Prayers

Prayers before the Divine Office

INDEX

Servites and other Marian orders, congregations or societies

Franciscans in the Holy Land

In the presence of the Blessed Sacrament

In the presence of the Blessed Sacrament (Augustinian)

Augustinian (to the Holy Spirit)

General Prayer (Aperi, Domine)


Among the Servants of Mary, and other congregations, orders or societies with a Marian charism who have received the approval of the Apostolic See, the Office begins with the following salutation:

V. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you.
R. Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.
V. Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum.
R. Benedicta tu in mulieribus,
et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Iesus.

V. God, + come to my assistance.
R. Lord, make haste to help me.
V. Deus, + in adiutórium meum inténde.
R.Dómine, ad adiuvándum me festína.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. Glória Patri, et Fílio, et Spirítui Sancto.
As it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be forever. Amen. (Alleluia).
Sicut erat in princípio, et nunc et semper,
et in sæcula sæculórum. Amen (allelúia).

or, if the Invitatory is used: vel:

V. Lord, + open my lips.
R. And my mouth shall proclaim your praise.
V. Dómine, + lábia mea apéries.
R. Et os meum annuntiábit laudem tuam.


In the sanctuaries of the Holy Land, and among the members of the Franciscan family, where it is the custom, before the Office is said:

We adore you,
(most holy) Lord Jesus Christ,
here and in all your churches  
in the whole world,
and we bless you,
because by your holy cross
you have redeemed the world.
Adoramus  te,
sanctissime Domine Iesu Christe,
hic et ad omnes eccclesias tuas,
quae sunt in toto mundo,
et benedicimus tibi,
quia per sanctam Crucem tuam
redemisti mundum.


In places where the Blessed Sacrament is reserved, by custom or particular law is said in many congregations, societies, and orders:

How holy is this feast
in which Christ is our food.
his passion is recalled,
grace fills our hearts,
and we receive a pledge of the glory to come. 
O sacrum convivium,
in quo Christus sumitur:
recolitur memoria passionis eius,
mens impletur gratia,
et futurae gloriae nobis pignus datur.

V. You gave them Bread from heaven to be their food
R. And this Bread contained all goodness

V. Panem de caelo praestitisti eis,
R. Omne delectamentum in se habentem.

Let us pray Oremus

O God,
who in this wonderful Sacrament
have left us a memorial of your Passion,
grant us, we pray,
so to revere the sacred mysteries of your Body and Blood
that we may always experience in ourselves
the fruits of your redemption.
Who live and reign with God the Father
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
R. Amen.
Deus,
qui nobis sub sacramento
mirabili Passionis tuae memoriam reliquisti:
tribue, quaesumus,
ita nos Corporis et Sanguinis tui
sacra mysteria venerari,
ut redemptionis tuae
fructum in nobis iugiter sentiamus:
Qui vivis et regnas in saecula saeculorum.
R. Amen.

Among the members of the Augustinian family, the following may be said instead:

O sacrament of love,
sign of our unity, bond of our fraternity,
whoever longs for life has here its very source.
Let him  come here and believe;
unite with you and live.

Let us pray

Lord,
we give you praise in the Eucharist,
the memorial of our salvation in Christ.
Let it be for us a sign of our unity in him,
binding us together in the fellowship of love.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.


When the Blessed Sacrament is not present, among the members of the Augustinian family, and in other places where it is the custom or mandated by particular rule, the following prayer is said

Come, Holy Spirit,
fill the hearts of your faithful
and enkindle in them the fire of your love.
Veni, Sancte Spiritus,
reple tuorum corda fidelium,
et tui amoris in eis ignem accende.

Let us pray

Oremus

Father,
you taught the hearts of your faithful people
by sending them the light of your Holy Spirit.
In that Spirit give us right judgement
and the joy of her comfort and guidance.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
R. Amen.


Deus, qui corda fidelium
Sancti Spiritus illustratione docuisti:
da nobis
in eodem Spiritu recta sapere,
et de eius semper consolatione gaudere.
Per Christum Dominum nostrum.
R. Amen.

Or: vel:

God our Father,
no secret is hidden from you,
for every heart is open to you
and every wish is known.
Fill our hearts with the light of your Holy Spirit
and free our thoughts from sin,
that we may perfectly love you and fittingly praise you.
Grant this through Christ our Lord.
R. Amen.
Deus
cui omne cor patet
et omnis voluntas loquitu,
et quem nullum latet secretum:
purifica per infusionem Sancti Spiritus
cogitationes cordis nostri:
ut te perfecte diligere
et digne laudare mereamur.
Per Christum Dominum nostrum.
R. Amen.


Out of private devotion, the following prayer may be said before the Office:

Open, O Lord, my mouth
to bless your holy name;
cleanse my heart
from all vain, evil, and wandering thoughts;
enlighten my understanding and kindle my affections;
that I may worthily, attentively, and devoutly
say this Office,
and so deserve to be heard
before the presence of your divine Majesty.
Through Christ our Lord.
R. Amen.

Aperi, Domine, os meum
ad benedicendum nomen sanctum tuum:
munda quoque cor meum
ab omnibus vanis, perversis et alienis cogitationibus;
intellectum illumina, affectum inflamma,
ut digne, attente ac devote
hoc Officium recitare valeam,
et exaudiri merear
ante conspectum divinae Majestatis tuae.
Per Christum Dóminum nostrum.
R. Amen,

Lord,
in union with that divine intention,
with which you praised God
while you were on earth,
I offer to you these Hours (or this Hour).
Domine,
in unione illius divinae intentionis,
qua ipse in terris
laudes Deo persolvisti,
has tibi Horas (vel hanc tibi Horam) persolvo.

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