Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary

HAIL MARY.

INCLINE unto my aid, O God.

R. Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory be to the Father, &c. Alleluia.

Anth. Whilst the king was.

PSALM CIX.—Dixit Dominus.

(See p. 678.)

Anth. While the king was on his couch, my spikenard yielded a sweet odour.

Anth. His left hand.

PSALM CXII.—Laudate pueri Dominum.

(See p. 684.)

Anth. His left hand is under my head, and his right hand shall embrace me.

Anth. I am black.

PSALM CXXI.—Lætatus sum.

I REJOICED at those things which were said to me: We shall go into the house of the Lord.

Our feet were standing in thy courts, O Jerusalem.

Jerusalem, which is built as a city, whose inhabitants are united together.

For thither did the tribes ascend, the tribes of our Lord, the testimony of Israel; to praise the name of our Lord.

Because seats sat there in judgment, seats upon the house of David.

Ask the things that are for the peace of Jerusalem, and abundance to them that love thee.

Let peace be made in thy strength, and abundance in thy towers.

For my brethren and my neighbours, I spoke peace of thee.

For the house of the Lord our God: I have sought good things for thee.

Glory be to the Father, &c.

Anth. I am black, but beautiful, O daughters of Jerusalem: therefore the king has loved me, and brought me into his chamber.

Anth. Winter is now past.

PSALM CXXVI.—Nisi Dominus.

IF our Lord builds not the house, they have laboured in vain that build it.

If our Lord keeps not the city, he watches in vain that keeps it.

It is in vain for you to rise before light: rise after ye have sat, you that eat the bread of sorrow.

When he shall give sleep to his beloved: behold children are an inheritance from our Lord; and the fruit of the womb is a reward.

As arrows in the hand of the mighty, so are the children of them that are rejected.

Blessed is the man that has filled his desire of them; he shall not be confounded, when he shall speak to his enemies in the gate.

Glory be to the Father, &c.

Anth. Winter is now past, the rain is gone and departed: Arise my love and come.

Anth. Thou art made fair

PSALM CXLVII.—Lauda Jerusalem.

O JERUSALEM, praise our Lord: praise thy God, O Sion.

Because he has strengthened the locks of thy gates, he has blessed thy children in thee.

Who has set thy borders in peace: and fills thee with the fat of corn.

Who sends forth his speech to the earth; his word runs swiftly.

Who gives snow as wool; scatters mist as ashes.

He casts his crystal as morsels: before the face of his cold who shall abide?

He shall send forth his word, and shall melt them: his spirit shall breathe and the waters shall flow.

Who declares his word to Jacob, his justice and judgments to Israel.

He has not done so to any nation: and his judgments he has not made manifest to them.

Glory be to the Father &c.

Anth. Thou art made fair and sweet in thy delicateness, O holy Mother of God.

THE LITTLE CHAPTER.

Eccles. xxiv. 14.

FROM the beginning, and before the world was I created, and unto the world to come, I shall not cease, and in thy holy habitation have I ministered before him.

R. Thanks be to God.

AVE MARIS STELLA.

BRIGHT Mother of our Maker, hail!
Thou Virgin ever blest,
The ocean's star by which we sail
And gain the port of rest.

While we this Ave thus to thee
From Gabriel's mouth rehearse;
Prevail that peace our lot may be,
And Eva's name reverse.

Release our long entangled mind,
From all the snares of ill,
With heavenly light instruct the blind,
And all our vows fulfil.

Exert for us a mother's care,
And us thy children own;
Prevail with him to hear our prayer
Who chose to be thy Son.

O spotless maid! whose virtues shine
With brightest purity,
Each action of our lives refine,
And make us pure like thee.

Preserve our lives unstain'd from ill,
In this infectious way;
That heaven alone our souls may fill
With joys that ne'er decay.

To God the Father endless praise;
To God the Son the same;
And Holy Ghost, whose equal rays
One equal glory claim. Amen.

V. Grace is poured forth on thy lips.

R. Therefore God has blessed thee for ever.

Anth. O blessed Mother.

In the time of Easter.

Anth. Triumph, O Queen.

THE SONG OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY.

Luke, i. 46. (See p. 695.)

Anth. O blessed mother, and ever virgin, glorious queen of the world, make intercession for us to our Lord.

In the time of Easter.

Anth. Triumph, O Queen of heaven, to see, Alleluia
The sacred infant born of thee, Alleluia.
Return in glory from the tomb, Alleluia.
And with thy prayers prevent our doom, Alleluia.

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

V. Lord hear my prayer.

R. And let my cry come to thee.

Let us pray.

LORD God, we beseech thee, grant that we thy servants may enjoy perpetual health of mind and body; and that by the glorious intercession of the ever-blessed Virgin Mary, we may pass from this present sorrow, to the enjoyment of everlasting gladness. Through our Lord, &c. Amen.

FOR THE SAINTS.

Anth. All ye saints of God, vouchsafe to make intercession for the salvation of us, and of us all.

V. Ye just, rejoice in our Lord, and be exceeding glad.

R. And glory, all ye right in heart.

Let us pray.

PROTECT, O Lord, thy people, and let the confidence we have in the intercession of thy blessed apostles Peter and Paul, and of thy other apostles, prevail with thee, to preserve and defend us for ever.

May all thy saints, O Lord, we beseech thee, everywhere assist us, that whilst we celebrate their merits, we may be sensible of their protection; grant us thy peace in our times, and repel all wickedness from thy Church; prosperously guide the steps, actions, and desires of us, and of all thy servants, in the way of salvation; give eternal blessings to those who have done good to us, and everlasting rest to the faithful departed. Through our Lord Jesus Christ thy Son, &c.

R. Amen.

V. Lord hear my prayer.

R. And let my cry come to thee.

V. Bless we our Lord.

R. Thanks be to God.

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

R. Amen.