Prayers Before Work

JMJ
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FROM THE OFFICE of Prime in the older breviary, these prayers asking for the intercession of the saints and God’s blessing on the day’s labors happen just before the Monks go out to their various chores. They make a good morning boundary between “work at home” and “home at home”. Pope St Pius X gave us the prayer to St Joseph the Workman which is added as a beginning.

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O GLORIOUS ST JOSPEH, model of all those who are devoted to labor, obtain for me the grace to work conscientiously, putting the call of duty above my natural inclinations, to work with gratitude and joy, in a spirit of penance for the remission of my sins, considering it an honor to employ and develop by means of labor the gifts received from God, to work with order, peace, moderation and patience, without ever shrinking from weariness and difficulties, to work above all with purity of intention and detachment from self, having always death before my eyes and the account that I must render of time lost, of talents wasted, of good omitted, of vain complacency in success, so fatal to the work of God. All for Jesus, all through Mary, all after thine example, O Patriarch, St. Joseph. Such shall be my motto in life and in death. Amen.

Sancta María, et omnes Sancti intercédant pro nobis ad Dóminum, ut nos mereámur ab eo adjuvári et salvári, qui vivit et regnat in sæcula sæculórum. R.  Amen.	May holy Mary, Mother of our God and Lord Jesus Christ, and all the Holy, Righteous, and Elect of God, make intercession for us sinners to the same God our Lord : that we may be accounted worthy to obtain from him help and salvation.  Who liveth and reigneth for ever and ever. R.  Amen.
And then is said thrice:
V.  Deus in adjutórium meum inténde. R.  Dómine ad adjuvándum me festína.	V.  O God, make speed to save me. R.  O Lord, make haste to help me.
And then is said by the whole Choir in unison:
Glória Patri, et Fílio, et Spirítui Sancto. Sicut erat in princípio, et nunc, et semper,  et in sæcula sæculórum.  Amen.	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.
V.  Kyrie, eléison. R.  Christe, eléison.  Kyrie, eléison.	V.  Lord, have mercy upon us. R.  Christ, have mercy upon us.  Lord have mercy upon us.
Pater noster.  secreto usque ad V. Et ne nos indúcas in tentatiónem. R.  Sed líbera nos a malo.	Our Father.  Which words are said aloud, and the rest secretly to: V.  And lead us not into temptation. R.  But deliver us from evil.
V.  Réspice in servos tuos, Dómine, et in ópera tua, et dírige fílios eórum. R.  Et sit splendor Dómini Dei nostri super nos, et ópera mánuum nostrárum dírige super nos, et opus mánuum nostrárum dírige.	V.  Look upon thy servants, and upon thy works, O Lord, and be thou a guide unto their children. R.  And the glorious majesty of the Lord our God be upon us ; prosper thou the work of our hands upon us, O prosper thou our handy-work.
V.  Glória Patri, et Fílio, et Spirítui Sancto. R.  Sicut erat in princípio, et nunc, et semper, et in sæcula sæculórum.  Amen.	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.
Orémus.              Dirígere et sanctificáre, régere et gubernáre dignáre, Dómine Deus, Rex cæli et terræ, hódie corda et córpora nostra, sensus, sermónes et actus nostros in lege tua, et in opéribus mandatórum tuórum : ut hic, et in ætérnum, te auxiliánte, salvi et líberi esse mereámur, Salvátor mundi : Qui vivis et regnas in sæcula sæculórum. R.  Amen.	Let us pray.              Vouchsafe, we beseech thee, O Lord God, King of heaven and earth, to direct, sanctify, and govern, both our hearts and bodies, in the way of thy laws, and in the works of thy commandments : that through thy most mighty protection, O Saviour of the world, both here and for evermore, we may be preserved in body and in soul.  Who livest and reignest for ever and ever. R.  Amen.