The Little Office of Our Blessed Lady
Compline
The word "Compline" means completion, and the Hour called by this name is the closing prayer of the Office. It was formerly said about 9 P.M, when darkness had spread over the earth and those who had labored throughout the day were preparing to take their repose. Hence it may be called the Night Prayer of the Church. The thoughts that may well inspire our prayers during Compline are the need we have of divine protection against the powers of darkness and the other dangers that encompass us, especially during night and when we shall be entering upon the sleep of death.
V: Hail Mary,full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
R: Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the Fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
V: Convert us, O God, our Savior.
R: And turn away Thy wrath from us.
V: Incline unto my aid O God.
R: O Lord make haste to help me.
V:Glory be to the Father, and to the Son: and to the Holy Ghost.
R:as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end, Amen. Alleluia.
Psalm 131.
A prayer for the fulfilling of the promises made to David
O Lord, remember David, * and all his meekness:
2 How he sware unto the Lord, * and vowed a vow unto the God of
Jacob:
3 I will not come within the tabernacle of mine house, * nor go up
into the bed wherein I lie;
4 I will not suffer mine eyes to sleep, * nor mine eyelids to
slumber;
5 Neither the temples of my head to take any rest : * until I
find out a place for the Lord, a tabernacle for the God of Jacob.
6 Lo, we heard of it at Ephratah, * and found it in the fields of
the wood.
7 We will go into his tabernacle, * and worship in the place where
his feet stood.
8 Arise, O Lord, into thy resting-place; * thou, and the ark which
thou hast sanctified.
9 Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness; * and let thy
saints rejoice.
10 For the sake of thy servant David, * turn not away the face of
thine anointed.
11 The Lord hath made a faithful oath unto David, and he shall not
make it void : * of the fruit of thy womb shall I set upon thy throne.
12 If thy children will keep my covenant, * and my testimonies that
I shall teach them.
13 Their children also for evermore : * shall sit upon thy
throne.
14 For the Lord hath chosen Sion * he hath chosen it to be an
habitation for himself.
15 This shall be my rest for ever and ever: * here will I dwell, for
I have chosen it.
16 Blessing I will bless her widow : * and will satisfy her poor
with bread.
17 I will clothe her priests with salvation, * and her saints shall
rejoice with exceeding great joy.
18 There will I bring forth make a horn unto David : * I have
prepared a lantern for mine anointed.
19 His enemies will I clothe with confusion; * but upon him shall my
sanctification flourish..
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 132.
An exhortation to praise God continually
Behold, how good
† and joyful a thing it is, * for
brethren to dwell together in unity.
2 †† It is like the
precious oil upon the head, * that ran down upon the beard, even upon the
beard of Aaron.
3 That went down to the skirts of his clothing : * like as the
dew of Hermon, which fell upon mount Sion.
4 For there the Lord hath commanded blessing, * and life 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.
Psalm 133.
The prophet aspireth after God
Behold now,
bless the Lord, * all ye servants of the Lord;
2 Ye that stand in the house of the Lord, * even in the courts of
the house of our God.
3 Lift up your hands by night in the sanctuary, * and bless ye the
Lord.
4 The Lord that made heaven and earth * give thee blessing out of
Sion.
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. After childbirth thou didst still remain a virgin undefiled: Mother of God, intercede for us.
Little Chapter
ECCL. 24
I am the mother of fair love, and of fear, and of knowledge, and of holy hope.
R: Thanks be to God.
R: Intercede for us, O holy Virgin of
virgins * Mary, Mother of God.
Repeat:Intercede for us, O holy Virgin of virgins * Mary, Mother of
God.
V: That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Repeat:Mary, Mother of God.V: Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Ghost.
Repeat: Intercede for us, O holy Virgin of virgins * Mary, Mother
of God.
Virgin all excelling,
Mildest of the mild,
Free from sin preserve us,
Meek and undefiled.
Keep our lives all spotless,
Make our way secure,
Till we find in Jesus,
Joys that shall endure.
Praise to God the Father,
Honor to the Son,
To the Holy Spirit,
Be glory one. Amen.
THE CANTICLE OF SIMEON
Luke 2.29-32.
† Now Thou
dost dismiss Thy servant, O Lord * according to Thy word.
2 Because mine eyes have seen * Thy salvation,
3 Which thou hast prepared * before the face of all people;
4 A light for the revelation of the gentiles, * and to be the
glory of Thy people Israel.
5 Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy
Ghost.
6 As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, *
world without end. Amen.
Ant. We fly to they patronage, O holy Mother of God; despise not our petitions in our necessities, but deliver us from all dangers, O ever blessed Virgin.
V: O Lord, hear my prayer.
R: And let my cry come unto Thee.
Grant, O merciful God, protection for our frailty: that we who celebrate the memory of the holy Mother of God may, by the help of her intercession, arise from our sins. Through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, Thy Son, Who with Thee liveth and reignth 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.
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 towards us; and after this our exile, shew unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.
V. Make me worthy to
praise thee, holy Virgin. P.T. Alleluia.
R. Give me strength against thine enemies.P.T. Alleluia.
Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord God, that we, Thy servants, may enjoy
continual health of mind and body; and that, through the intercession of
blessed Mary, ever virgin, we may be delivered from present sorrow, and
enjoy eternal hapiness. Through Christ our Lord.
R: Amen.
O Light of the Church, doctor of truth, rose of patience,
ivory of chastity, freely hast thou
dispensed the water of wisdom: preacher of grace, unite us to the blessed.P.T.
Alleluia.
V. Pray for us, blessed
Father Dominic. P.T. Alleluia.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
P.T. Alleluia.
Grant, we beseech Thee, almighty God, that we who are oppressed with
the weight of our sins may be relieved
by the intercession of Thy Confessor and our Father, the Blessed Dominic
Through Christ our Lord.
R: Amen.
V: Hail Mary,full of grace, the Lord is with thee.R:Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
To the most holy and undivided Trinty,
To the humanity of our cruicified Lord Jesus Christ;
To the fruitful virginity of most blessed and glorious Virgin Mary;
And to the entire Company of the Saints of God, in heaven;
Be praise, honour, power, and glory, from every creature on earth:
And likewise to us sinners may there be full remission of all our sins:
Throughout all ages, world without end.
R. Amen.
V.
Blessed is the womb of the Virgin Mary, which bore the Son
of the everlasting Father.
R. And blessed are the breasts which nourished Christ
the Lord.
Then should be added silently for the welfare of the Sovereign Pontiff
and the Church one Our Father
and One Hail Mary
