The Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary
The Aperi Domine
(Prayer before the hours)
Prayer Before Sext
O divine and adorable Lord Jesus Christ, Who hast graciously redeemed us by Thy bitter passion and death, we offer up this hour of Sext to Thy honor and glory; and most humbly beseech Thee, through the faintings Thou didst endure in bearing the cross from Pilate's tribunal to Calvary, and the excessive pains Thou didst suffer, when Thy tender hands and feet were cruelly pierced with gross nails, and fastened to the cross, to grant us Thy strengthening grace to arise immediately whenever we fall into sin, and to restrain our hands, our feet, and our other sensitive powers, from injuring our neighbour, and from all evil deeds; that we may rise up, and go to our heavenly Father with our hands replete with good works, and may merit Thy eternal rewards. Amen.
5. Sext
Office 1. From the Purification to Advent. Standing, All say the Hail Mary in silence. 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. 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. Ant. We run. Psalm 122 (123) - Ad te levavi A prayer in affliction 1. To Thee have I lifted up my eyes, * Who dwellest in heaven. 2. Behold as the eyes of servants * are on the hands of their masters, 3. As the eyes of the handmaid are on the hands of her mistress: * so are our eyes unto the Lord our God, until He have mercy on us. 4. Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us: * for we are greatly filled with contempt. 5. For our soul is greatly filled: * we are a reproach to the rich, and contempt to the proud. 6. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, 7. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. * Alleluia. The alternation is not interrupted here. Psalm 123 (124) - Nisi quia Dominus The Church gives glory to God for her deliverance from her enemies 8. If it had not been that the Lord was with us, * let Israel now say: 9. If it had not been that the Lord was with us, * When men rose up against us, 10. perhaps they had swallowed us up alive. * When their fury was enkindled against us, 11. perhaps the waters had swallowed us up.* Our soul hath passed through a torrent: perhaps our soul had passed through a water insupportable. 12. Blessed be the Lord, who hath not given us to be a prey to their teeth. 13. Our soul hath been delivered * as a sparrow out of the snare of the fowlers. 14. The snare is broken, * and we are delivered. 15. Our help is in the name of the Lord, * Who made heaven and earth. 16. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, 17. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. * Alleluia. The alternation is not interrupted here. Psalm 124 (125) - Qui confidunt God protects the just who have confidence in Him 18. They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Sion: * he shall not be moved for ever that dwelleth in Jerusalem. 19. Mountains are round about it: * so the Lord is round about his people from henceforth now and for ever. 20. For the Lord will not leave the rod of sinners upon the lot of the just: * that the just may not stretch forth their hands to iniquity. 21. Do good, O Lord, to those that are good, * and to the upright of heart. 22. But such as turn aside into bonds, the Lord shall lead out with the workers of iniquity: * peace upon Israel. 23. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, 24. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. * Alleluia. Ant. We run to the odor of thy ointments: the young maidens have loved thee exceedingly. The Little Chapter Ecclus. xxiv. 16. (Sirach 24:12) O. And I took root in an honorable people, and in the portion of my God his inheritance, and my abode is in the full assembly of saints. R. Thanks be to God. V. Blessed art thou among women, R. And blessed is the fruit of thy womb. 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: Grant, O most merciful God, a support to our frailty, that we who commemorate the holy Mother of God, may, by the assistance of her intercession, arise from our iniquities. Through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Our Lord, 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. V. May the souls of the faithful, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. R. Amen. On to Close the hour of Sext or continue on to None.
