"the painful exercise of the mystic septenary"

New Liturgical Movement

Prayer to be said before the seven canonical hours

"Seven times this day will I praise Thee, O Lord, being mindful of Thy exceeding great and wonderful works, by which in the beginning Thou didst found the universe in seven days; mindful also of the sevenfold grace of Thy Holy Spirit, at each of the seven Canonical Hours, which I, unworthy, propose, according to the sacred rule and institution of Thy Church, to say in Thy presence this day to the praise of Thy Holy Name. Deign, I entreat Thee, to bestow upon me the singular gifts of grace, that being abundantly filled by that Thy most Blessed Spirit and His sevenfold gifts, and supported as on the seven pillars which Wisdom hath hewed out for the building of her house, throughout the cycle of the seven days of the week, by the succession of which times fulfil their course; and throughout the seven ages by which the frailty of man continually goeth on its way towards death, I may in such wise please Thee, that, through the painful exercise of the mystic septenary in practice of the seven works of the Spirit, I may be enabled to avoid the seven deadly sins, which are the seven devils cast out of that Mary of the Gospel by Christ; and to vanquish those seven more wicked spirits which the strong man armed taketh to himself for the ruin of man, and may at length be brought unto the triumph of the eight-ranked Virtues after the warfare of this present life is ended. But I ask of Thy most merciful loving-kindness, that whilst I fulfil these Canonical Hours to the praise of Thy Majesty, Thou wilt deign ever to assist my heart; guide my tongue, that fitly, entirely, perfectly, intelligibly, and distinctly it may utter words; deliver my soul from wandering and distracted thoughts, and cause her without ceasing to attend upon Thee whilst she speaketh with Thee, lest whilst through worldly imaginations she goeth forth and departeth from Thee, Who delightest in the secret of the conscience, she may have cause to weep bitterly because Thou hast also justly departed from her. Receive, therefore, at my lips the saving sacrifice of praise, to the end it may do honour unto Thee, and present me before Thee a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable, and well-pleasing to Thee; and pour out Thy grace upon my lips, that out of a good heart I may indite a good matter, and by reason of the grace of my lips may have Thee, the King, for my friend; and whilst I open my mouth unto Thee in the voice or joy and thanksgiving, do Thou deign to fill it with Thy benediction. Amen."

     Sarum missal according to "19PO".  A. Harford Pearson, The Sarum missal done into English, 2nd ed. revised and enlarged (London:  Church Printing Company, 1884), 270-271.  Latin:  Missale ad usum insignis et praeclarae eccleslae Sarum:  labore ac studio, ed. F. H. Dickinson (Burntisland:  E Prelo de Pitsligo, 1861-1883), cols. 561-562.