Prayers for all Occasions, Needs, and Intentions

THE LITTLE OFFICE OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Join with me in a Prayer of Praise

THURSDAY - MORNING PRAYERS

The Morning Prayer is suggested as you start your day and begins with the verse "God, come to my assistance. Lord make haste to help me." The elements or outline of the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary shown below, are provided to help with the recitation of prayers for both the Morning and Evening Prayers. The Evening Prayer concludes with the recitation of "May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.

Elements of the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Thursday Morning 

Introduction

Verse

God, come to my assistance. Lord, make haste to help me.   

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Doxology

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.   

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Hymn

Virgin born, we bow before you;

Blessed was the womb that bore you;

Mary, Mother meek and mild,

Blessed was she in her Child.

Blessed was the maid that fed you;

Blessed was the hand that led you;

Blessed was the parent’s eye

That watched your slumbering infancy. 

Blessed she by all creation,

Who brought forth the world’s salvation;

And blessed they forever blest,

Who love you most and serve you best.

Virgin born, we bow before you:

Blessed was the womb that bore you;

Mary, Mother meek and mild,

Blessed was she in her Child.  

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Psalmody

Antiphon 1

Tell us, shepherds, what have you seen? Who has appeared on earth? We have seen a new­born infant and a choir of angels praising the Lord.     

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Psalm 143

Lord, listen to my prayer: turn your ear to my appeal. You are faithful, you are just; give answer. Do not call your servant to judgment for no one is just in your sight.

The enemy pursues my soul; he has crushed my life to the ground; he has made me dwell in darkness like the dead, long forgotten. Therefore my spirit fails; my heart is numb within me.

I remember the days that are past: I ponder all your works. I muse on what your hand has wrought and to you I stretch out my hands. Like a parched land my soul thirsts for you.

Lord, make haste and answer; for my spirit fails within me. Do not hide your face lest I become like those in the grave.

In the morning let me know your love for I put my trust in you. Make me know the way I should walk; to you I lift up my soul.

Rescue me, Lord, from my enemies; I have fled to you for refuge. Teach me to do your will for you, 0 Lord, are my God. Let your good spirit guide me in ways that are level and smooth.

For your name s sake, Lord, save my life; in your justice save my soul from distress.

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Antiphon 2

The angel said to the shepherds: I proclaim to you a great joy; today the Savior of the world is born for you.  

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OT Testament Canticle   

Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad because of her, all you who love her; exult, exult with her, all you who were mourning over her!

Oh, that you may suck fully of the milk of her comfort, that you may nurse with delight at her abundant breasts!

For thus says the Lord: Lo, I will spread prosperity over her like a river, and the wealth of the nations like an overflowing torrent.

As nurslings, you shall be carried in her arms, and fondled in her lap; as a mother comforts her son, so will I comfort you; in Jerusalem you shall find your comfort.

When you see this, your heart shall rejoice, and your bodies flourish like the grass.

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Antiphon 3

A little child is born for us today; little and yet called the mighty God.   

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Psalm 147

Praise the Lord for he is good; sing to our God for he is loving: to him our praise is due.

The Lord builds up Jerusalem and brings back Israel’s exiles, he heals the broken-hearted, he binds up all their wounds. He fixes the number of the stars; he calls each one by its name.

Our Lord is great and almighty; his wisdom can never be measured. The Lord raises the lowly; he humbles the wicked to the dust. O sing to the Lord, giving thanks; sing psalms to our God with the harp.

He covers the heavens with clouds; he prepares the rain for the earth, making mountains sprout with grass and with plants to serve man’s needs. He provides the beasts with their food and young ravens that call upon him. 

His delight is not in horses nor his pleasure in warriors’ strength. The Lord delights in those who revere him, in those who wait for his love.  

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First Reading  

In times past, God spoke in partial and various ways to our ancestors through the prophets; in these last days, he spoke to us through a son, whom he made heir of all things and through whom he created the universe.     

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Second Reading  

What a marvelous woman, to be the mother of her own Creator! What an amazing distinction for a woman, to have a Son in common with God. The Father loves his Son; the Mother rejoices in her Son. The Father tells his Son: From the womb, before the morning star, I begot you; the Mother says to her same Son: From the womb, I, a virgin, brought you into the world.

She is amazed at her own glory, nor can she herself understand her elevation, for by the very fact of being made mother of the Creator she became with the best right mistress and queen of all creation. Truly, Mary, he who is powerful did great things for you; truly because he made you his own mother, all the generations of the ages will call you blessed.   

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Responsory

How blessed are you, Virgin Mary, for you carried within you the Lord, the Creator of the world.

Mother of your Maker, you remain a virgin forever.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

Mother of your Maker, you remain a virgin forever.  

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Antiphon 4

Blessed are you, Mary, because you believed that the Lord’s words to you would be fulfilled.    

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Canticle  of Zechariah 

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; he has come to his people and set them free.

He has raised up for us a mighty savior, born of the house of his servant David.

Through his holy prophets he promised of old that he would save us from our enemies, from the hands of all who hate us.

He promised to show mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant.

This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham: to set us free from the hands of our enemies, free to worship him without fear, holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.

You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way, to give his people knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins.

In the tender compassion of our God the dawn from on high shall break upon us, to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.   

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Intercessions

The Word of God existed before the creation of the universe yet was born among us in time. We praise and worship him as we cry out in joy: Let the earth ring out with joy for you have come.

You are the eternal Word of God who flooded the world with joy at your birth, fill us with joy by the continuous gift of your life. 

You saved us and by your birth revealed to us the covenant faithfulness of the Lord, help us to be faithful to the promises of our baptism. 

You are the King of heaven and earth who sent messengers to announce peace to all, let our lives be filled with your peace.

You are the true vine that brings forth the fruit of life, make us branches of the vine, bearing much fruit.

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.   

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Concluding Prayer

Father, we are filled with the new light by the coming of your Word among us. May the light of faith shine in our words and actions.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. 

May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.   

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Conclusion   

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