The Little Office Of The Holy Angels

Today is the Feast of our Holy Guardian Angels. Since my friend at In Lumine Fidei has included the Litany of the Guardian Angel in her post, I thought I would post this 'Little Office' in their honour.

The Little Office Of The Holy Angels

AT MATINS

Antiphon

God hath given His Angels charge of thee, that they keep thee in all thy ways. Amen.

V. O Lord, open Thou my lips, 

R. And my tongue shall declare Thy praise.  

V. O God, incline unto my aid.  

R. O Lord, make haste to help me. 

Glory be to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Alleluia.

Hymn

O Lord, permit us here to raise our voice; 

And waft before Thy throne our feeble praise; 

And thank Thee for those Angels whom Thy choice

Hath lent our weakness to direct its ways, 

And free us from the envious foes that lurk 

To spoil the beauty of Thy cherished work.

Antiphon

O holy Angels, our Guardians, defend us in the combat, that we perish not in the dreadful judgment. 

V. In sight of Thy Angels I will sing to Thee, my God.  

R. I will adore at Thy holy temple, and confess to Thy name. 

Prayer

O God, Who, with unspeakable providence, hast vouchsafed to appoint Thy holy Angels to be our Guardians grant to Thy humble suppliants to be always defended by their protection, and to enjoy their everlasting society through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth, world without end. Amen.

AT PRIME

Antiphon

God hath given His Angels charge of thee, that they keep thee in all thy ways. Amen.

V. O God, incline unto my aid.

R. O Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.  Alleluia.

Hymn

For Satan, driven from the happy land 

Where once he shone in splendor, ill can brook 

The kindly justice of the Almighty hand, 

That gives to man the throne that he forsook; 

And seeks to drag into his own disgrace 

Poor mortals thus designed to fill his place. 

Antiphon 

O holy Angels, our Guardians, defend us in the combat, that we perish not in the dreadful judgment. 

V. In sight of Thy Angels I will sing to Thee, my God.  

R. I will adore at Thy holy temple, and confess to Thy name.

Prayer

O God, Who, with unspeakable providence, hast vouchsafed to appoint Thy holy Angels to be our Guardians grant to Thy humble suppliants to be always defended by their protection, and to enjoy their everlasting society through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth, world without end. Amen.

AT TIERCE

Antiphon

God hath given His Angels charge of thee, that they keep thee in all thy ways. Amen.

V. O God, incline unto my aid.
R. O Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.  Alleluia.

Hymn

Bright Spirit! whom a God supremely wise  

Hath given to be the Guardian of this land, 

Come, arm'd with all thy power from the skies, 

And bear its children harmless in thy hand - 

Safe from all evil that defiles the soul, 

Safe from disunion's withering control. 

Antiphon

O holy Angels, our Guardians, defend us in the combat, that we perish not in the dreadful judgment. 

V. In sight of Thy Angels I will sing to Thee, my God.  

R. I will adore at Thy holy temple, and confess to Thy name.

Prayer

O God, Who, with unspeakable providence, hast vouchsafed to appoint Thy holy Angels to be our Guardians grant to Thy humble suppliants to be always defended by their protection, and to enjoy their everlasting society through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth, world without end. Amen.

AT SEXT

Antiphon

God hath given His Angels charge of thee, that they keep thee in all thy ways. Amen.

V. O God, incline unto my aid.
R. O Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Alleluia.

Hymn

O Jesus! glory of the angelic Choirs, 

Light of their brightness, sweetness of their bliss; 

Thou Who didst leave a world where nothing tires, 

To taste the pains and miseries of this; 

Be these same pains, endured to set us free.  

The germ of endless happiness with Thee. 

Antiphon

O holy Angels, our Guardians, defend us in the combat, that we perish not in the dreadful judgment. 

V. In sight of Thy Angels I will sing to Thee, my God.  

R. I will adore at Thy holy temple, and confess to Thy name.

Prayer

O God, Who, with unspeakable providence, hast vouchsafed to appoint Thy holy Angels to be our Guardians \grant to Thy humble suppliants to be always defended by their protection, and to enjoy their everlasting society through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth, world without end. Amen.

AT NONE

Antiphon

God hath given His Angels charge of thee, that they keep thee in all thy ways. Amen.

V. O God, incline unto my aid.

R. O Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.  Alleluia.

Hymn

Angel of peace! come, Michael, to our aid, 

Thou who didst once chase discord from the sky; 

Come, calm those boisterous passions that have made 

Such havoc here as they have made on high; 

Drive strife and rancour to their kindred loom, 
To Hell, their fitting, their eternal tomb. 

Antiphon

O holy Angels, our Guardians, defend us in the combat, that we perish not in the dreadful judgment. 

V. In sight of Thy Angels I will sing to Thee, my God.  

R. I will adore at Thy holy temple, and confess to Thy name.

PRAYER 

O God, Who, with unspeakable providence, hast vouchsafed to appoint Thy holy Angels to be our Guardians grant to Thy humble suppliants to be always defended by their protection, and to enjoy their everlasting society through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth, world without end. Amen.

AT VESPERS

Antiphon

God hath given His Angels charge of thee, that they keep thee in all thy ways. Amen.

V. O God, incline unto my aid.
R. O Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.  Alleluia.

Hymn

Spirit of might! O Gabriel, display 

Thy matchless power against our ancient foes.  

Visit those sacred temples where we pray - '

Twas at thy potent word those temples rose; 

Whose worship raised these shrines throughout the earth; 
Thou wert the herald of His future birth. 

Antiphon

O holy Angels, our Guardians, defend us in the combat, that we perish not in the dreadful judgment. 

V. In sight of Thy Angels I will sing to Thee, my God.  

R. I will adore at Thy holy temple, and confess to Thy name.

PRAYER 

O God, Who, with unspeakable providence, hast vouchsafed to appoint Thy holy Angels to be our Guardians grant to Thy humble suppliants to be always defended by their protection, and to enjoy their everlasting society through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth, world without end. Amen.

AT COMPLINE

Antiphon

God hath given His Angels charge of thee, that they keep thee in all thy ways. Amen.

V. Convert us, O God, our Saviour. 

R. And avert Thine anger from us.

V. O God, incline unto my aid.
R. O Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.  Alleluia.

Hymn

And Raphael! of the glorious seven who stand  

Before the throne of Him Who lives and reigns; 

Angel of health! the Lord hath filled thy hand 

With balm from Heaven to soothe or cure our pains, 

Heal or console the victim of disease, 

And guide our steps when doubtful of our ways

Antiphon

O holy Angels, our Guardians, defend us in the combat, that we perish not in the dreadful judgment. 

V. In sight of Thy Angels I will sing to Thee, my God.  

R. I will adore at Thy holy temple, and confess to Thy name.

Prayer

O God, Who, with unspeakable providence, hast vouchsafed to appoint Thy holy Angels to be our Guardians grant to Thy humble suppliants to be always defended by their protection, and to enjoy their everlasting society through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth, world without end. Amen.

COMMENDATION

O holy Guardian! at thy feet These wreath of humble flowers I lay; O that their odor were as sweet As he desires who sings th elay, Protect me at death's awful hour, Receive my soul to thine embrace, Rich with the wonders of thy power, To thank, to praise thee, face to face. Amen.

Salutation from the Raccolta 455 

I salute thee, holy Angel who didst comfort my Jesus in His agony, and with thee I praise the Most Holy Trinity for having chosen thee from among all the holy Angels to comfort and strengthen Him Who is the comfort and strength of all that are in affliction. By the honor thou didst enjoy and by the obedience, humility and love wherewith thou didst assist the sacred Humanity of Jesus, my Saviour, when He was fainting for very sorrow at seeing the sins of the world and especially my sins, I beseech thee to obtain for me perfect sorrow for my sins; deign to strengthen me in the afflictions that now overwhelm me, and in all the other trials, to which I shall be exposed henceforth and, in particular, when I find myself in my final agony. Amen.