The Little office of the Blessed Virgin Mary/Compline
COMPLINE
Hail Mary, in silence
V.Convert us, O God, our Saviour.
R. And turn away Thine anger from us.
V. O God, hasten to mine aid.
R. O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be, etc.
Alleluia, or Praise be to Thee, O Lord, King of glory everlasting.
PSALM CXXVIII
Confidence in God; the persecutors of the Church come to nothing
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 the sheaves, his bosom.
And they that pass by say not: The blessing of the Lord be upon you: we bless you in the name of the Lord.
Glory be, etc.
PSALM CXXIX
Prayer of a sinner trusting in the mercies of God
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, etc.
PSALM CXXX
A psalm of childlike resignation to God's will
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 for me.
If I have 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, etc.
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 life, 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.
From Christmas until Advent
LITTLE CHAPTER
Ecclus. xxiv
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.
During Advent
LITTLE CHAPTER
Is. vii
Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son, and His name shall be called Emmanuel: Butter and honey shall He eat, that He may know to refuse evil and to choose good. R. Thanks be to God.
V. The angel of the Lord declared unto Mary.
R. And she conceived of the Holy Ghost.
From Candlemas until Advent
Ant. We fly to thy patronage.
During Eastertide, instead of the above, is said
Ant. O Queen of heaven.
During Advent
Ant. The Holy Ghost.
From Christmas until Candlemas
Ant. How great the mystery of our inheritance!
CANTICLE OF SIMEON
Luke ii
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, etc.
From Candlemas till Advent
Ant. We fly to thy patronage, O holy Mother of God; despise not our petitions in our necessities, but ever deliver us from all evil, O glorious and blessed Virgin.
During Eastertide
Ant. O Queen of heaven, rejoice, Alleluia, for He Whom thou wast meet to bear, Alleluia, hath risen, as He said, Alleluia; pray for us to God, Alleluia.
During Advent
Ant. The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, Mary; fear not, thou shalt hold within thy womb the Son of God, Alleluia.
From Christmas until Candlemas
Ant. How great the mystery of our inheritance! The womb of one that knoweth not man hath become the temple of God! He was not defiled in taking flesh of her. All nations shall come and shall say: Glory be to Thee, O Lord.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
V. O Lord, hear my prayer.
R. And let my cry come unto Thee.
From Candlemas until Advent
Let us pray
May the glorious pleading of the blessed and glorious Mary, ever a virgin, shield 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.
During Advent
Let us pray
O God, Who didst will that Thine eternal Word should take flesh in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary, when the angel delivered his message; grant that Thy petitioners, who verily believe her to be the Mother of God, may be assisted by her intercession. Through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end.
R. Amen.
From Christmas until Candlemas
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.
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.
THE BLESSING
May the almighty and merciful Lord, + Father and Son and Holy Ghost, bless and keep us.
R. Amen.
Then is said one of the following Anthems of the Blessed Virgin Mary according to the season.
From the Saturday before the first Sunday of Advent to Candlemas inclusive
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.
In Advent
V. The angel of the Lord declared unto Mary.
R. And she conceived of the Holy Ghost.
Let us pray
Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts, that we, to whom the Incarnation of Christ, thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His passion and cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection. Through the same Christ our Lord.
R. Amen.
V. May the divine assistance remain always with us.
R. Amen.
Pater, Ave, and Credo, in silence.
From the First Vespers of Christmas until the Second Vespers of the Purification
V. After childbirth, O Virgin, thou didst remain inviolate.
R. O Mother of God, plead for us.
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.
R. Amen.
V. May the divine assistance remain always with us.
R. Amen.
Pater, Ave, and Credo, in silence.
From Candlemas until Compline on Holy Saturday exclusively
ANTHEM
Hail, O Queen of heav'n enthroned!
Hail, by angels Mistress owned!
Root of Jesse! Gate of morn,
Whence the world's true Light was born:
Glorious Virgin, joy to thee,
Beautiful surpassingly!
Fairest thou where all are fair!
Plead for us a pitying prayer.
V. Vouchsafe that I may praise thee, O Blessed Virgin.
R. Grant me strength against thine enemies.
Let us pray
O most merciful God, grant succor unto our frailty; that as we celebrate the memory of the holy Mother of God, so by the help of her intercession we may rise again from our sins. Through the same Christ our Lord. R. Amen.
V. May the divine assistance remain always with us.
R. Amen.
Pater, Ave, and Credo, in silence.
From Compline of Holy Saturday until None on the Saturday after Pentecost inclusively
ANTHEM
O Queen of heaven, rejoice, Alleluia, For He Whom thou wast meet to bear, Alleluia,
Hath risen, as He said, Alleluia.
Pray for us to God, Alleluia.
V. Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, Alleluia.
R. For the Lord hath risen indeed, Alleluia.
Let us pray
O God, Who didst vouchsafe to give joy to the world through the Resurrection of Thy Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ; grant, we beseech Thee, that, through His Mother, the Virgin Mary, we may obtain the joys of everlasting life. Through the same Christ our Lord.
R. Amen.
V. May the divine assistance remain always with us. R. Amen.
Pater, Ave, and Credo, in silence.
From Compline of the Saturday after Pentecost until Advent
ANTHEM
Hail, holy Queen, Mother of mercy. Hail, our life, our sweetness, and our hope!
To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve.
To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning, and weeping in this vale of tears.
Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us.
And after this our exile show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.
V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray
Almighty, everlasting God, Who, by the co-operation of the Holy Ghost, didst so make ready the body and soul of the glorious Virgin Mother Mary that she deserved to become a meet dwelling for Thy Son; grant that we, who rejoice in her memory, may through her loving intercession be delivered from the evils that hang over us, and from everlasting death. Through the same Christ our Lord.
R. Amen.
V. May the divine assistance remain always with us.
R. Amen.
Pater, Ave, and Credo, in silence.