Learn the Office 1.6: Preparatory prayers

We believe that God is present everywhere and that the eyes of the Lord behold the good and the bad in every place.  

Let us firmly believe this, especially when we take part in the Work of God. Let us, therefore, always be mindful of what the Prophet saith, "Serve ye the Lord with fear" And again, "Sing ye wisely". And, "I will sing praise to Thee in the sight of the angels". 

Therefore, let us consider how it becometh us to behave in the sight of God and His angels, and let us so stand to sing, that our mind may be in harmony with our voice.

Rule of St Benedict, ch 19

Getting started

Before actually saying the hours, it is important to prepare yourself mentally, in line with St Benedict's instructions in his Rule.

Approaching the hours

Traditionally, those saying the Office said preparatory prayers beforehand so as to put themselves in the right frame of mind, remind themselves of what they were doing, and ask for God's help in doing it.

If you look at the first page of the psalter section in the Antiphonale Monasticum, for example, for Monday Prime (Feria Secunda ad Primam) you will see the words 'Pater noster, Ave Maria.  Credo in Deum'.

They are code for 'say an Our Father, Hail Mary and the Creed'.

These prayers are no longer compulsory to say before the Office.

All the same, you might want to consider saying the Aperi Domine, the standard prayer that was previously said before the start of the Office each day:

APERI, Dómine, os meum ad benedicéndum nomen sanctum tuum: munda quoque cor meum ab ómnibus vanis, pervérsis et aliénis cogitatiónibus; intelléctum illúmina, afféctum inflámma, ut digne, atténte ac devóte hoc Offícium recitáre váleam, et exaudíri mérear ante conspéctum divínæ Majestátis tuæ. Per Christum Dóminum nostrum. Amen.

Open Thou, O Lord, my mouth to bless Thy holy name; cleanse my heart from vain, evil and wandering thoughts; enlighten my understanding, inflame my will, that so I may worthily, attentively and devoutly recite this Office and deserve to be heard in the presence of Thy Divine Majesty. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. O Lord, in union with that divine intention wherewith Thou whilst here on earth didst Thyself praise God, I offer these Hours to Thee.

Dómine, in unióne illíus divínæ intentiónis, qua ipse in terris laudes Deo persolvísti, has tibi Horas (vel hanc tibi Horam) persólvo.

O Lord, in union with that divine intention wherewith Thou Thyself, while on earth, didst offer praises unto God, I offer these hours (or this hour) unto Thee.

Compline

And to get a sense of what the Office is really about, I recommend watching the video of Compline below, from the monastery of Farnborough, that really conveys, I think, the sense of reverence with which we should approach the liturgy.

If you want to follow it in your book, you can find the texts in the Diurnal on page 256, or in the Antiphonale on 167.

Don't worry if you get lost though, we will go through the hour step by step in future posts.

SUMMARY

Before you start saying the Office each day, make sure you are ready.

Saying the ‘Aperi Domini’ is a good way of preparing to say the Office.

You can find the next part in this series here.