from honored cloister forth you came,

born from the Virgin Mother pure.

Before your strong and steadfast might,

on earth and in the heav’ns above

all knees bend low, all hearts confess

submission to your sov’reign will.

With faith we beg you, Holy Lord,

the Judge of ages still to come,

that in our time you keep us safe

from snares of our deceitful foe.

To you, O Christ, most loving King,

and to the Father, glory be,

one with the Spirit Paraclete,

from age to age for evermore. Amen.

Psalm 132

Ant. To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul; come and rescue me, for you are my refuge and my strength.

O Lord, remember David

and all the many hardships he endured,

the oath he swore to the Lord,

his vow to the Strong One of Jacob.

“I will not enter the house where I live

nor go to the bed where I rest.

I will give no sleep to my eyes,

to my eyelids I will give no slumber

till I find a place for the Lord,

a dwelling for the Strong One of Jacob.”

At Ephrathah we heard of the ark;

we found it in the plains of Yearim.

“Let us go to the place of his dwelling;

let us go to kneel at his footstool.”

Go up, Lord, to the place of your rest,

you and the ark of your strength.

Your priests shall be clothed with holiness:

your faithful shall ring out their joy.

For the sake of David your servant

do not reject your anointed.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be for ever. Amen

Ant. To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul; come and rescue me, for you are my refuge and my strength.

Ant. Bless those, O Lord, who have waited for your coming; let your prophets be proved true.

The Lord swore an oath to David;

he will not go back on his word:

“A son, the fruit of your body,

will I set upon your throne.

If they keep my covenant in truth

and my laws that I have taught them,

their sons also shall rule

on your throne from age to age.”

For the Lord has chosen Zion;

he has desired it for his dwelling:

“This is my resting-place for ever,

here have I chosen to live.

I will greatly bless her produce,

I will fill her poor with bread.

I will clothe her priests with salvation

and her faithful shall ring out their joy.

There David’s stock will flower:

I will prepare a lamp for my anointed.

I will cover his enemies with shame

but on him my crown shall shine.”

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Bless those, O Lord, who have waited for your coming; let your prophets be proved true.

Revelation 11:17-18

Ant. Turn to us, O Lord, make haste to help your people.

We praise you, the Lord God Almighty,

who is and who was.

You have assumed your great power,

you have begun your reign.

The nations have raged in anger,

but then came your day of wrath

and the moment to judge the dead:

the time to reward your servants the prophets

and the holy ones who revere you,

the great and the small alike.

Now have salvation and power come,

the reign of our God and the authority

of his Anointed One.

For the accuser of our brothers is cast out,

who night and day accused them before God.

They defeated him by the blood of the Lamb

and by the word of their testimony;

love for life did not deter them from death.

So rejoice, you heavens,

and you that dwell therein!

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit.

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Turn to us, O Lord, make haste to help your people.

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

May the God of peace make you perfect in holiness. May he preserve you whole and entire, spirit, soul, and body, irreproachable at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is trustworthy, therefore he will do it.

RESPONSORY

Lord, show us your mercy and love.

And grant us your salvation.

Your mercy and love.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Lord, show us your mercy and love.

Canticle of Mary

Ant. O Wisdom, O holy Word of God, you govern all creation with your strong yet gentle care. Come and show your people the way to salvation.

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,

my spirit rejoices in God my Savior

for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.

From this day all generations will call me blessed:

the Almighty has done great things for me,

and holy is his Name.

He has mercy on those who fear him

in every generation.

He has shown the strength of his arm,

he has scattered the proud in their conceit.

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,

and has lifted up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things,

and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel

for he has remembered his promise of mercy,

the promise he made to our fathers,

to Abraham and his children for ever.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. O Wisdom, O holy Word of God, you govern all creation with your strong yet gentle care. Come and show your people the way to salvation.

INTERCESSIONS

Jesus Christ is the joy and happiness of all who look forward to his coming. Let us call upon him and say:

Come, Lord, and do not delay!

In joy, we wait for your coming,

come, Lord Jesus.

Come, Lord, and do not delay!

Before time began, you shared life with the Father,

come now and save us.

Come, Lord, and do not delay!

You created the world and all who live in it,

come to redeem the work of your hands.

Come, Lord, and do not delay!

You did not hesitate to become man, subject to death,

come to free us from the power of death.

Come, Lord, and do not delay!

You came to give us life to the full,

come and give us your unending life.

Come, Lord, and do not delay!

You desire all people to live in love in your kingdom,

come and bring together those who long to see you face to face.

Come, Lord, and do not delay!

THE LORD’S PRAYER

With longing for the coming of God’s kingdom, let us offer our prayer to the Father:

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.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

O God, Creator and Redeemer of human nature,

who willed that your Word should take flesh

in an ever-virgin womb,

look with favor on our prayers,

that your only Begotten Son,

having taken to himself our humanity,

may be pleased to grant us a share in his divinity.

Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

God, for ever and ever.

Amen.

DISMISSAL

May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.

Compline

Now

Night Prayer

The audio for this hour isn’t ready. The prayers are here to read: tap Read above.

Examination of conscience

An examination of conscience is a traditional, optional part of Night Prayer, commended in the General Instruction of the Liturgy of the Hours (86), and the Church leaves its form free: a quiet review of the day, a familiar prayer of sorrow, or something longer. If you would like to be led, here are two to listen to and pray along with. Afterwards, return to Night Prayer.

Coptic act of contrition

11th Hour

If the righteous one is hardly saved, where shall I, a sinner, appear?! The burden and the heat of the day I could not bear because of the weakness of my human nature. But, O merciful God, count me among the laborers of the eleventh hour. For behold, I was brought forth in iniquities, and in sin my mother conceived me. Therefore, I dare not lift my eyes unto heaven. But rather I rely on the abundance of Your mercy and love-of-mankind, crying to You and saying, “Lord, forgive me, a sinner, and have mercy on me.”

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

O my Savior, hasten to open Your fatherly bosom to me. For I have wasted my life in worldly desires and pleasures, whereas the day has been consumed and far spent. Therefore, now I rely on the abundance of Your infinite compassion. So, then, do not disregard my revering heart which is exceedingly in need of Your mercy. For I cry out to You, O Lord, with reverence, saying, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and in Your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called Your son, make me like one of Your hired servants.”

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

With full awareness and enthusiasm did I pursue every transgression, with all eagerness and diligence did I commit every sin, and of all judgment and torment I deserve. Hence, I beseech you, our Lady the Virgin, to lead me to repentance. For to you I plead and through you I seek intercession, and upon you I call to help me that I should not be put to shame. And when my soul departs from my body, please be present and attend to me, and defeat the conspiracies of the enemies, and shut the gates of Hades, lest they might swallow my soul. O you bride without blemish of the true Bridegroom.

12th Hour

Behold, I am about to stand before the just and righteous Judge, terrified and trembling because of my numerous sins. For a life wasted in worldly pleasures deserves condemnation. So repent therefore, O my soul, as long as you dwell on this earth. For the dust in the grave cannot offer any praise, and among the dead no one can remember, nor can anyone in Hades give thanks. Therefore, arise O my soul from the slumber of your laziness, and implore the Savior in repentance saying, “O God have mercy on me and save me.”

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Were this life on earth everlasting, and this world ever-existing, you would have had an excuse, O my soul. But now, if your wicked deeds and repulsive evils were to be exposed before the righteous Judge, what answer would you be giving while you are lying on the bed of sins and negligent in disciplining your body?! O Christ our God, before Your awesome seat of judgment I am terrified, and before Your counsel of judgment I am dreadful, and from the radiant light of Your divinity I tremble. For I am a wretched and defiled person who lies in bed, careless of the ways of my life. Yet, I take example of the tax collector’s penance, beating my chest and saying, “O God be merciful to me, a sinner.”

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

O pure Virgin, overshadow your servant speedily with your help, keep the waves of evil thoughts away from me, and raise my ailing soul to pray and watch, for it has gone into deep slumber. For you are a capable and compassionate helper, the Mother of the Fountain of life, my King and my God, Jesus Christ my hope.

The Prayer of the Veil

O Lord, You know the alertness of my enemies, and You understand the weakness of my nature, O my Creator. For behold, into Your hands I place my spirit that You may shield me under the wings of Your goodness, lest I sleep unto death. Enlighten my eyes with the greatness of Your sayings, and raise me up to glorify You at all times, for You alone are the Good One and Lover of Mankind.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

O Lord, Your judgment is fearful, when people shall be gathered, the angels standing, the books opened, the deeds revealed, and thoughts examined. What will be my judgment, I who am entangled by sin?! Who will quench the flames of fire around me?! Who will enlighten my darkness except You, O Lord?! Have mercy on me, for You are kind towards mankind.

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

O Theotokos, because we have put our trust in you, we shall not be put to shame; And because we have attained your help and intercessions, O holy and perfect one, we shall not fear, but shall drive out our enemies and disperse them. And, in everything, we take your great help to protect us as if with a shield. We ask and entreat you, proclaiming “O Theotokos” to save us by your intercessions, and raise us up from the darkness of sleep, in order to glorify through the power of God who was incarnate from you.

The Absolution

O Lord, all our sins we have committed against You in this day, whether in deed or in words or in thoughts or through any of our senses, please do forgive and pardon us, for the sake of Your holy name, O good Lord, Lover of Mankind.

Grant us a peaceful night and a sleep free of all worry and anxiety. Send us the guardian angel to protect us from all evil and every affliction and temptation of the enemy.

Through the grace, compassion and love-of-mankind, of Your only-begotten Son, our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Through whom the glory, the honor, the dominion, and the adoration are due unto You, O Father, with Him, and the Holy Spirit, the Life-Giver, who is of one essence with You, now and at all times, and unto the age of all ages. Amen.

The Thanksgiving Prayer

Let us give thanks to the beneficent and merciful God, the Father of our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ, for He has covered us, helped us, guarded us, accepted us to Him, had compassion on us, supported us, and has brought us to this hour. Let us also ask Him, the Lord our God, the Pantocrator, to guard us in all peace this holy day and all the days of our life.

O Master, Lord, God the Pantocrator, the Father of our Lord, God, and Savior, Jesus Christ, we thank You for every condition, concerning every condition, and in every condition. For You have covered us, helped us, guarded us, accepted us to You, had compassion on us, supported us, and brought us to this hour.

Therefore, we ask and entreat Your goodness, O Lover of Mankind. Grant us to complete this holy day, and all the days of our life, in all peace in Your fear. All envy, all temptation, all the work of Satan, the counsel of wicked men and the rising up of enemies, hidden and manifest, take them away from us and from all Your people and from this holy place that is Yours. But those things which are good and profitable do provide for us. For it is You who have given us the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and upon all the power of the enemy.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one, by the grace, compassion and love-of-mankind, of Your only-begotten Son, our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Through whom the glory, the honor, the dominion, and the adoration are due unto You, with Him, and the Holy Spirit, the Life-Giver, who is of one essence with You, now and at all times, and unto the age of all ages. Amen.

From the Agpeya, the Coptic Orthodox Book of Hours (St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church, Jersey City; text as published on copticchurch.net).

INTRODUCTION

God, come to my assistance.

Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

Examination of Conscience

A brief moment of silent reflection is made to examine one’s conscience and recall God’s mercy throughout the day.

I confess to almighty God and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do, through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault; therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin, all the Angels and Saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God.

May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.

HYMN

To you before the close of light,

Creator of all things, we pray:

Be our protector, keep us safe

in your unfailing clemency.

Incline our hearts to dream of you,

to sense your presence as we sleep;

as light returns, so let us sing

your praise and glory evermore.

Grant us the grace of health and strength,

renew our warmth and joy of life;

and let your radiant light dispel

the dreaded darkness of the night.

Almighty Father, grant our prayer

through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,

who reigns with you from age to age,

one with the Spirit, ever blest. Amen.

Psalm 16

Ant. In you, my God, my body will rest in hope.

Preserve me, God, I take refuge in you.

I say to the Lord: “You are my God.

My happiness lies in you alone.”

He has put into my heart a marvelous love

for the faithful ones who dwell in his land.

Those who choose other gods increase their sorrows.

Never will I offer their offerings of blood.

Never will I take their name upon my lips.

O Lord, it is you who are my portion and cup;

it is you yourself who are my prize.

The lot marked out for me is my delight:

welcome indeed the heritage that falls to me!

I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel,

who even at night directs my heart.

I keep the Lord ever in my sight:

since he is at my right hand, I shall stand firm.

And so my heart rejoices, my soul is glad;

even my body shall rest in safety.

For you will not leave my soul among the dead,

nor let your beloved know decay.

You will show me the path of life,

the fullness of joy in your presence,

at your right hand happiness for ever.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. In you, my God, my body will rest in hope.

1 Thessalonians 5:23

May the God of peace make you perfect in holiness. May he preserve you whole and entire, spirit, soul, and body, irreproachable at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

RESPONSORY

Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.

You have redeemed us, Lord God of truth.

I commend my spirit.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.

Canticle of Simeon

Ant. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace.

Lord, now you let your servant go in peace;

your word has been fulfilled:

my own eyes have seen the salvation

which you have prepared in the sight of every people:

a light to reveal you to the nations

and the glory of your people Israel.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Let us pray.

Lord God, send peaceful sleep

to refresh our tired bodies.

May your help always renew us

and keep us strong in your service.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

DISMISSAL

May the all-powerful Lord grant us a restful night and a peaceful death. Amen.

MARIAN ANTIPHON

Loving mother of the Redeemer,

gate of heaven, star of the sea,

assist your people who have fallen yet strive to rise again.

To the wonderment of nature you bore your Creator,

yet remained a virgin after as before.

You who received Gabriel’s joyful greeting,

have pity on us poor sinners.

A lma Redemptóris Mater, quæ pérvia cæli

porta manes, et stella maris, succúrre cadénti,

súrgere qui curat, pópulo; tu, quæ genuísti,

natúra miránte, tuum sanctum Genitórem,

Virgo prius ac postérius, Gabriélis ab ore

sumens illud Ave, peccatórum miserére.

Devotional Prayers

The words of the prayers

Prayer Before the Office

Lord, open my lips, to praise Your Holy Name. Cleanse my heart of any worthless, evil, or distracting thoughts. Give me the wisdom and love necessary to pray this Office with attention, reverence, and devotion. Father, let this prayer be heard in Your Presence, for it is offered through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Lord, in union with that intention with which you offered praises to God when on earth, I offer this Hour to You.

I offer this Hour in union with all of the Masses being said throughout the world, and I offer it for the following intention: ____.

Prayer After the Office

Blessed be forever the most loving Hearts and the sweet Names of our Lord Jesus Christ and of the most glorious Virgin Mary, His Mother.

O most merciful Jesus, I thank you with all my heart. Be merciful to me, a miserable sinner. I offer this action to your Divine Heart to be amended and perfected, to the praise and glory of your most holy Name and of your most blessed Mother, and for the salvation of my soul and of your whole Church. Amen.

To the Most Holy and Undivided Trinity, to the Manhood of Our Lord Jesus Christ Crucified, to the Fruitful Virginity of the Most Blessed and Most Glorious Mary, Ever Virgin, and to the Congregation of all the Saints be ascribed everlasting praise, honor, power and glory by every creature, and to us be granted the forgiveness of all our sins, world without end. Amen.

Blessed be the Womb of the Virgin Mary, which bore the Son of the Eternal Father.

And blessed be the Breasts which gave suck to Christ our Lord.

Our Father

Hail Mary