FOR A HOLY HOUR OF THE HEARTS

 A Holy Hour of the Heart

Before the Blessed Sacrament

 

I.  Salutation of the Blessed Sacrament

II.  Scripture of the Day & Homily of the Season

III.  Invocation on the Cross & Angelus on the Pendents

IV.  The Florilegium of the Day & the Salve Regina

V.  Litany to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

VI.  The Divine Praises

I

SALUTATION OF THE SACRAMENT

A leader from among those gathered intiates the salutation of the sacrament by standing to read the verse, then kneels. Those assembled kneel to recite the response. 

Vs.  Hail, very body born of the virgin Mother.

Rs.  Hail, very body born to suffer for us 

the sacrifice of the cross. 

Vs.  Hail, very body pierced to flow for us 

with saving blood and water.

Rs.  Hail, very body given to be our foretaste of life

in the hour of our death.

Vs.  O, gentle Jesus!  O, loving Jesus!

Rs. O sweet Jesus!  Sweet son of Mary!

 Or else Latin plainchant is sung antiphonally between a cantor and those assembled. 

Ave verum corpus

Vs.  Ave verum corpus natum de Maria virgine.

Rs.  Vere passum, immolatum in cruce pro homine. 

Vs.  Cuius latus perforatum fluxit aqua et sanguine.

Rs.  Esto nobis praegustatum mortis in examine. 

Vs.  O Jesu dulcis!   *   Rs.  O Jeus pie!

Vs.  O Jesu!   *   Rs.  Fili Mariae!

II
READINGS OF THE DAY 

The Scriptural Reading

The leader stands to announce the mystery of the day.  Then a lector from among the assembled stands to read the Scripture of the day.  All stand to hear the Scripture, signing brow, breast, and lips with the sign of the cross as usual: 

A Leader:  

Let us ponder in our hearts the mystery of ... 

A Lector:  

A reading from ...  according to ...

Rs. Glory to you O Lord.

Click on the scripture of the day in the table below

and the reading will open in another window.

Sunday
Let us ponder in our hearts  the Mystery of Faith,   kept in the heart of  the Mother of divine grace.	A reading from the Gospel  according to  St. John:  2: 1–11.
Monday
Let us ponder in our hearts  the mystery of the Lord's revelation,  kept in the heart of  the Mother of God.	A reading from the Gospel  according to  St. Luke: 1: 41–50.
Tuesday
Let us ponder in our hearts  the mystery of the Lord's work,  kept in the heart of  the Mother of our Savior.	A reading from the Gospel  according to  St. Luke: 1: 34–45.
Wednesday
Let us ponder in our hearts  the mystery of the Lord's call,  kept in the heart of  the Mother of the Church.	A reading from the Gospel  according to  St. Luke:  1: 1–5 & 12–14.
Thursday
Let us ponder in our hearts  that joy of the Lord  kept in the heart of his  Mother ever virgin.	A reading from the Gospel  according to  St. Luke: 2: 8–19.
Friday
Let us ponder in our hearts  the mystery of the Lord's passion, kept in the heart of  the Mother of Sorrows.	A reading from the Gospel  according to  St. Luke: 2: 25–35.
Saturday
Let us ponder in our hearts  the mystery of the Lord's glory,  kept in the heart of  the Mother of my Lord.	A reading from the Gospel  according to  St. John:  11: 19 & 12: 1–5.

Lector:  The Word of the Lord

Rs. :  Thanks be to God.

After a lector completes the reading, 

he initiates the antiphonal responsory with the others, all standing: 

The Responsory 

 

Vs.    Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirt:

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,

and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior:

for he has looked with favor on his lowly handmaid.

 

Rs.    Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, 

and to the Holy Spirit: 

Vs.     From this day all generations shall call me blessed.

The Almighty has done great things for me: 

Rs.    For he has looked with favor on his lowly handmaid.

 

Rs.    Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, 

and to the Holy Spirit: 

Vs.    My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,

and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior: 

Rs.    For he has looked with favor on his lowly handmaid.

The 

Homiletical 

Reading

from the

Office of Readings 

A lector stands to read a meditation. 

All others sit to hear the reading.

Click on the meditation of the season in the table below 

and the reading will open in another window.

After a lector completes the reading, 

he initiates the antiphonal responsory with the others, all standing: 

The Responsory

Vs.    Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirt:

The Almighty has done great things for me,

and holy is his Name.

He has mercy on those who fear him in every generation.

 

Rs.   Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, 

and to the Holy Spirit:

Vs.    He has come to the help of his servant Israel,

for he has remembered his promise of mercy.

Rs.   He has mercy on those who fear him 

in very generation.

 

Rs.   Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, 

and to the Holy Spirit:

Vs.    The Almighty has done great things for me, 

and holy is his Name.

Rs.   He has mercy on those who fear him 

in very generation.

Florilegium Joyful
Sunday	A reading from Sermons of St. Gregory Nazianzen: What is this mystery that surrounds me?
Monday	A reading from Sermons of St. Bernard of Clairvaux: Whatever in all this I ponder, it is God I am pondering.
Tuesday	A reading from Sermons of Blessed Abbot Guerric: She is the mother of all Christians.
Wednesday	A reading from Sermons of St. Augustine: It was greater for her to be Christ’s disciple than his mother.
Thursday	A reading from Sermons of St. Sophronius: What joy could surpass this, O Virgin Mother?
Friday	A reading from Orations of St. Athanasius: Within the Virgin he built himself a temple.
Saturday	A reading from Sermons of Blessed Isaac of Stella: Mary and the Church are one mother
Florilegium Sorrowful
Sunday	A reading an Easter homily by Melito of Sardis: The Mystery of the Pasch
Monday	A reading from Sermons of St. Leo the Great: She is the Mother of God.
Tuesday	A reading from the Dogmatic Constitution Lumen gentium The motherhood of Mary in the order of grace.
Wednesday	A reading from Homilies of St. Bernard of Clairvaux: Speak your own word, conceive the divine Word.
Thursday	A reading from Epistles of St. Leo the Great: He stooped to be one in substance with his mother.
Friday	A reading from Sermons of St. Bernard of Clairvaux: The violence of sorrow has cut through your heart.
Saturday	A reading from Treatise Against Heresies by St. Irenaeus: I shall place enmity between you and between the woman.
Florilegium Glorious
Sunday	A reading from Sermons of St. Leo the Great: Our Redeemer’s visible presence has passed into the sacraments.
Monday	A reading from a Discourse by Saint Andrew of Crete The revelation of the mystery.
Tuesday	A reading from a Discourse by St. Anselm. You are the mother of the redeemed world.
Wednesday	A reading from Sermons of St. Bede the Venerable: She refers all her greatness to the gift.
Thursday	A reading from Sermons of St. Augustine: God became man that man might become God.
Friday	A reading from Letters of St. Athanasius: Taking our nature he offered it in sacrifice.
Saturday	A reading from Homilies of St Amadeus of Lausanne: At your right hand stands the Queen.

III
Invocation on the cross
& Angelus on the pendents

Standing, the leader initiates recitation of the Florilegium with the invocation.
The others respond standing as well, to the end of the Gloria Patri.  

Kissing the crucifix, they make the sign of the cross with it,
first on the lips, and then on the brow and breast, 
at the invocation the leader:

Vs.  O Lord, you will open my lips, *

and my mouth shall declare your praise.

 

Rs.  O God, come to my assistance; *

O Lord, make haste to help me.

 

Vs.  Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: 

Rs. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.  Amen.  

All kneel to say the Our Father on the large pendent bead,

and remain kneeling throughout the recitation of the Florilegium.

 

Vs.  Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name:

Rs.  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.

 

 The Angelus

The Angelus is said on the three small beads, the leader leading with the verses:

Vs.  The angel of the Lord declared unto Mary,
and she conceived by the Holy Spirit.
Hail Mary, hail Full of grace, the Lord is with thee:

 

Rs.  Blesséd art thou among women, and
and blesséd is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinnners,
now and at the hour of our death.  Amen.

 

Vs.  Behold the handmaid of the Lord:
be it done unto to me according to thy word.
Hail Mary, hail Full of grace, the Lord is with thee:
Rs.  Blesséd art thou among women, and ...

 

Vs.  And the Word became flesh,and dwelt among us.
Hail Mary, hail Full of grace, the Lord is with thee:
Rs.  Blesséd art thou among women, and ...

 

Vs.  Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

Rs. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end. 

Amen.

 

The leader recites the prayer:

 

Pour forth, we beseech you, O Lord, your grace into our hearts,

that we who have known the incarnation of Christ your Son

through the message of an angel,

may by his passion and cross be brought to 

the glory of his resurrection. 

Through the same Christ our Lord:

 

Rs. Amen 

IV
Seasonal Florilegium of the Day
& Marian antiphon

 

The leader continues to recite the Florilegium antiphonally with the others, announcing anew the mystery of the day and proceeding with "The First, ..."

The Mystery of Faith

The Revelation of the Lord

The Work of the Lord

The Call of the Lord

The Joy of the Lord

The Passion of the Lord

The Glory of the Lord

When the decades are completed, a cantor intones the first phrase of the Salve Regina and the others stand to join in after the opening phrase.

(To the tune of the Roman Salve, below)

Mary, we greet thee,

Mother and Queen all merciful,

our life, our sweetness, and our hope, we greet thee!

To thee we exiles, children of Eve, lift our crying,

to thee we send our sighs,

as mourning and weeping

we pass through this valley of tears.

Therefore we pray, be our gracious helper,

look with pity, with eyes of loving tenderness,

upon us sinners.

And at the end,

when this earthly exile shall be over,

show us the blessed fruit of your womb: Jesus.

O loving!  O gentle!  O most sweet Virgin Mary!

 

Or the Latin plainchant is sung by all, a cantor intoning the first phrase. 

 

Salve Regina

 

Vs. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God,

Rs. That we be worthy of the promises of Christ.

 

Vs.  Holy Mary, holy Mother of the Church, interecede for her: 

Rs.  that she may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

 

The concluding prayer is said by the leader, with all still standing.

 

Lord holy Father,
as you willed that when your Son was exalted on the cross
his Mother stand near pierced with grief for the only-begotten Son
whom they pierced with a lance:
grant to us that by pondering in our hearts
those two wounded for our healing
we may become worthy to share in his resurrection.
Through the same Christ our Lord:
Rs. Amen

V
Litany to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

With all still standing, the leader initiates the Litany to the Sacred Heart.

 

Vs. Lord, have mercy on us.

Rs. Lord have mercy on us.

Vs. Christ have mercy on us.

Rs. Christ, have mercy on us.

Vs. Lord, have mercy on us.

Rs. Lord have mercy on us.

Vs. Christ, hear us.

Rs. Christ, graciously hear us.

 

 Vs. God the Father of Heaven:

Rs. Have mercy on us.

Vs. God the Son, Redeemer of the world:

Rs. Have mercy on us.

Vs. God the Holy Spirit:

Rs. Have mercy on us.

Vs. Holy Trinity, one God:

Rs. Have mercy on us.

 

All kneel to invoke the Sacred Heart present in the Blessed Sacrament.

 

Vs. Heart of Jesus, Son of the Eternal Father,

Rs. Have mercy on us.

 

Vs. Heart of Jesus, formed by the Holy Spirit  in the womb of the Virgin Mother,

Rs. Have mercy on us.

 

Vs. Heart of Jesus, substantially united to the Word of God,

Rs. Have mercy on us.

 

Vs. Heart of Jesus, of infinite majesty,

Rs. Have mercy on us.

 

Vs. Heart of Jesus, holy temple of God,

Rs. Have mercy on us.

 

Vs. Heart of Jesus, tabernacle of the Most High,

Rs. Have mercy on us.

 

                  Vs. Heart of Jesus, house of God and gate of Heaven,

Rs. Have mercy on us.

 

Vs. Heart of Jesus, burning furnace of charity,

Rs. Have mercy on us.

 

Vs. Heart of Jesus, vessel of justice and love,

Rs. Have mercy on us.

 

Vs. Heart of Jesus, full of goodness and love,

Rs. Have mercy on us.

 

Vs. Heart of Jesus, abyss of all virtues,

Rs. Have mercy on us.

 

Vs. Heart of Jesus, most worthy of all praises,

Rs. Have mercy on us.

 

Vs. Heart of Jesus, king and center of all hearts,

Rs. Have mercy on us.

 

Vs. Heart of Jesus, in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge,

Rs. Have mercy on us.

 

                    Vs. Heart of Jesus, in whom dwells all the fulness of the Divinity,

Rs. Have mercy on us.

 

Vs. Heart of Jesus, in whom the Father is well pleased,

Rs. Have mercy on us.

 

Vs. Heart of Jesus, of whose fullness we have all received,

Rs. Have mercy on us.

 

 Vs. Heart of Jesus, desire of the everlasting hills,

Rs. Have mercy on us.

 

Vs. Heart of Jesus, patient and abounding in mercy,

Rs. Have mercy on us.

 

Vs. Heart of Jesus, rich to all who call upon you,

Rs. Have mercy on us.

 

Vs. Heart of Jesus, fountain of life and holiness,

Rs. Have mercy on us.

 

Vs. Heart of Jesus, atonement for our sins,

Rs. Have mercy on us.

 

Vs. Heart of Jesus, filled with reproaches,

Rs. Have mercy on us.

 

Vs. Heart of Jesus, bruised for our offenses,

Rs. Have mercy on us.

 

Vs. Heart of Jesus, obedient unto death,

Rs. Have mercy on us.

 

Vs. Heart of Jesus, pierced with a lance,

Rs. Have mercy on us.

 

Vs. Heart of Jesus, source of all consolation,

Rs. Have mercy on us.

 

Vs. Heart of Jesus, our life and resurrection,

Rs. Have mercy on us.

 

 Vs. Heart of Jesus, our peace and reconciliation,

Rs. Have mercy on us.

 

Vs. Heart of Jesus, victim for our sins,

Rs. Have mercy on us.

 

Vs. Heart of Jesus, salvation of those who hope in you,

Rs. Have mercy on us.

 

Vs. Heart of Jesus, hope of those who die in you,

Rs. Have mercy on us.

 

Vs. Heart of Jesus, delight of all the saints,

Rs. Have mercy on us.

 

Vs. Jesus, gentle and humble of heart

Rs. Make hour hearts like unty yours.

 

Vs.  Watch over your Church, O Lord. 

Rs. O Lord, watch over our Holy Father.

 

Vs.  Preserve your Church, O Lord. 

Rs. O Lord, preserve our Holy Father.

 

Vs.  Uphold your Church, O Lord.

Rs.  O Lord, uphold our Holy Father.

 

Vs.   Grant the pastors of your Church and its laborers 

ever to renew, O Lord. 

Rs.  O Lord, grant your people ever to renew.

 

Vs.  Grant religious life in the Church and the consecrated 

ever to renew, O Lord.

Rs.  O Lord, grant your people ever to renew.

 

Vs. Grant the life of the faithful in the family and in the world 

ever to renew, O Lord. 

Rs.  O Lord, grant your people ever to renew.

 

Vs.  O Lord, in your mercy draw to the bosom of the Church 

all the peoples of the world.

Rs.  O Lord, in  your mercy hear the Pope's intentions 

for all the peoples of the world.

Vs. Lamb of God Who take away the sins of the world,

Rs. Have mercy on all the world.

 

Vs. Lamb of God Who take away the sins of the world,

Rs. Have mercy on all the world.

 

Vs. Lamb of God Who take away the sins of the world,

Rs. Grant peace to all the world.

V
The Divine Praises

The leadeer stands to iinitiate the DivnePraises, and all stand to respond.

(Or sung antiphonally by cantor with the others in chant melody below.)

Vs. Blessed be God.

Rs. Blessed be his holy name. 

Vs. Blessed be Jesus Christ, true God and true man.

Rs. Blessed be the name of Jesus.

Vs. Blessed be his most sacred heart.

Rs. Blessed be his most precious blood.

Vs. Blessed be Jesus in the most holy Sacrament of the Altar.

Rs. Blessed be the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete.

 

Vs. Blessed be the great Mother of God, Mary most holy.

Rs. Blessed be her holy and immaculate conception.

Vs. Blessed be her glorious assumption.

Rs. Blessed be the name of Mary, Virgin and Mother.

Vs. Blessed be St. Joseph, her most chaste spouse.

Rs. Blessed be God in his angels and in his saints.

Or esle the Latin plainchant is sung antiphonally between a cantor and the others.

Vs. Benedictus Deus. Benedictus nomen sanctum eius.
Rs. Benedictus Jesus Christus, verus Deus and verus homo.

 

Vs. Benedictum nomen Jesu. Benedictum cor ejus sacratissimum
Rs. Benedictus ejus sanguis pretiossimus.

 

Vs. Benedictus Jesus in sanctissimo altaris sacramento.
Rs. Benedictus Spiritus Sanctus, Sanctus Paraclitus.

 

Vs. Benedicta magna Mater Dei, Maria santissima.
Rs. Benedicta sancta ejus et immaculata conceptio.

 

Vs. Benedicta ejus gloriosa assumptio.
Rs. Benedictum nomen Mariae, Virginis et Matris.

 

Vs. Benedictus sanctus Joseph, ejus castissimu Sponsus.
Rs. Benedictus Deus in angelis suis, et in sanctis suis.
Fiat, fiat.

 

Laudes Divinae

The leader recites the final prayer: 

Lord Holy Father,
graciously hear us who believe and confess
that present in this blessed sacrament
is the very body that was born of the Virgin Mary
and suffered sacrifice on the cross for our salvation:
grant us always to drink worthily from this saving font
that flows for us from his sacred heart.
Through the same Christ our Lord:

Rs. Amen

 

Vs. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

Rs. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.  Amen

 

Vs. May the Lord our God bless us, defend us from all evil,

and lead us to eternal life. 

Amen

 

Kissing the crucifix all make the sign of the cross with it:

Rs.  In the name of the Father, and of the Son,

and of the Holy Spirit. 

Amen.