Compline During Lent - III Sunday of Lent to Passion Sunday

One of the unique features of the Dominican Rite of Office is the variability of much of the Office of Compline during during the seasons of Lent, Passiontide, Paschaltide, Ascensiontide, and through out the octave of Pentecost, when the hymn, Little Chapter, and responses change.

From the Ist Sunday of Lent through Passion Sunday, the responsory is changes as follows:

In the Office of Sundays and feast days the responsory is:

℟.  In peace * I will lie down and sleep comes at once.

On all other days, the responsory is:

℟.  Into your hands O Lord, * I commend my spirit.

The resposory In peace is is  not repeated and is followed immediately by:

℣.  I will give no sleep to my eyes, to my eyelids will give no slumber. - I will lie down and sleep and sleep comes at once. - Glory.  ℟. In peace I will like down and sleep comes at once.

This is followed immediately by the hymn for Lent:

Christ, qui lux es et dies, Noctis tenebras detegis Lucisque lumen crederis, Lumen beatum praedicans. Precamur sancta Domine, Defende nos in hac nocte: Sit nobis in te requies, Quietam noctem tribue. Ne gravis somnus irruat, Nec hostis nos subripiat, Nec caro illi consentiens Nos tibi reos statuat. Oculi somnum capiant, Cor ad te semper vigilet: Dextera tua protegat Famulos, qui te diligunt. Defensor noster aspice, Insidiantes reprime, Guberna tuos famulos, Quos Sanguine nercatus es. Memento nostril Domine, In gravi isto corpore: Qui es defensor animæ, Adesto nobis Domine. Præsta Pater omnipotens, Per Jesum Christum Dominum. Qui tecum in perpetuum Regnat cum sancto Spiritu. Amen.

You are, O Christ, the light and day Who chases nightly shades away; Yourself, the light of light confessed, Proclaim to us the brightness blest. O holy Lord, we pray that you May guard us well this whole night through; In you, O let us find repose All peaceful till the night shall close. Let not dull sleep our spirits quell, Ward off from us the foe from hell, Nor let the flesh with him unite To make us guilty in your site. Then let our eyes due slumber take, But hearts to you forever wake; And may your right arm from above Shield all who turn to you with love. O strong Defender, hear our prayer, Repel our foes and break each snare; Control your servants, be their guide, Who for their ransom bled and died. Remember us, O Lord we pray In weary body here today; From every ill the soul defend, Be with us, Lord, until the end. Almighty Father, this accord Through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord, Who, with the Holy Spirit true, For ever reigns in bliss with you. Amen.

The antiphon for the Canticle of Simeon, from the III Sunday of Lent to Passion Sunday exclusive (except on feasts of the Blessed Virgin Mary), is:

Ant.  In the midst of life, we are in death.  To whom do we look for help but to you, Lord, whose anger, with good reason, is enkindled because of our sins? * Holy god, holy Mighty One, holy and merciful Savior, give us not over to bitter death.  ℣. Do not reject us now that we are old; when our strength fails do not forsake us, Lord. - Holy God.

This antiphon, which is more of a responsory than an antiphon, is the famous Media vitae which is said to have moved St. Thomas Aquinas to tears when it was chanted during Lent.  May St. Thomas pray for us, that we be granted the grace to feel true sorrow for our sins, to repent for them, and to make satisfaction for them.

St. Thomas Aquinas...pray for us.