The Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary
The Aperi Domine
(Prayer before the hours)
Prayer Before Compline
O divine and adorable Lord Jesus Christ, Who hast graciously redeemed us by Thy bitter passion and death, we offer up this hour of Compline to Thy honor and glory, most humbly beseeching Thee, through the injury Thou didst suffer by the treacherous kiss of Judas, and by Thy capture in the garden, to grant us Thy grace, that we may never betray Thee by unworthily receiving the blessed sacraments, particularly the adorable Eucharist of Thy body and blood, in the state of mortal sin, and that we may bridle our passions, and bind down our vicious inclinations under the sweet yoke and light burden of Thy holy law till death. Amen.
8. Compline
Office 1. From the Purification to Advent. Standing, All say the Hail Mary in silence. Then make the little sign of the Cross on the heart while the saying. V. Convert Thou us, O God our Savior, R. And turn away Thine anger from us. Then make the large sign of the Cross: V. O God, be intent on mine aid, R. 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. No Antiphon is intoned here. Psalm 128 (129) - Sæpe expugnaverunt. 1. Often have they fought against me from my youth, * let Israel now say. 2. Often have they fought against me from my youth: * but they could not prevail over me. 3. The wicked have wrought upon my back: * they have lengthened their iniquity. 4. The Lord who is just will cut the necks of sinners: * let them all be confounded and turned back that hate Sion. 5. Let them be as grass upon the tops of houses: * which withereth before it be plucked up: 6. Wherewith the mower filleth not his hand: * nor he that gathereth sheaves his bosom. 7. And they that passed by have not said: The blessing of the Lord be upon you: * we have blessed you in the name of the Lord. 8. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, 9. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. * Alleluia. The alternation is not interrupted here. Psalm 129 (130) - De profundis. 10. Out of the depths I have cried to thee, O Lord: * Lord, hear my voice. 11. Let thy ears be attentive * to the voice of my supplication. 12. If thou, O Lord, wilt mark iniquities: * Lord, who shall stand it. 13. For with thee there is merciful forgiveness: * and by reason of thy law, I have waited for thee, O Lord. 14. My soul hath relied on his word: * my soul hath hoped in the Lord. 15. From the morning watch even until night, * let Israel hope in the Lord. 16. Because with the Lord there is mercy: * and with him plentiful redemption. 17. And he shall redeem Israel * from all his iniquities. 18. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, 19. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. * Alleluia. The alternation is not interrupted here. Psalm 130 (131) - Domine, non est. 20. Lord, my heart is not exalted: * nor are my eyes lofty. 21. Neither have I walked in great matters, * nor in wonderful things above me. 22. If I was not humbly minded, * but exalted my soul: 23. As a child that is weaned is towards his mother, * so reward in my soul. 24. Let Israel hope in the Lord, * from henceforth now and for ever. 25. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, 26. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. * Alleluia. Hymn 1. Remember, O Creator Lord! * That in the Virgin's sacred womb * Thou was conceived, and of her flesh * Didst our mortality assume. 2. 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. 3. O Jesus! born of Virgin bright, * Immortal glory be to Thee; Praise to the Father infinite, * And Holy Ghost eternally. 4. Amen. The Little Chapter Ecclus. xxiv. 24. (Sirach 24:17) O. I am the mother of fair love, and of fear, and of knowledge, and of holy hope. R. Thanks be to God. V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God. R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Ant. We fly to thy patronage. The Nunc Dimittis or Canticle of Simeon. Luke 2. All bless themselves as the Canticle is recited or intoned. 1. Now thou dost dismiss thy servant, O Lord, * according to thy word, in peace. 2. Because my eyes * have seen thy salvation. 3. which thou hast prepared * before the face of all peoples. 4. A light of revelation to the Gentiles, * and a glory for thy people Israel. 5. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, 6. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. * Alleluia. Ant. We fly to thy patronage, O holy Mother of God; despise not our petitions in our necessities; but deliver us always from all dangers, O glorious and blessed Virgin. Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy. Lord have mercy. V. O Lord, hear my prayer. R. And let my cry come unto thee. The Oration O. Let us pray: Let the glorious intercession of the blessed and glorious Mary ever Virgin, protect us, we beseech Thee, O Lord, and bring us to life everlasting. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. R. Amen. V. O Lord, hear my prayer. R. And let my cry come unto thee. V. Let us bless the Lord. R. Thanks be to God. All bow at the following and make the large sign of the Cross. The Blessing V. May the almighty and merciful Lord, Father, and Son, and Holy Ghost, bless and keep us. R. Amen. On to Closing prayers.
