The Royal Office

Why did Pius XI of happy memory appoint the last Sunday of October to be the Feast of the Kingship of Christ? He tells us in his encyclical: it is the Sunday before All Saints day. I recalled this when reading Matins of All Saints this morning, since the Invitatory for All Saints is:

Regem regum Dóminum veníte adorémus: * Quia ipse est coróna Sanctórum ómnium.

(The Lord, the King of kings, come let us worship: * For He is the crown of all the Saints.)

Compare this to the Invitatory of Christus Rex:

Jesum Christum, Regem regum: * Veníte, adorémus.

(Jesus Christ, the King of kings: * Come, let us worship.)

Just so, in the Byzantine Office, likewise inspired by Psalm 94, the cry resounds before reading the Psalter at each Hour:

O come let us worship and bow down to the King our God.

O come let us worship and bow down to Christ the King our God.

O come let us worship and bow down to Christ Himself the King and our God.

Most fittingly, before we celebrate the combined feast of all the triumphant citizens of the heavenly realm, the celestial kingdom, we first worship Our Lord Jesus Christ, the King of kings and Lord of lords: this seems to be the motive behind Pius XI's choice of the last Sunday in October for the new feast he instituted. 

On all feasts, singing Te Deum we confess that Tu Rex gloriæ, Christe – Thou art the King of glory, O Christ.

From His royal office derives our share therein, as St Leo the Great declaims at Christmas: Agnoscere, o Christiane, dignitatem tuam! – O Christian, know thy dignity! For we are sons and daughters of the Most High King, and have in prospect a heavenly inheritance: once we have conquered, by the grace of His conquest, we shall sit with Him on His and His Father's throne.

Hence the last of the blessings for Matins of nine lessons is:

Ad societatem civium supernorum perducat nos Rex Angelorum. Amen.

(To the company of the citizens above may the King of Angels bring us. Amen.)

Of course, every day in the Roman Breviary, we salute Christ the King at Prime, when praying the following prayer:

Dirigere et sanctificare, regere et gubernare dignáre, Dómine Deus, Rex cæli et terræ, hódie corda et córpora nostra, sensus, sermónes et actus nostros in lege tua, et in opéribus mandatórum tuórum: ut hic et in ætérnum, te auxiliante, salvi et liberi esse mereámur, Salvátor mundi: Qui vivis et regnas in sǽcula sæculórum. Amen. 

(Deign to direct and sanctify, rule and govern, Lord God, King of heaven and earth, today our hearts and bodies, our senses, words and actions, in Thy law and in the works of Thy commandments: that here and in eternity, Thou assisting, we may merit to be saved and set free, O Saviour of the world: Who livest and reignest world without end. Amen.)

This short prayer to do God's will, addressed to the royal Son of God, is as it were a daily reconsecration of our selves, our souls and bodies, to Christ the King.

The transfer of this feast in the modern Roman Rite to the last Sunday before Advent has had the unfortunate effect of spiritualising away the social reign of Christ, making it but a private devotion to an eschatological hope – whereas it ought be a foretaste here and now of, and a spur to work to bring about imperfectly here below, what is ever perfect: since as every Collect sings, with His Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, He liveth and reigneth world without end.

Prime Augmented - in English

For any who prefer a sacral vernacular, here is a collection of prayers for the morning extracted from the Breviary, which I term an augmented version of Prime, intended for use as an invariant daily devotion for such as would prefer to use liturgical forms, but have not the time for the full morning Hours of the Office; the Latin is in the preceding post (and in both I have made one minor adjustment, restoring the two versicles from Psalm 118 customarily used in the Dominican preces at Prime):

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A PRIVATE EDITION OF PRIME

[Combining elements of Matins, Lauds and Prime]

V/. O Lord, thou wilt open my lips.

R/. And my mouth shall declare thy praise. (Ps 50:17)

V/. O God, come to my assistance.

R/. O Lord, make haste to help me. (Ps 69:2)

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. (Septuagesimatide & Lent: Praise to thee, O Lord, King of eternal glory.)

Psalm 94.

[Invitatory, if desired]

Come let us praise the Lord with joy: let us joyfully sing to God our saviour. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving; and make a joyful noise to him with psalms.

[Invitatory, if desired]

For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. For in his hand are all the ends of the earth: and the heights of the mountains are his.

[Invitatory, if desired]

For the sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land. Come let us adore and fall down: and weep before the Lord that made us. For he is the Lord our God: and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand.

[Invitatory, if desired]

Today if you shall hear his voice, harden not your hearts: as in the provocation, according to the day of temptation in the wilderness: where your fathers tempted me, they proved me, and saw my works.

[Invitatory, if desired]

Forty years long was I offended with that generation, and I said: These always err in heart. And these men have not known my ways: so I swore in my wrath that they shall not enter into my rest.

[Invitatory, if desired]

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.

[Invitatory, if desired]

Hymn.

Now that the daylight fills the sky,

We lift our hearts to God on high,

That he, in all we do or say,

Would keep us free from harm today:

Would guard our hearts and tongues from strife;

From anger’s din would hide our life;

From all ill sights would turn our eyes;

Would close our ears from vanities:

Would keep our inmost conscience pure;

Our souls from folly would secure;

Would bid us check the pride of sense

With due and holy abstinence.

So we, when this new day is gone,

And night in turn is drawing on,

With conscience by the world unstained

Shall praise his name for vict’ry gained.

All laud to God the Father be;

All praise, eternal Son, to thee;

All glory, as is ever meet,

To God the holy Paraclete. Amen.

Ant. O God, my God, to thee do I watch at break of day: because thou hast been my helper. (Ps 62:2a,8a)

Psalm 18.

The heavens shew forth the glory of God, * and the firmament declareth the work of his hands.

Day to day uttereth speech, * and night to night sheweth knowledge.

There are no speeches nor languages, * where their voices are not heard.

Their sound hath gone forth into all the earth: * and their words unto the ends of the world.

He hath set his tabernacle in the sun: * and he, as a bridegroom coming out of his bride chamber,

Hath rejoiced as a giant to run the way: * His going out is from the end of heaven,

And his circuit even to the end thereof: * and there is no one that can hide himself from his heat.

The law of the Lord is unspotted, converting souls: * the testimony of the Lord is faithful, giving wisdom to little ones.

The justices of the Lord are right, rejoicing hearts: * the commandment of the Lord is lightsome, enlightening the eyes.

The fear of the Lord is holy, enduring for ever and ever: * the judgments of the Lord are true, justified in themselves.

More to be desired than gold and many precious stones: * and sweeter than honey and the honeycomb.

For thy servant keepeth them, * and in keeping them there is a great reward.

Who can understand sins? from my secret ones cleanse me, O Lord: * and from those of others spare thy servant.

If they shall have no dominion over me, then shall I be without spot: * and I shall be cleansed from the greatest sin.

And the words of my mouth shall be such as may please: * and the meditation of my heart always in thy sight.

O Lord, my helper, * and my redeemer.

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.

Psalm 62.

O God, my God, * to thee do I watch at break of day.

For thee my soul hath thirsted; * for thee my flesh, O how many ways!

In a desert land, and where there is no way, and no water: * so in the sanctuary have I come before thee, to see thy power and thy glory.

For thy mercy is better than lives: * thee my lips shall praise.

Thus will I bless thee all my life long: * and in thy name I will lift up my hands.

Let my soul be filled as with marrow and fatness: * and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips.

If I have remembered thee upon my bed, I will meditate on thee in the morning: * because thou hast been my helper.

And I will rejoice under the covert of thy wings: my soul hath stuck close to thee: * thy right hand hath received me.

But they have sought my soul in vain, they shall go into the lower parts of the earth: * they shall be delivered into the hands of the sword, they shall be the portions of foxes.

But the king shall rejoice in God, all they shall be praised that swear by him: * because the mouth is stopped of them that speak wicked things.

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.

Psalm 116.

O praise the Lord, all ye nations: * praise him, all ye people.

For his mercy is confirmed upon us: * and the truth of the Lord remaineth for ever.

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.

Ant. O God, my God, to thee do I watch at break of day: because thou hast been my helper. (Ps 62:2a,8a)

Little Chapter. (Rom 13:12-13a)

The night is passed, and the day is at hand. Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day. R/. Thanks be to God.

Short Responsory

R/. Jesu Christ, Son of the living God, * Have mercy on us. (Cf. Mt 16:16b; Jn 11:27)

R/. Jesu Christ, Son of the living God, * Have mercy on us.

V/. Who sittest at the right of the Father. * Have mercy on us. (Cf. Rom 8:34b; Heb 1:3b)

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost.

R/. Jesu Christ, Son of the living God, * Have mercy on us.

V/. Arise, O Lord, help us.

R/. And free us for thy name's sake. (Ps 43:26)

Ant. O Orient, brightness of eternal light, and sun of justice: come and enlighten those sitting in darkness and the shadow of death. (Cf. Lk 1:78b,79a; Zach 6:12; Hab 3:4; Wis 7:26a; Mal 3:20a)

Canticle of Zachary. (Lk 1:68-79)

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; * because he hath visited and wrought the redemption of his people:

And hath raised up an horn of salvation to us, * in the house of David his servant:

As he spoke by the mouth of the holy ones, * who are from the beginning, his prophets:

Salvation from our enemies, * and from the hand of all that hate us:

To perform mercy to our fathers, * and to remember his holy testament,

The oath, which he swore to Abraham our father, * that he would grant to us,

That without fear, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, * we may serve him,

In holiness and justice before him, * all our days.

And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: * for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways:

To give knowledge of salvation to his people, * unto the remission of their sins:

Through the bowels of the mercy of our God, * in which the Orient from on high hath visited us:

To enlighten them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death: * to direct our feet into the way of peace.

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.

Ant. O Orient, brightness of eternal light, and sun of justice: come and enlighten those sitting in darkness and the shadow of death. (Cf. Lk 1:78b,79a; Zach 6:12; Hab 3:4; Wis 7:26a; Mal 3:20a)

Prayers.

Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

Our Father (secretly) 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.

V/. And lead us not into temptation.

R/. But deliver us from evil.

V/. My soul shall live and shall praise thee.

R/. And thy judgments shall help me. (Ps 118:175)

V/. I have gone astray like a sheep that is lost.

R/. Seek thy servant, Lord, because I have not forgotten thy commandments. (Ps 118:176)

I believe in God (secretly), the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord: who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried: he descended into hell: the third day he rose again from the dead: he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right of God the Father almighty: from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins,

V/. The resurrection of the body.

R/. And the life everlasting. Amen.

V/. Our help is in the name of the Lord.

R/. Who made heaven and earth. (Ps 123:8)

I confess to almighty God, to blessed Mary ever virgin, and to blessed Dominic our father, and to all the saints, that I have sinned exceedingly by thought, word, deed, and omission, through my fault. I beseech blessed Mary ever virgin, and blessed Dominic our father, and all the saints, to pray for me.

May almighty God have mercy on me, and forgive me all my sins, free me from all evil, save, and strengthen me in every good work, and bring me to everlasting life. R/. Amen.

May the almighty and merciful Lord grant to me joy with peace, amendment of life, room for true repentance, the grace and consolation of the Holy Ghost, and perseverance in good works. R/. Amen.

V/. O Lord, hear my prayer.

R/. And let my cry come to thee. (Ps 101:2)

Let us pray.

Collect. Lord God almighty, who hast caused us to attain to the beginning of this day: save us today by thy power: that in this day we may not decline into any sin, but always toward accomplishing thy justice may our words proceed, and thoughts and works be directed. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, thy Son, who with thee liveth and reigneth 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 to thee. (Ps 101:2)

V/. Let us bless the Lord.

R/. Thanks be to God.

V/. Precious in the sight of the Lord.

R/. Is the death of his saints. (Ps 115:6)

May Holy Mary and all the Saints intercede for us with the Lord: that we may deserve to be helped by him, who liveth and reigneth world without end. R/. Amen.

V/. Look upon thy servants and upon their works: and direct their children. (Ps 89:16)

R/. And let the brightness of the Lord our God be upon us: and direct thou the works of our hands over us; yea, the work of our hands do thou direct. (Ps 89:17)

Collect. Deign to direct and hallow, Lord, holy Father, almighty eternal God, today our hearts and bodies in thy law and in the works of thy commandments: that here and for ever, by thine assistance, we may deserve ever to be saved. Through Christ our Lord. R/. Amen.

V/. Prithee, Lord, bless.

Blessing. The Lord almighty dispose our days and deeds in his peace. R/. Amen.

Short Lesson. (Is 33:2; cf. Ps 40:11a)

O Lord, have mercy on us: for we have waited for thee: be thou our arm in the morning, and our salvation in the time of trouble. — But thou, O Lord, have mercy on us. R/. Thanks be to God.

V/. Shew us, O Lord, thy mercy.

R/. And grant us thy salvation. (Ps 84:8)

Collect. Our actions, we beg thee, O Lord, to precede by thine inspiration, and to further by thine assistance; that every work of ours begin ever from thee, and those begun, by thee be ended. Through Christ our Lord. R/. Amen.

Blessing. The Lord bless us, and from every evil defend us, and to life eternal lead us. And may the souls of the faithful, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. R/. Amen.

If desired, the De profundis with the usual prayers for the faithful departed may follow the final blessing; and likewise a Marian anthem may be added.

Prime Augmented

Ideally, in the morning, Matins, Lauds and Prime should be not merely read, but chanted in choir.  However, for the busy layperson, the full liturgy is impractical (even fitting in Mass before work being no small feat).  While thoroughly commending those who tackle the whole Breviary daily, I have often wished that some paraliturgical form of worship could be drawn up, invariant so as to facilitate its commission to memory, that would at least provide some parallel to the full morning Hours of devotion – an augmented private edition of Prime, unofficial of course, but useful in providing a rule of prayer conformed to the liturgical ideal.

From Matins, the opening versicle and the Venite (Psalm 94) – combined with an appropriate Invitatory, if desired – can be taken, while from Lauds come Psalm 62 (the core of the morning psalmody) and the Benedictus, the morning Gospel canticle: these, combined with Prime (based upon its Dominican form, as familiar to me from that Order's Breviary, but also drawing upon the Roman),  with an abbreviated Pretiosa or Chapter Office, constitute the morning Office I have compiled for my own use, given constraints that make the use of the full Breviary impracticable.  Please bear in mind that this has no authority other than that possessed by any collection of extracts from the official prayers of the Church, but, if any find it useful, then feel free to appropriate it.

Since I tend to pray in Latin, I have as yet not prepared an English version, but will sooner or later, I suppose.  Since I am fairly conversant with the Office, I can say most of this from memory, barring Psalm 18 so far, and being able so to do is an important consideration, making it a form of words able to be offered up in due season without need of a book.  Since I do know Psalm 50 by heart (in the vernacular) I often use it instead in my own morning prayers and at other times.

For the psalmody of this paraliturgy, I have chosen Psalms 18, 62 and 116, for the following reasons.

Psalm 18 is used at Prime on Saturdays in the Monastic Breviary, and, since 1912, at Prime on Mondays in the Roman and allied Breviaries. It is a magnificent psalm to be mystically understood both of the whole salvific mystery – the coming forth of the Word Incarnate, his return to heaven, and the ongoing mission of his apostles – in its first part, and glorifying the Law of the Lord, that is, the doctrine of Christ, in its second – and thereby is reminiscent of Ps 118, customarily said at all the Little Hours; indeed, it is observed by St Thomas that “by [it] we may unlock the 118th Psalm [since in it] the Old and New Testaments are joined”.

Psalm 62 is the morning psalm of Lauds par excellence (until 1912, it was said daily): “Because of [its] opening words, this Psalm has been set apart from the infancy of the Church for morning use. Its daily recitation is enjoined in the Apostolical Constitutions, is urged by S. Athanasius and S. Chrysostom, and has never failed in either the East or the West in all the ages since”.

Psalm 116 is meant to be reminiscent of the longer Laudate Psalms (Pss 148-150) read daily at Lauds; on Mondays since 1912, it was said at Monday Lauds; in the Ambrosian Rite, it was said daily at Lauds, in addition to the usual Laudate Psalms. Furthermore, according to the Roman Little Office of Our Lady, Psalm 116 is said daily at Prime.

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A PRIVATE EDITION OF PRIME

[Combining elements of Matins, Lauds and Prime]

V/. Dómine, lábia mea apéries.

R/. Et os meum annuntiábit laudem tuam. (Ps 50:17)

V/. Deus, in adjutórium meum inténde.

R/. Dómine, ad adjuvándum me festína. (Ps 69:2)

Glória Patri, et Fílio, et Spirítui Sancto.

Sicut erat in princípio, et nunc, et semper, et in sǽcula sæculórum. Amen.

Allelúja. (Temp. Sept., Laus tibi, Dómine, Rex ætérnæ glóriæ.)

Psalmus 94.

[Invit. ad lib.]

Veníte, exsultémus Dómino, jubilémus Deo, salutári nostro: præoccupémus fáciem ejus in confessióne, et in psalmis jubilémus ei.

[Invit. ad lib.]

Quóniam Deus magnus Dóminus, et Rex magnus super omnes deos, quóniam non repéllet Dóminus plebem suam: quia in manu ejus sunt omnes fines terræ, et altitúdines móntium ipse cónspicit.

[Invit. ad lib.]

Quóniam ipsíus est mare, et ipse fecit illud, et áridam fundavérunt manus ejus: veníte, adorémus, et procidámus ante Deum: plorémus coram Dómino, qui fecit nos, quia ipse est Dóminus, Deus noster; nos autem pópulus ejus, et oves páscuæ ejus.

[Invit. ad lib.]

Hódie, si vocem ejus audiéritis, nolíte obduráre corda vestra, sicut in exacerbatióne secúndum diem tentatiónis in desérto: ubi tentavérunt me patres vestri, probavérunt et vidérunt ópera mea.

[Invit. ad lib.]

Quadragínta annis próximus fui generatióni huic, et dixi; Semper hi errant corde, ipsi vero non cognovérunt vias meas: quibus jurávi in ira mea: Si introíbunt in réquiem meam.

[Invit. ad lib.]

Glória Patri, et Fílio, et Spirítui Sancto. Sicut erat in princípio, et nunc, et semper, et in sǽcula sæculórum. Amen.

[Invit. ad lib.]

Hymnus.

Jam lucis orto sídere,

Deum precémur súpplices,

Ut in diúrnis áctibus

Nos servet a nocéntibus.

Línguam refrénans témperet,

Ne litis horror ínsonet:

Visum fovéndo cóntegat,

Ne vanitátes háuriat.

Sint pura cordis íntima,

Absístat et vecórdia;

Carnis terat supérbiam

Potus cibíque párcitas.

Ut, cum dies abscésserit,

Noctémque sors redúxerit,

Mundi per abstinéntiam

Ipsi canámus glóriam.

Deo Patri sit glória,

Ejúsque soli Fílio,

Cum Spíritu Paráclito,

Et nunc et in perpétuum. Amen.

Aña. Deus, Deus meus, ad te de luce vígilo, quia factus es adjútor meus. (Ps 62:2,8a)

Psalmus 18.

Cæli enárrant glóriam Dei: * et ópera mánuum ejus annúntiat firmaméntum.

Dies diéi erúctat verbum, * et nox nocti índicat sciéntiam.

Non sunt loquélæ, neque sermónes, * quorum non audiántur voces eórum.

In omnem terram exívit sonus eórum: * et in fines orbis terræ verba eórum.

In sole pósuit tabernáculum suum: * et ipse tamquam sponsus procédens de thálamo suo:

Exsultávit ut gigas ad curréndam viam, * a summo cælo egréssio ejus:

Et occúrsus ejus usque ad summum ejus: * nec est qui se abscóndat a calóre ejus.

Lex Dómini immaculáta, convértens ánimas: * testimónium Dómini fidéle, sapiéntiam præstans párvulis.

Justítiæ Dómini rectæ, lætificántes corda: * præcéptum Dómini lúcidum, illúminans óculos.

Timor Dómini sanctus, pérmanens in sæculum sæculi: * judícia Dómini vera, justificáta in semetípsa.

Desiderabília super aurum et lápidem pretiósum multum: * et dulcióra super mel et favum.

Étenim servus tuus custódit ea, * in custodiéndis illis retribútio multa.

Delícta quis intélligit? ab occúltis meis munda me: * et ab aliénis parce servo tuo.

Si mei non fúerint domináti, tunc immaculátus ero: * et emundábor a delícto máximo.

Et erunt ut compláceant elóquia oris mei: * et meditátio cordis mei in conspéctu tuo semper.

Dómine, adjútor meus, * et redémptor meus.

Glória Patri, et Fílio, * et Spirítui Sancto.

Sicut erat in princípio, et nunc, et semper, * et in sǽcula sæculórum. Amen.

Psalmus 62.

Deus, Deus meus, * ad te de luce vígilo.

Sitívit in te ánima mea, * quam multiplíciter tibi caro mea.

In terra desérta, et ínvia, et inaquósa: * sic in sancto appárui tibi, ut vidérem virtútem tuam, et glóriam tuam.

Quóniam mélior est misericórdia tua super vitas: * lábia mea laudábunt te.

Sic benedícam te in vita mea: * et in nómine tuo levábo manus meas.

Sicut ádipe et pinguédine repleátur ánima mea: * et lábiis exsultatiónis laudábit os meum.

Si memor fui tui super stratum meum, in matutínis meditábor in te: * quia fuísti adjútor meus.

Et in velaménto alárum tuárum exsultábo, adhæsit ánima mea post te: * me suscépit déxtera tua.

Ipsi vero in vanum quæsiérunt ánimam meam, introíbunt in inferióra terræ: * tradéntur in manus gládii, partes vúlpium erunt.

Rex vero lætábitur in Deo, laudabúntur omnes qui jurant in eo: * quia obstrúctum est os loquéntium iníqua.

Glória Patri, et Fílio, * et Spirítui Sancto.

Sicut erat in princípio, et nunc, et semper, * et in sǽcula sæculórum. Amen.

Psalmus 116.

Laudáte Dóminum, omnes gentes: * laudáte eum, omnes pópuli:

Quóniam confirmáta est super nos misericórdia ejus: * et véritas Dómini manet in ætérnum.

Glória Patri, et Fílio, * et Spirítui Sancto.

Sicut erat in princípio, et nunc, et semper, * et in sǽcula sæculórum. Amen.

Aña. Deus, Deus meus, ad te de luce vígilo, quia factus es adjútor meus. (Ps 62:2,8a)

Cap. (Rom 13,12-13a)

Nox præcéssit, dies autem appropinquávit. Abjiciámus ergo ópera tenebrárum, et induámur arma lucis. Sicut in die honéste ambulémus. R/. Deo grátias.

R/. br. Jesu Christe, Fili Dei vivi, * Miserére nobis. (Cf. Mt 16:16b; Jn 11:27)

R/. Jesu Christe, Fili Dei vivi, * Miserére nobis.

V/. Qui sedes ad déxteram Patris. * Miserére nobis. (Cf. Rom 8:34b; Heb 1:3b)

Gloria Patri et Filio et Spiritui Sancto.

R/. Jesu Christe, Fili Dei vivi, * Miserére nobis.

V/. Exsúrge, Dómine, ádjuva nos,

R/. Et líbera nos propter nomen tuum. (Ps 43:26)

Aña. O Oriens, splendor lucis ætérnæ, et sol justítiæ: veni, et illúmina sedéntes in ténebris et umbra mortis. (Cf. Lk 1:78b,79a; Wis 7:26a; Mal 3:20a)

Canticum Zachariæ. (Lk 1:68-79)

Benedíctus Dóminus, Deus Israël: * quia visitávit, et fecit redemptiónem plebis suæ:

Et eréxit cornu salútis nobis: * in domo David, púeri sui.

Sicut locútus est per os sanctórum, * qui a sæculo sunt, prophetárum ejus:

Salútem ex inimícis nostris, * et de manu ómnium, qui odérunt nos.

Ad faciéndam misericórdiam cum pátribus nostris: * et memorári testaménti sui sancti.

Jusjurándum, quod jurávit ad Ábraham patrem nostrum, * datúrum se nobis:

Ut sine timóre, de manu inimicórum nostrórum liberáti, * serviámus illi.

In sanctitáte, et justítia coram ipso, * ómnibus diébus nostris.

Et tu, puer, Prophéta Altíssimi vocáberis: * præíbis enim ante fáciem Dómini, paráre vias ejus:

Ad dandam sciéntiam salútis plebi ejus: * in remissiónem peccatórum eórum:

Per víscera misericórdiæ Dei nostri: * in quibus visitávit nos, óriens ex alto:

Illumináre his, qui in ténebris, et in umbra mortis sedent: * ad dirigéndos pedes nostros in viam pacis.

Glória Patri, et Fílio, * et Spirítui Sancto.

Sicut erat in princípio, et nunc, et semper, * et in sǽcula sæculórum. Amen.

Aña. O Oriens, splendor lucis ætérnæ, et sol justítiæ: veni, et illúmina sedéntes in ténebris et umbra mortis. (Cf. Lk 1:78b,79a; Wis 7:26a; Mal 3:20a)

Preces.

Kýrie eléison. Christe eléison. Kýrie eléison.

Pater noster (secreto), qui es in cælis, sanctificétur nomen tuum: advéniat regnum tuum: fiat volúntas tua, sicut in cælo et in terra. Panem nostrum quotidiánum da nobis hódie: et dimítte nobis débita nostra, sicut et nos dimíttimus debitóribus nostris.

V/. Et ne nos indúcas in tentatiónem.

R/. Sed líbera nos a malo. (Mt 6:9b-13)

V/. Vivet ánima mea, et laudábit te.

R/. Et judícia tua adjuvábunt me. (Ps 118:175)

V/. Errávi, sicut ovis, quæ périit.

R/. Quære servum tuum, Dómine, quia mandáta tua non sum oblítus. (Ps 118:176)

Credo in Deum (secreto), Patrem omnipoténtem, Creatórem cæli et terræ. Et in Jesum Christum, Fílium ejus únicum, Dóminum nostrum: qui concéptus est de Spíritu Sancto, natus ex María Vírgine, passus sub Póntio Piláto, crucifíxus, mórtuus, et sepúltus: descéndit ad ínferos; tértia die resurréxit a mórtuis; ascéndit ad cælos; sedet ad déxteram Dei Patris omnipoténtis: inde ventúrus est judicáre vivos et mórtuos. Credo in Spíritum Sanctum, sanctam Ecclésiam cathólicam, Sanctórum communiónem, remissiónem peccatórum.

V/. Carnis resurrectiónem.

R/. Vitam ætérnam. Amen.

V/. Adjutórium nostrum in nómine Dómini.

R/. Qui fecit cælum et terram. (Ps 123:8)

Confíteor Deo omnipoténti, et beátæ Maríæ semper Vírgini, et beáto Domínico Patri nostro, et ómnibus Sanctis, quia peccávi nimis, cogitatióne, locutióne, ópere et omissióne: mea culpa. Precor beátam Maríam semper Vírginem, et beátum Domínicum Patrem nostrum, et omnes Sanctos, oráre pro me.

Misereatur mei omnípotens Deus, et dimíttat mihi ómnia peccáta mea: líberet me ab omni malo, salvet, et confírmet in omni ópere bono, et perdúcat me ad vitam ætérnam. R/. Amen.

Gáudium cum pace, emendatiónem vitæ, spátium veræ pœniténtiæ, grátiam et consolatiónem Sancti Spíritus, perseverántiam in bonis opéribus, tríbuat mihi omnípotens et miséricors Dóminus. R/. Amen.

V/. Dignáre, Dómine, die isto.

R/. Sine peccáto nos custodíre.

V/. Dómine, exáudi oratiónem meam.

R/. Et clamor meus ad te véniat. (Ps 101:2)

Orémus.

Or. Dómine Deus omnípotens, qui ad princípium hujus diéi nos perveníre fecísti: tua nos hódie salva virtúte; ut in hac die ad nullum declinemus peccátum, sed semper ad tuam justítiam faciéndam nostra procedant elóquia, dirigántur cogitatiónes et ópera. Per Dóminum nostrum Jesum Christum, Filium tuum, qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitáte Spíritus Sancti, Deus, per ómnia sǽcula sæculórum. R/. Amen.

V/. Dómine, exáudi oratiónem meam.

R/. Et clamor meus ad te véniat. (Ps 101:2)

V/. Benedicámus Dómino.

R/. Deo grátias.

V/. Pretiósa est in conspéctu Dómini.

R/. Mors Sanctórum ejus. (Ps 115:6)

Sancta María et omnes Sancti intercedant pro nobis ad Dóminum: ut mereámur adjuvári ab eo, qui vivit et regnat per ómnia sǽcula sæculórum. R/. Amen.

V/. Réspice, Dómine, in servos tuos et in ópera tua, et dírige fílios eórum. (Ps 89:16)

R/. Et sit splendor Dómini Dei nostri super nos, et ópera mánuum nostrárum dírige super nos, et opus mánuum nostrárum dírige. (Ps 89:17)

Or. Dirigere et sanctificare dignéris, Dómine, sancte Pater, omnípotens æterne Deus, hódie corda et córpora nostra in lege tua et in opéribus mandatórum tuórum; ut hic et in ætérnum, te auxiliante, semper salvi esse mereámur. Per Christum Dóminum nostrum. R/. Amen.

V/. Jube, Dómine, benedícere.

Bened. Dies et actus nostros in sua pace dispónat Dóminus omnípotens. R/. Amen.

Lect. br. (Is 33:2)

Dómine, miserére nostri: te enim expectávimus: esto brácchium nostrum in mane, et salus nostra in témpore tribulatiónis. — Tu autem, Dómine, miserére nostri. R/. Deo grátias.

V/. Osténde nobis, Dómine, misericórdiam tuam.

R/. Et salutáre tuum da nobis. (Ps 84:8)

Or. Actiónes nostras, quǽsumus, Dómine, aspirándo prǽveni et adjuvándo proséquere; ut cuncta nostra operátio a te semper incípiat, et per te cœpta finiátur. Per Christum Dóminum nostrum. R/. Amen.

Bened. Dóminus nos benedícat, et ab omni malo deféndat, et ad vitam perdúcat ætérnam. Et fidélium ánimæ per misericórdiam Dei requiéscant in pace. R/. Amen.

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If desired, the De profundis with the usual prayers for the faithful departed may follow the final blessing; and likewise a Marian anthem may be added.