Compline

Office III (Christmas To Candlemas), 1910 Roman calendar

Prayers Before the Office

O Lord, open Thou my mouth, that it may bless Thy holy name; cleanse my heart, too, from all vain, evil, or wandering thoughts. Enlighten mine understanding, kindle mine affections, that I may be able to say this Office meetly with attention and devotion and may deserve to be heard before the presence of Thy divine Majesty. Through Christ our Lord.

℟ Amen.

O Lord, in union with that divine intention wherewith Thou Thyself, while on earth, didst offer praises unto God, I offer these Hours unto Thee.

Introduction

Hail Mary, full of grace; The Lord is with thee; Blessed art thou amongst women, And blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, Pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

℣ Convert us, ✠ O God, our Saviour:

℟ And turn away Thine anger from us.

℣ O God, ✠ hasten to mine aid.

℟ 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. (outside lent:) Alleluia. (from Septuagesima to Holy Saturday:) Praise be to Thee, O Lord, King of glory everlasting.

Psalm 128

• Often have they fought against me from my youth; * let Israel now say.
• Often have they fought against me from my youth; * but they could not prevail against me.
• The wicked have wrought upon my back: * they have prolonged their iniquity.
• The just Lord hath hewn asunder the necks of sinners: * let them all be confounded and turned back that hate Sion.
• Let them be as grass of the housetops, * which withereth before it be plucked up.
• Wherewith the mower filleth not his hand; * nor he that gathereth sheaves, his bosom.
• And they that passed by say not: The blessing of the Lord be upon you: * we bless you in the name of the Lord.
• 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 129

• Out of the depths have I cried unto Thee, O Lord. * Lord, hear my voice.
• O, let Thine ears be attentive * to the voice of my supplication.
• If thou, O Lord, wilt observe iniquities, * Lord, who shall stand it?
• For with Thee there is merciful forgiveness; * and by reason of Thy law I have waited for Thee, O Lord.
• My soul hath relied on His word. * My soul hath hoped in the Lord.
• From the morning watch even until night, * let Israel hope in the Lord.
• For with the Lord there is mercy, * and with Him plentiful redemption.
• And He shall redeem Israel * from all his iniquities.
• 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 130

• O Lord, my heart is not lifted up; * nor are mine eyes lofty.
• Neither do I walk in great matters, * nor in things too wonderful me.
• If I had not been humbly minded, * but have lifted up my soul,
• As a child that is weaned upon his mother's breast, * so let my reward be in my soul.
• Let Israel hope in the Lord, * from this time forth for evermore.
• 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.

Hymn

Remember, O creator Lord,
That in the Virgin's sacred womb
Thou wast conceived, and of her flesh
Didst our mortality assume.

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.

O Jesu! born of Virgin bright,
Immortal glory be to Thee;
Praise to the Father infinite,
And Holy Ghost eternally.

Amen.

Little Chapter

Sir 24:24

I am the Mother of fair love, and of fear, and of knowledge, and of holy hope.

℟ Thanks be to God.

℣ Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.

℟ That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Canticle Nunc dimittis

• Now Thou dost dismiss Thy servant, O Lord, ✠ * according to Thy word in peace:
• Because mine eyes have seen * Thy salvation,
• Which Thou hast prepared * before the face of all peoples:
• A light to the revelation of the Gentiles * and the glory of Thy people Israel.
• 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.

Lord, have mercy on us.

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

Prayer

℣ O Lord, hear my prayer.

℟ And let my cry come unto Thee.

Let us pray.

O God, Who by the fruitful virginity of blessed Mary hast given to mankind the rewards of eternal salvation; grant, we beseech Thee, that we may experience her intercession for us, by whom we deserved to receive the Author of life,

Our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end.

Amen.

Conclusion

℣ O Lord, hear my prayer.

℟ And let my cry come unto Thee.

℣ Let us bless the Lord.

℟ Thanks be to God.

The Blessing

May the almighty and merciful Lord, ✠ Father and Son and Holy Ghost, bless and keep us.

Amen.

Anthem

Mother of Christ! hear thou thy people's cry.

Star of the deep, and portal of the sky,

Mother of Him Who thee from nothing made.

Sinking we strive and call to thee for aid:

Oh, by that joy which Gabriel brought to thee,

Pure Virgin first and last, look on our misery.

℣ After childbirth, O Virgin, thou didst remain inviolate.

℟ O Mother of God, plead for us.

Let us pray.

O God, Who by the fruitful virginity of the blessed Mary hast given to mankind the rewards of eternal salvation; grant, we beseech Thee, that we may experience her intercession for us, by whom we deserved to receive the Author of life, Our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end.

℟ Amen.

℣ May the divine assistance ✠ remain always with us.

℟ Amen.

Prayers After the Office

To the most holy and undivided Trinity, to the manhood of our crucified Lord Jesus Christ, to the fruitful virginity of the most blessed and glorious Mary, ever a virgin, to the entire assembly of the saints, be ascribed everlasting praise, honor, power, and glory, by every creature; and to us be granted the remission of all our sins, world without end.

℟ Amen.

℣ Blessed is the Virgin Mary's womb, which bore the Son of the everlasting Father.

℟ And blessed are the breasts which nourished Christ our Lord.

Our Father, 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. And lead us not into temptation: But deliver us from evil. Amen.

Hail Mary, full of grace; The Lord is with thee; Blessed art thou amongst women, And blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, Pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

I believe in God, 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, died and was buried: he descended into hell; the third day he arose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven; sitteth at the right hand of God the Father almighty: from thence he shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy catholic Church, the communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins. The resurrection of the body. And life everlasting. Amen.