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TREASURES OF TRADITION
Saturday, June 15, 2013
Vol. 24, no. 166

Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Part Ten: COMPLINE

by

Karl D. Keller

    There are many devotions we can practice throughout the day, but one of the most efficacious of these, besides the holy Rosary, is the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary. There are various versions - long ones and short ones - dedicated to Our Lady and it is the intention here to share the approved devotion with Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur from over a century ago with readers. Here is presented the eighth and final hour of the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary: Compline, which was first introduced in the early 7th Century by St. Benedict and the word is derived from the Latin completorium, meaning the completion as in the completion of the day. You'll note at the end of Compline the Our Father, Hail Mary and Credo are said in silence and from that point on it was customary to keep silent through the night until time for Matins and a new day at midnight.

Compline    (9 p.m.)

   After introducing you to the importance of the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary in my first installment Our Lady of the Great Event, and providing the First Nocturn and Second and Third Hours of Matins, and recently Lauds followed by Prime then Terce, then Sext followed by None and then Vespers. Today I will share with you the significance of the final hour of this Office for Compline is said just before retiring or at 9 p.m.

    It has been my intention through this ten-part series to console Our Lady by helping to make the recitation of Her Little Office more accessible and consoling to others in the hope that more people will pray it and realize how comforting it is to know that the Mother of God Herself, hundreds of years ago, provided this means of grace to Her children. In order to do that, I have put together the following that I will present each week so that all will eventually have access to the Little Office.

    All of the prayers of the Little Office each time will be listed here with a link to the Psalms or other passages of Scripture at drbo.org for the most exact translation of the Douay-Rheims version. Each psalm will be prefaced by some thoughts from Explanation of the Psalms & Canticles in the Divine Office by none other than St. Alphonsus Liguori, translated by the Rev. T. Livius, C.SS.R., with a Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur from 1887. To these are added some of my thoughts on how the same psalms relate to the situation through which we are living, an age of Apostasy, which many, myself included, believe to be the Apostasy foretold by St. Paul. I have tried to organize it in such a way as to keep a smooth flow as I will treat a different nocturn each time.

The Hours

    Once all these installments are published, you'll see where one can pray the Little Office from Matins to Compline straight through in about 90 minutes. Nearly half of that is needed for Matins and Lauds. The "little hours" of Prime, Terce, Sext, and None require only about 7 or 8 minutes each, so all four can be said in around a half hour. These are the hours and psalms for the soldiers of the Church Militant, encouragement for the soldiers of Christ. If your schedule is very crowded and your days very busy, as mine are, and you cannot pray all of the hours, my suggestion is to pray the little hours, either all together in the morning, at noon, or any time really, or at three a.m. (Lauds), six a.m. (Prime), nine a.m. (Tierce), noon (Sext), three p.m. (None), six p.m. (Vespers) and finally Compline just before going to bed or nine p.m.

Compline

    With Compline the day comes to an end. It is to be said before retiring and should cause us to ponder the end of life, which should always be on our mind. Remember your last end, and you shall never sin. The time before bed should be used to reflect on the events of the day and examine our conscience.

    At Compline time our Lord Jesus Christ on Shere Thursday at even prayed and sweat blood (St. Luke xxii. 44). The same hour on Good Friday He was buried (St. Matt. xxvii. 60), and on Easter Day the same hour He appeared to His disciples gathered together in a close place for fear of the Jews and said to them, Peace be unto you (St. John xx. 19) - (The Myrroure of Our Lady).

    Hail Mary, secretly, which is said always at the beginning of all the Hours.

    V. Convert + us, O God our Savior.
    R. And turn away Thine anger from us.
    V. Come + unto my help, 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.

(Thus is said Alleluia at all the Hours throughout the year, except from Septuagesima to Holy Saturday; for then is said: Praise be to Thee, O Lord, King of everlasting glory.)

Psalm 128
Saepe expugnaverunt me
Confidence in God; the persecutors of the Church come to nothing.

    As the Church looks back on Her history she reflects that from Her very origins in Jerusalem, She imitated Her Lord in the constant persecutions suffered at the hands of the Jews. From my youth up, they have fought against me, let Israel [the Church] now say. Indeed, there has never been a time when the enemies of Truth did not try to beat Her to death. They are having their way of things right now, but they cannot prevail against Her. The Lord will hewn asunder their necks, that is, their pride and they will wither away and die as the grass on the housetops which has no root and does not last. They will be plucked up and thrown into the fire with the weeds that were separated from the wheat.

Then go to Psalm 128.
Complete the Psalm with Glory Be...


Psalm 129
De profundis
Prayer for a sinner trusting in the mercies of God.

    Picture our Holy Mother, the Church, pleading with Her Divine Spouse to have mercy on Her children. We find ourselves in the depths because of our sins but the Church asks God to remember His forgiveness, which is so rich. The sins of Her children have brought the wrath of God down upon us and caused the great Apostasy through which we are living. But with such a Mother interceding for us, Israel, the Church, can hope because with Him there is mercy and plenteous redemption. We can hope and shall hope from the morning until night - from Pentecost until the General Judgment - because He shall redeem us from all of our iniquities.

Then go to Psalm 129.
Complete the Psalm with Glory Be...


Psalm 130
Domine, non est exaltatum
A psalm of childlike resignation to God's will.

    We must ask for humility which is the source of childlike resignation to God's Will. We must hope in God and leave it to His Providence to bring an end to the eclipse of the Church. For most of us, the whys and the wherefores are beyond our understanding. It leads to no good to delve into matters to profound for us to comprehend. We know that our sins have brought this evil upon us, that God has permitted this for our chastisement, and that He will bring ultimate good from it. We are not suffering anything that Christ Himself did not endure, so much so that He sweat blood in the Garden just contemplating it. But was He not also contemplating the suffering of His Mystical Body; the suffering through which We suffer now. Let us take comfort and have courage, let us hope in the Lord, from henceforth now and forever more. Amen

Then go to Psalm 130.
Complete the Psalm with Glory Be...


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 love, 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.


The Little Chapter - Eccli. 24: 24

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.


The Canticle of Simeon Lk 2: 29-32.

    When St. Simeon saw the Divine Child, he knew that he had seen the Savior. He was at peace because he saw that our redemption was near at hand, so he lifted up his head and gave thanks. Yet Christ still had much suffering to endure: His Passion, Death and Resurrection; exile in Egypt, hunger, loneliness, sorrow. But St. Simeon saw past all of that and recognized the salvation of mankind. To the world, all was still in disarray, yet those in the temple at that time, knew that things were about to change. We in the Church are in the same situation as those few people in the temple. We can say to God the same thing that St. Simeon said: We can be at peace because we have seen the salvation of God. We have the word of Christ and His Blessed Mother. What have we to fear? One of the worst feelings is when we grumble against our plight and then God rescues us from the situation and we have to acknowledge sheepishly our foolishness in doubting Him! The truth is, every situation is like that because all things work together for the good of those who love God. So why not skip a step, the grumbling step, and go right to the thanksgiving? Let us rejoice in the certainty that Christus Vincit, Christus Regnat, Christus Imperat.

    I hope that these thoughts regarding the reasons that Our Blessed Mother and Queen is so anxious for us to pray her Little Office will encourage us to do so and so receive the graces which she is so eager to give us, she through whom all graces come to us from God. She wants us never to forget that Her Immaculate Heart will triumph and Christ will reign!

¡Viva Cristo Rey!                Long Live Christ the King!

¡Viva la Virgen Maria!        Long Live the Virgin Mary!

¡Viva San José!                   Long live St. Joseph!

    Ant. We fly to thy patronage.

    Ant. In Paschal time: Queen of Heaven.

    Ant. Advent: The Holy Ghost.

    Ant. After Advent: A great mystery of inheritance.

29. Now dost Thou dismiss Thy servant, O Lord, according to Thy word, in peace.
30. Because mine eyes have seen Thy salvation;
31. Which Thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples.
32. A Light to the Revelation of the Gentiles, and the Glory of Thy people Israel.

Complete this passage with Glory Be...

    Ant. We fly to thy patronage, O holy Mother of God, despise not our petitions in our necessities, but deliver us from all dangers, O ever glorious and blessed Virgin.

    Ant. In Paschal time: Queen of Heaven, rejoice, alleluia. For He Whom thou wast meant to bear, alleluia. Hath arisen, as He said, alleluia. Pray to God for us, alleluia.

    Ant. Advent: The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, Mary: fear not, thou shalt bear in thy womb the Son of God. Alleluia.

    Ant. After Advent: A great mystery of inheritance! The womb of one that knew not man hath become the Temple of God; taking flesh of her He was not defiled. All nations shall come, saying, Glory be to Thee, O Lord.

    Lord, have mercy.
    Christ, have mercy.
    Lord, have mercy.
    V. O Lord, hear my prayer.
    R. And let my cry come unto Thee.

    Let us pray. Let the glorious intercession of the blessed and glorious Mary, ever Virgin, protect 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.

    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.


Benediction

May the Almighty and merciful Lord, Father, and Son, and Holy Ghost, bless and preserve us.
R. Amen.

Anthem of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Then is said one of the following Anthems to Our Lady according to the season.

Alma Redemptoris Mater

(From Advent until the Purification)

    Sweet Mother of our Redeemer,
    Gate whereby we enter Heaven, and Star of the sea!
    Help us, we fall; yet do we long to rise.
    Nature looked upon thee with admiration,
    When thou didst give birth to thy Divine Creator,
    Thyself remaining, before and after it, a pure Virgin.
    Gabriel spoke his Hail, to thee;
    We sinners crave thy pity.

    R. Amen.
    V. The angel of the Lord declared unto Mary.
    R. And she conceived of the Holy Ghost.

During Advent up to Christmas Eve, the following Responsory and prayer is said:

    Let us pray. Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts: that as we have known the incarnation of Thy Son Jesus Christ by the message of an Angel, so too by His Cross and passion may we be brought to the glory of His resurrection.

    R. Amen.
    V. May the divine assistance remain always with us.
    R. Amen.

From Christmas Eve until the Purification, the following Responsory and prayer is said:

    Let us pray. Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts: that as we have known the incarnation of Thy Son Jesus Christ by the message of an Angel, so too by His Cross and passion may we be brought to the glory of His resurrection.

    R. Amen.
    V. May the divine assistance remain always with us.
    R. Amen.

Ave Regina Coelorum

(From Compline of the Purification until Easter)

    Hail, O Queen of Heaven enthron'd!
    Hail, by angels Mistress own'd
    Root of Jesse! Gate of morn'!
    Whence the world's true Light was born!

    Glorious Virgin, joy to thee,
    Loveliest whom in Heaven they see
    Fairest thou where all are fair!
    Plead with Christ our sins to spare.

    V.Vouchsasfe that I may praise thee, O sacred Virgin.
    R. Give me strength against thine enemies.

    Let us pray. Vouchsafe to our weakness, O merciful God, the help of Thy protection; that we who commemorate the holy Mother of God, may, by the help of her intercession, arise from our iniquities, through the same Christ our Lord.

    R. Amen.
    V. May the divine assistance remain always with us.
    R. Amen.

Regina Coeli

(From Compline of Holy Saturday until None of Saturday before Trinity Sunday)

    Joy to thee, O Queen of Heaven, Alleluia.
    He whom thou wast meet to bear, Alleluia.
    As He promis'd hath arisen, Alleluia.
    Send for us to God, thy prayer, Alleluia.

    V. Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, Alleluia.
    R. For the Lord hath risen indeed, Alleluia.

    Let us pray. O GOD, who hast vouchsafed to rejoice the world by the Resurrection of Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ; grant, we beseech Thee, that through His Virgin Mother Mary, we may obtain the joys of life eternal. Through the same Christ our Lord.

    R. Amen.

    V.Vouchsasfe that I may praise thee, O sacred Virgin.
    V. Give me strength against thine enemies.

    Let us pray. Vouchsafe to our weakness, O merciful God, the help of Thy protection; that we who commemorate the holy Mother of God, may, by the help of her intercession, arise from our iniquities, through the same Christ our Lord.

    R. Amen.
    V. May the divine assistance remain always with us.
    R. Amen.

Salve Regina

(From Compline of Saturday before Trinity Sunday until Advent)

    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, 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 and everlasting God, who, by the cooperation of the Holy Ghost, didst prepare the body and soul of the glorious Virgin Mother Mary, to become a habitation meet for Thy Son; grant that as we rejoice in her commemoration, we may, by her loving intercession, be delivered from present evils and from everlasting death. Through the same Christ our Lord.

    R. Amen.
    V. May the divine assistance remain always with us.
    R. Amen.


Pater Noster, Ave Maria, Credo Said secretly to complete Compline and the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary for the day

    Now that I have concluded this ten-part series on The Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary, I encourage you to allot time in the future to include this meaningful practice in your life for honoring Our Lady of the Great Event. I know She'll greatly appreciate it and respond with many graces.

Karl D. Keller


      Karl D. Keller is a Catholic trying to live and die as a loyal son of Holy Mother Church. A father of nine, grandfather of five (so far!), he believes all things revealed by God through His One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. He rejects anything else, even if it comes from men who do not keep the Catholic Faith and pretend that they can change it. Only Catholics can hold office in the Church. His goal is to encourage others who are trying to keep the Faith not to despair, but to persevere, with the help of The Mother of God, by promoting the recitation of Her Little Office, and the apparitions in Quito, Ecuador in the 1600s, where she described herself as, Nuestra Señora del Buen Suceso, which does not mean Our Lady of Good Success, but rather, Our Lady of the Good/Great Event, referring to the Triumph of Her Immaculate Heart and the Reign of Christ the King. ¡Viva Cristo Rey!


Treasures of Tradition
Saturday, June 15, 2013
Vol. 24, no. 166