Little Office of the Passion of Our Lord by S. Bonaventure

Amen.

Praise be to Thee, O Lord, King of everlasting glory.

Come, let us praise the Lord with joy; let us joyfully sing to God our Saviour.

Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise to Him with psalms.

Christ is captured and put to scorn, scourged and crucified.

Oh, come, let us adore Him!

For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.

For in His hand are all the ends of the earth; and the heights of the mountains are His.

Oh, come, let us adore Him!

For the sea is His, and He made it: and His hands formed the dry land.

Come, let us adore and fall down: and weep before the Lord that made us.

For He is the Lord our God; and we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand.

Christ is captured and put to scorn, scourged and crucified.

Oh, come, let us adore Him!

Today, if you shall hear His voice, harden not your hearts: as in the provocation, according to the day of temptation in the wilderness:

where your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works.

Oh, come, let us adore Him!

Forty years long was I offended with that generation, and I said: These always err in their hearts.

And these men have not known My ways: so I sware in My wrath that they shall not enter into My rest.

Christ is captured and put to scorn, scourged and crucified.

Oh come, let us adore Him!

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

Amen.

Oh, come, let us adore Him!

Men without mercy rose up against Me, and they spared not my life.

Why have the Gentiles raged, and the people devised vain things?

The kings of the earth stood up, and the princes met together against the Lord, and against His Christ.

Let us break their bonds asunder, and let us cast away their yoke from us.

He that dwelleth in Heaven shall laugh at them: and the Lord shall deride them.

Then shall He speak to them in His anger, and trouble them in His rage.

But I am appointed King by Him over Sion, His holy mountain, preaching His commandment.

The Lord hath said to Me: Thou art My Son. This day have I begotten Thee.

Ask of Me and I will give Thee the Gentiles for Thine inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for Thy possession.

Thou shalt rule them with a rod of iron, and shall break them in pieces, like a potter's vessel.

And now, O ye kings, understand: receive instruction, you that judge the earth.

Serve ye the Lord with fear: and rejoice unto Him with trembling. Embrace discipline, lest, at any time, the Lord be angry, and you perish from the just way.

When His wrath shall be kindled in a short time, blessed are all they that trust in Him.

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

Amen.

Men without mercy rose up against Me, and they spared not my life.

Our Father.

Pilate took Jesus, and scourged Him. And the soldiers, platting a crown of thorns, put it upon His head: and they put on Him a purple garment. And they came to Him and said: Hail, King of the Jews. And they buffeted Him and, spitting upon Him, they took the reed and struck His Head.

The ancients consulted together, that, by subtlety, they might apprehend Jesus and put Him to death. They went out, as it were to a robber, with swords and clubs.

But the soldiers took Jesus and led Him forth, and, bearing His own cross, He went forth to that place which is called Calvary but, in Hebrew, Golgotha, where they crucified Him and, with Him, two others, one on each side, and Jesus in the midst. And Jesus said: Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.

You are come out, as it were, to a robber, with swords and clubs, to apprehend Me.

I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and you laid not hands on Me, and lo!, you scourge Me and lead Me to be crucified.

Our Father.

Pilate took Jesus, and scourged Him. And the soldiers, platting a crown of thorns, put it upon His head: and they put on Him a purple garment. And they came to Him and said: Hail, King of the Jews. And they buffeted Him and, spitting upon Him, they took the reed and struck His Head.

The ancients consulted together, that, by subtlety, they might apprehend Jesus and put Him to death. They went out, as it were to a robber, with swords and clubs.

But the soldiers took Jesus and led Him forth, and, bearing His own cross, He went forth to that place which is called Calvary but, in Hebrew, Golgotha, where they crucified Him and, with Him, two others, one on each side, and Jesus in the midst. And Jesus said: Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.

You are come out, as it were, to a robber, with swords and clubs, to apprehend Me.

I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and you laid not hands on Me, and lo!, you scourge Me and lead Me to be crucified.

Afterwards, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said: I thirst. Now there was a vessel set there full of vinegar. And they, putting a sponge full of vinegar about hyssop, put it to His mouth. Jesus, therefore, when He had taken the vinegar, said: It is consummated. And, bowing His head, He gave up the ghost.

Darkness covered the earth, whilst the Jews crucified Jesus. And about the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice:

And, bowing down His head, He gave up the ghost.

Amen. Praise be to Thee, O Lord, King of everlasting glory.

Reproaches and terrors have I suffered at their hands; and the Lord is with me as a mighty warrior.

How long, O Lord, wilt Thou forget me unto the end?

How long dost Thou turn away Thy face from me?

How long shall I take counsels in my soul, sorrow in my heart all the day?

How long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?

Consider, and hear me, O Lord my God.

Enlighten mine eyes, that I never sleep in death, lest, at any time, mine enemy say: I have prevailed against him.

They that trouble me will rejoice when I am moved: but I have trusted in Thy mercy.

My heart shall rejoice in Thy salvation:

I will sing to the Lord, Who giveth me good things: yea, I will sing to the name of the Lord, the Most High.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end.

Amen.

Reproaches and terrors have I suffered at their hands; and the Lord is with me as a mighty warrior.

The breath of our mouth, Christ the Lord, is taken in our sins, to Whom we said: Under Thy shadow, we shall live among the Gentiles.

Thanks be to God.

God spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for all.

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel:

because He hath visited and wrought the redemption of His people:

And hath raised up a horn of salvation to us, in the house of His servant, David:

As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, who are from the beginning:

Salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us:

To perform mercy to our fathers, and to remember His holy testament,

The oath which He swore to Abraham our father, that He would grant unto us.

That, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, we may serve Him without fear.

In holiness and justice before Him, all the days of our life.

And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest:

for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways:

To give knowledge of salvation to His people, unto the remission of their sins:

Through the bowels of the mercy of our God,

in which the Orient from on high hath visited us:

To enlighten them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death: to direct our feet into the way of peace.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end.

Amen.

God spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for all.

Lord, have mercy.

O Lord Jesus Christ, Who, at the hour of Matins, didst will to be betrayed, captured, bound, scourged, buffeted and spit upon for the salvation of mankind: make us, we beseech Thee, to receive reproaches and injuries with joy for the glory of Thy Name, and so to keep the memory of Thy most holy Passion ever in mind, that we may deserve to be made partakers in Thy Resurrection, Who livest and reignest, world without end.

Amen.

Amen.

Praise be to Thee, O Lord, King of everlasting glory.

I turned not away My face from them that rebuked Me and spat upon Me.

Judge me, O God, and distinguish my cause from the nation that is not holy:

deliver me from the unjust and deceitful man. For Thou art God my strength:

why hast Thou cast me off? and why do I go sorrowful whilst the enemy afflicteth me?

Send forth Thy light and Thy truth: they have conducted me, and brought me unto Thy holy hill, and into Thy tabernacles.

And I will go in to the Altar of God: to God Who giveth joy to my youth.

To Thee, O God, my God, I will give praise upon the harp:

Why art thou sad, O my soul? And why dost Thou disquiet me?

Hope thou in God, for I will still give praise to Him: the salvation of my countenance, and my God.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end.

Amen.

I turned not away My face from them that rebuked Me and spat upon Me.

Think diligently upon Him that endured such opposition from sinners against Himself, that you be not wearied, fainting in your minds.

Thanks be to God.

Lord, have mercy.

O Lord Jesus Christ, Judge of all judges, Who, at the first hour of the day, wast brought before the governor Pilate for us sinners, and didst there receive a most severe sentence: we humbly beseech Thee to succour us when we shall be arraigned before Thee, that, in that Last Judgement, we may not be condemned to eternal punishment, but may be found worthy to have fellowship with Thy faithful in Heaven, Who livest and reignest, world without end.

Amen.

Amen. Praise be to Thee, O Lord, King of everlasting glory.

The Lord was led as a sheep to the slaughter, and He opened not His mouth.

Hear, O God, my prayer, when I make supplication to Thee: deliver my soul from the fear of the enemy.

Thou hast protected me from the assembly of the malignant, from the multitude of the workers of iniquity.

For they have whetted their tongues like a sword: they have bent their bow a bitter thing, to shoot in secret the undefiled.

They will shoot at him on a sudden, and will not fear: they are resolute in wickedness.

They have talked of hiding snares. They have said: Who shall see them?

They have searched after iniquities: they have failed in their search.

Man shall come to a deep heart: and God shall be exalted.

The arrows of children are their wounds: and their tongues against them are made weak.

All that saw them were troubled: and every man was afraid.

And they declared the works of God: and understood His doings.

The just shall rejoice in the Lord, and shall hope in Him: and all the upright in heart shall be praised.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end.

Amen.

The Lord was led as a sheep to the slaughter, and He opened not His mouth.

Christ suffered for us, leaving you an example that you should follow His steps, Who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth.

Thanks be to God.

Lord, have mercy.

O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, Who, at the third hour of the day, wast led forth to the torment of the cross for the salvation of the whole world: we humbly beseech Thee that, by the power of Thy most holy Passion, Thou mayest blot out all our sins, and bring us, in Thy mercy, to the glory of Thine everlasting bliss, Who livest and reignest, world without end.

Amen.

Amen.

Praise be to Thee, O Lord, King of everlasting glory.

They put over His Head His cause, written, Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.

I have believed: therefore, have I spoken; but I have been humbled exceedingly.

I said in my excess: Every man is a liar. What shall I render to the Lord: for all the things that He hath rendered to me?

I will take the chalice of salvation: and I will call upon the name of the Lord. I will pay my vows to the Lord before all His people: precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.

O Lord, for I am Thy servant: I am Thy servant, and the son of Thy handmaid.

Thou hast broken my bonds: I will sacrifice to Thee the sacrifice of praise, and I will call upon the name of the Lord.

I will pay my vows to the Lord in the sight of all His people: in the courts of the house of the Lord, in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end.

Amen.

They put over His Head His cause, written, Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.

He delivered Himself to him that judged Him unjustly, Who His own Self bore our sins in His Body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live to justice; by Whose stripes we were healed.

Thanks be to God.

Lord, have mercy.

O Lord Jesus Christ, Who, at the sixth hour of the day, didst mount upon the gibbet of the cross and, thirsting for our salvation, didst suffer gall and vinegar to be given Thee to drink: we humbly beseech Thee to enkindle Thy fire in our hearts, and make us to thirst for the chalice of Thy Passion, Who livest and reignest, world without end.

Amen.

Amen. Praise be to Thee, O Lord, King of everlasting glory.

When Jesus had taken the vinegar, He said: It is consummated. And bowing His Head, He gave up the ghost.

I cried to the Lord with my voice: with my voice, I made supplications to the Lord.

In His sight, I pour out my prayer; and before Him, I declare my trouble.

When my spirit failed me, then Thou knewest my paths.

In this way wherein I walked, they have hidden a snare for me.

I looked on my right hand, and beheld, and there was no one that would know me.

Flight hath failed me: and there is no one that hath regard to my soul.

I cried to Thee, O Lord. I said: Thou art my hope, my portion in the land of the living.

Attend to my supplication: for I am brought very low. Deliver me from my persecutors: for they are stronger than I.

Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise Thy name: the just wait for me until Thou rewardest me.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end.

Amen.

When Jesus had taken the vinegar, He said: It is consummated. And bowing His Head, He gave up the ghost.

It became Him for Whom are all things and by Whom are all things, Who had brought many children into glory, to perfect the Author of their salvation by His Passion.

Thanks be to God.

Lord, have mercy.

O Lord Jesus Christ, Who, with arms outstretched on the cross and head bowed down, didst, at the ninth hour of the day, yield up Thy Spirit to God Thy Father and, with the key of Thy death, didst vouchsafe to unlock the gates of Paradise, grant to us, Thy unworthy suppliants, that, in the hour of our death, our souls, through Thy mercy, may attain to Thee Who art the true Paradise, Who livest and reignest, world without end.

Amen.

Amen.

Praise be to Thee, O Lord, King of everlasting glory.

Thou art worthy, O Lord, to take the book and to open the seven seals thereof, because Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God in Thy Blood.

I will extol Thee, O Lord, for Thou hast upheld me: and hast not made mine enemies to rejoice over me.

O Lord, my God, I have cried to Thee: and Thou hast healed me.

Thou hast brought forth, O Lord, my soul from Hell: Thou hast saved me from them that go down into the pit:

Sing to the Lord, O ye His saints: and give praise to the memory of His holiness.

For wrath is in His indignation: and life, in His good will.

In the evening, weeping shall have place; and, in the morning, gladness.

And, in mine abundance, I said: I shall never be moved.

O Lord, in Thy favour, Thou gavest strength to my beauty. Thou turnest away Thy face from me, and I became troubled.

To Thee, O Lord, will I cry: and I will make supplication to my God.

What profit is there in my blood, whilst I go down to corruption?

Shall dust confess to Thee, or declare Thy truth?

The Lord hath heard, and hath had mercy on me: the Lord became my helper.

Thou hast turned for me my mourning into joy: Thou hast cut my sackcloth, and hast compassed me with goodness:

To the end that my glory may sing to Thee, and I may not regret: O Lord my God, I will give praise to Thee forever.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end.

Amen.

Thou art worthy, O Lord, to take the book and to open the seven seals thereof, because Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God in Thy Blood.

We see Jesus, for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that, through the grace of God, He might taste death for all.

Thanks be to God.

Our Shepherd, the fountain of living water, is gone: for He laid down His life for His sheep, and vouchsafed to die for His flock.

My soul doth magnify the Lord.

And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

Because He hath regarded the humility of His handmaid.

For behold, from henceforth, all generations shall call me blessed.

Because He that is mighty hath done great things to me: and holy is His name.

And His mercy is from generation unto generations, unto them that fear Him.

He hath shown might in His arm: He hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart.

He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble.

He hath filled the hungry with good things: and the rich He hath sent empty away.

He hath received Israel His servant, being mindful of His mercy:

As He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and his seed forever.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end.

Amen.

Our Shepherd, the fountain of living water, is gone: for He laid down His life for His sheep, and vouchsafed to die for His flock.

Lord, have mercy.

O Lord Jesus Christ, Who, according to the pious belief of the faithful, didst, at the hour of Vespers, will to be taken down from the cross and laid dead in the arms of Thy mother: grant, we beseech Thee, that, laying aside the burden of our sins, we may be presented in the sight of Thy divine Majesty, Who livest and reignest, world without end.

Amen.

Amen.

Praise be to Thee, O Lord, King of everlasting glory.

They shall mourn for Him as for an only son: because the innocent Lord is slain.

O Lord, the God of my salvation: I have cried before Thee in the day, and also in the night.

Let my prayer come in before Thee: incline Thine ear to my petition.

For my soul is filled with evils: and my life hath drawn nigh to Hell.

I am counted among them that go down to the pit:

I am become as a man without help, free among the dead.

Like the slain sleeping in the sepulchres, whom Thou rememberest no more: and they are cast off from Thy land.

They have laid me in the lower pit: in the dark places, and in the shadow of death.

Thy wrath is strong over me: and all Thy waves Thou hast brought in upon me.

Thou hast put away Thine acquaintance far from me: they have set me an abomination to themselves.

I was delivered up, and came not forth: mine eyes languished through poverty.

All the day I cried to Thee, O Lord: I stretched out my hands to Thee.

Wilt Thou show wonders to the dead: or shall physicians raise to life, and give praise to Thee?

Shall anyone in the sepulchre declare Thy mercy: and Thy truth, in destruction?

Shall Thy wonders be known in the dark: and Thy justice, in the land of forgetfulness?

But I, O Lord, have cried to Thee: and, in the morning, my prayer shall prevent Thee.

Lord, why castest off my prayer: why turnest Thou away Thy face from me?

I am poor, and in labours from my youth: and, being exalted, have been humbled and troubled.

Thy wrath hath come upon me: and Thy terrors hath troubled me.

They have come round about me like water all the day: they have compassed me about together.

Friend and neighbour Thou hast put far from me: and my acquaintance, because of misery.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end.

Amen.

They shall mourn for Him as for an only son: because the innocent Lord is slain.

Christ, having suffered in the flesh, be you also armed with the same thought.

Thanks be to God.

Saviour of the world, save us, Thou Who didst redeem us by Thy Cross and Blood, succour us, we beseech Thee, O Lord our God.

Now Thou dost dismiss Thy servant, O Lord,

according to Thy word, in peace:

because mine eyes have seen Thy salvation,

Which Thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples:

a light to the revelation of the Gentiles,

and the glory of Thy people Israel.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost,

As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end.

Amen.

Saviour of the world, save us, Thou Who didst redeem us by Thy Cross and Blood, succour us, we beseech Thee, O Lord our God.

Lord, have mercy.

O Lord Jesus Christ, Who, at the last hour of the day, didst repose in the tomb, and wast lamented by Thy sorrowful mother and the other holy women: grant, we beseech Thee, that we may mourn for Thee with all the devotion of our hearts, and, abounding with tears of compunction, we may, with ardent desire, ever meditate upon Thy most glorious Passion, Who livest and reignest, world without end.

Amen.