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1: Entrance Hymn
2. Introduction
Priest: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God,
and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
ALL: And with your spirit.
3. Placing of Christian symbols
Sprinkling with Holy Water:
In the waters of baptism, NN died with Christ and rose with him to new life. May he/she now share with Christ eternal glory.
Placing of the Pall:
The Pall placed over the coffin is a reminder of the baptismal garment of NN, a sign of his/her Christian dignity.
The Baptism Candle:
This candle represents the faith NN had in Christ. This candle was given to NN in his / her baptism, to be kept burning brightly. May he/she now find Christ waiting for him / her in heaven.
The Book of the Gospels:
In life NN cherished the Gospel of Christ. May Christ now greet him/her with these words of eternal life: Come, blessed of my Father!
A Cross:
In baptism NN received the sign of the cross. May he/she now share in Christ’s victory over sin and death.
(A reflection about the person may be said here, after the Gospel or at the end.)
4. Gathering Prayer
Priest: Let us Pray.
(Choose from one of the following prayers.)
A. (Outside Easter Time)
O God, almighty Father, our faith professes that your Son died and rose again;
mercifully grant, that through this mystery your servant NN, who has fallen asleep in Christ, may rejoice to rise again with him.
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
ALL: AMEN.
B. (Outside Easter Time)
O God, whose nature is always to forgive and to show mercy, we humbly implore you for your servant NN,
whom you have called (this day) to journey to you, and, since he (she) hoped and believed in you,
grant that he (she) may be led to our true homeland to delight in its everlasting joys.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.
ALL: AMEN.
C. (Outside Easter Time)
O God, who are mercy for sinners and the happiness of your Saints, give, we pray, to your servant NN,
for whom (today) we perform the fraternal office of burial, a share with your chosen ones in the blessedness you give,
so that on the day or resurrection, freed from the bonds of mortality, he (she) may come before your face.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
ALL: AMEN.
D. (Outside Easter Time)
O God, who have set a limit to this present life, so as to open up an entry into eternity,
we humbly beseech you, that by the grace of your mercy you may command the name of your servant NN to be inscribed in the book of life.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
ALL: AMEN.
E. (During Easter Time)
Listen kindly to our prayers, O Lord:
as our faith in your Son, raised from the dead, is deepened,
may our hope of resurrection for your departed servant NN also find new strength.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
ALL: AMEN.
F. (During Easter Time)
O God, who through the ending of present things open up the beginning of things to come,
grant, we pray, that the soul of your servant NN may be led by you to attain the inheritance of eternal redemption.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
ALL: AMEN.
G. (During Easter Time)
O God, who alone are able to give life after death, free your servant NN from all sins,
that he (she), who believed in the Resurrection of your Christ, may, when the day of resurrection comes, be united with you in glory.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
ALL: AMEN.
(Please be seated)
5. First Reading
(please choose one reading from the Old Testament below)A.
Reader: A reading from the book of Job (19:1. 23-27a)
Job said:
“Ah, would that these words of mine were written down, inscribed on some monument with iron chisel and engraving tool, cut into the rock for ever.
This I know: that my Avenger lives, and he, the Last, will take his stand on earth. After my awaking, he will set me close to him, and from my flesh I shall look on God.
He whom I shall see will take my part: these eyes will gaze on him and find him not aloof.”
The word of the Lord.
ALL: Thanks be to God.
B.
Reader: A reading from the book of Wisdom (3:1-9)
The souls of the virtuous are in the hands of God, no torment shall ever touch them. In the eyes of the unwise, they did appear to die, their going looked like a disaster, their leaving us, like annihilation; but they are in peace. If they experienced punishment as people see it, their hope was rich with immortality; slight was their affliction, great will their blessing be. God has put them to the test and proved them worthy to be with him; God has tested them like gold in a furnace, and accepted them as a holocaust.
When the time comes for his visitation, they will shine out; as sparks run through the stubble, so will they. They shall judge nations, rule over peoples, and the Lord will be their king for ever.
They who trust in him will understand the truth, those who are faithful will live with Him in love; for grace and mercy await those He has chosen.
The word of the Lord.
ALL: Thanks be to God.
(or shorter version)
Reader: A reading from the book of Wisdom (3:1-6.9)
The souls of the virtuous are in the hands of God, no torment shall ever touch them. In the eyes of the unwise, they did appear to die, their going looked like a disaster, their leaving us, like annihilation; but they are in peace. If they experienced punishment as people see it, their hope was rich with immortality; slight was their affliction, great will their blessing be. God has put them to the test and proved them worthy to be with him; God has tested them like gold in a furnace, and accepted them as a holocaust. They who trust in him will understand the truth, those who are faithful will live with Him in love; for grace and mercy await those He has chosen.
The word of the Lord.
ALL: Thanks be to God.
C.
Reader: A reading from the book of Wisdom (4:7-15)
The virtuous, though they die before their time, will find rest. Length of days is not what makes age honourable, nor number of years the true measure of life; understanding, this is one’s grey hairs, untarnished life, this is ripe old age.
They has sought to please God, so God has loved them; as they were living among sinners, they have been taken up.
They have been carried off so that evil may not warp their understanding or treachery seduce their soul; for the fascination of evil throws good things into the shade, and the whirlwind of desire corrupts a simple heart. Coming to perfection in so short a while, they achieved long life; their soul being pleasing to the Lord, he has taken them quickly from the wickedness around them.
Yet people look on, uncomprehending; it does not enter their heads that grace and mercy await the chosen of the Lord, and protection, his holy ones.
The word of the Lord.
ALL: Thanks be to God.
D.
Reader: A reading from the prophet Isaiah (25:6-9)
On this mountain, the Lord of hosts will prepare for all peoples a banquet of rich food. On this mountain he will remove the mourning veil covering all peoples, and the shroud enwrapping all the nations, he will destroy Death for ever.
The Lord God will wipe away the tears from every cheek; he will take away his people’s shame everywhere on earth, for the Lord has said so.
That day, it will be said: See, this is our God in whom we hoped for salvation; the Lord is the one in whom we hoped. We exult and we rejoice that he has saved us.
The word of the Lord.
ALL: Thanks be to God.
E.
Reader: A reading from the book of Lamentations (3:17-26)
My soul is shut out from peace; I have forgotten happiness. And now I say, “My strength is gone, that hope which came from the Lord.” Brooding on my anguish and affliction is gall and wormwood.
My spirit ponders it continually and sinks within me. This is what I shall tell my heart, and so recover hope: the favours of the Lord are not all past, his kindnesses are not exhausted; every morning they are renewed; great is his faithfulness.
“My portion is the Lord,” says my soul, “and so I will hope in him.” The Lord is good to those who trust him, to the soul that searches for him.
It is good to wait in silence for the Lord to save.
The word of the Lord.
ALL: Thanks be to God.
F.
Reader: A reading from the prophet Daniel (12:1-3)
I, Daniel, was doing penance, wen I received this message from the Lord:
“At that time Michael will stand up, the great prince who mounts guard over your people. There is going to be a time of great distress, unparalleled since nations first came into existence. When that time comes, your own people will be spared, all those whose names are found written in the Book. Of those who lie sleeping in the dust of the earth many will awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting disgrace. The learned will shine as brightly as the vault of heaven, and those who have instructed many in virtue, as bright as stars for all eternity.”
The word of the Lord.
ALL: Thanks be to God.
G.
Reader: A reading from the second book of Maccabees (12:43-45)
Judas, the leader of the Jews, took a collection from the people individually, amounting to nearly two thousand drachmae, and sent it to Jerusalem to have a sacrifice for sin offered, an altogether fine and noble action, in which he took full account of the resurrection. For if he had not expected the fallen to rise again, it would have been superfluous and foolish to pray for the dead, whereas if he had in view the splendid recompense reserved to those who make a pious end, the thought was holy and devout. This was why he had this atonement sacrifice offered for the dead, so that they might be released from their sin.
The word of the Lord.
ALL: Thanks be to God.
6. Responsorial Psalm
(the psalm may be either read or sung)A. Psalm 22
Reader: The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
ALL: The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Reader: The Lord is my shepherd;
there is nothing I shall want.
Fresh and green are the pastures
where he gives me repose.
Near restful waters he leads me,
to revive my drooping spirit.ALL: The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Reader: He guides me along the right path;
he is true to his name.
If I should walk in the valley of darkness
no evil would I fear.
You are there with your crook and your staff;
with these you give me comfort.
ALL: The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Reader: You have prepared a banquet for me
in the sight of my foes.
My head you have anointed with oil;
my cup is overflowing.
ALL: The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Reader: Surely goodness and kindness shall follow me
all the days of my life.
In the Lord’s own house shall I dwell
for ever and ever.
ALL: The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
B. Psalm 114
Reader: I will walk in the presence of the Lord in the land of the living.
ALL: I will walk in the presence of the Lord in the land of the living.
Reader: How gracious is the Lord, and just;
our God has compassion.
The Lord protects the simple hearts;
I was helpless so he saved me.
ALL: I will walk in the presence of the Lord in the land of the living.
Reader: I trusted even when I said:
‘I am sorely afflicted,’
and when I said in my alarm:
‘No human can be trusted.’
ALL: I will walk in the presence of the Lord in the land of the living.
Reader: O precious in the eyes of the Lord
is the death of his faithful.
Your servant, Lord, your servant am I;
you have loosened my bonds.
ALL: I will walk in the presence of the Lord in the land of the living.
7. Second Reading
(A second reading is optional. If it is chosen, then it is taken from the New Testament readings below. When there is no second reading, the first reading can be taken from the New Testament.)
A.
Reader: A reading from the Acts of the Apostles (10:34-43)
Peter addressed Cornelius and his household:
‘The truth I have now come to realise,’ he said, ‘is that God does not have favourites, but that anybody of any nationality who fears God and does what is right is acceptable to him. ‘It is true, God sent his word to the people of Israel, and it was to them that the good news of peace was brought by Jesus Christ – but Jesus Christ is Lord of all peoples. You must have heard about the recent happenings in Judaea; about Jesus of Nazareth and how he began in Galilee, after John had been preaching baptism. God had anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power, because God was with him, Jesus went about doing good and curing all who had fallen into the power of the devil. Now I, and those with me, can witness to everything he did throughout the countryside of Judaea and in Jerusalem itself: and also to the fact that they killed him by hanging him on a tree, yet three days afterwards God raised him to life and allowed him to be seen, not by the whole people but only by certain witnesses God had chosen beforehand. Now we are those witnesses – we have eaten and drunk with him after his resurrection from the dead – and he has ordered us to proclaim this to his people and to tell them that God has appointed him to judge everyone alive or dead. It is to him that all the prophets bear this witness: that all who believe in Jesus will have their sins forgiven through his name.
The word of the Lord.
ALL: Thanks be to God.
(or shorter version)
Reader: A reading from the Acts of the Apostles (10:34-36. 42-43)
Peter addressed Cornelius and his household:
‘The truth I have now come to realise,’ he said, ‘is that God does not have favourites, but that anybody of any nationality who fears God and does what is right is acceptable to him.’
‘It is true, God sent his word to the people of Israel, and it was to them that the good news of peace was brought by Jesus Christ – but Jesus Christ is Lord of all peoples, and he has ordered us to proclaim this to his people and to tell them that God has appointed him to judge everyone, alive or dead. It is to him that all the prophets bear this witness: that all who believe in Jesus will have their sins forgiven through his name.’
The word of the Lord.
ALL: Thanks be to God.
B.
Reader: A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Romans (5:5-11)
Hope is not deceptive, because the love of God has been poured into our hearts by the Holy SPirit, which has been given us. We were still helpless when at his appointed moment Christ died for sinful people. It is not easy to die even for a good person – though of course for someone really worthy, one might be prepared to die – but what proves that God loves us is that Christ died for us while we were still sinners. Having died to make us righteous, is it likely that he would now fail to save us from God’s anger? When we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, we were still enemies; now that we have been reconciled, surely we may count on being saved by the life of his Son? Not merely because we have been reconciled but because we are filled with joyful trust in God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have already gained our reconciliation.
The word of the Lord.
ALL: Thanks be to God.
C.
Reader: A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Romans (5:17-21)
If it is certain that death reigned over everyone as the consequence of one person’s fall, it is even more certain that one person, Jesus Christ, will cause everyone to reign in life who receives the free gift that he does not deserve, of being made righteous. Again, as one person’s fall brought condemnation on everyone, so the good act of one person brings everyone life and makes them justified. As by one person’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by one person’s obedience many will be made righteous. When law came, it was to multiply the opportunities of falling, but however great the number of sins committed, grace was even greater; and so, just as sin reigned wherever there was death, so grace will reign to bring eternal life thanks to the righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ our Lord.
The word of the Lord.
ALL: Thanks be to God.
D.
Reader: A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Romans (6:3-9)
When we were baptised in Christ Jesus we were baptised in his death; in other words, when we were baptised we went into the tomb with him and joined him in death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the Father’s glory, we too might live a new life.
If in union with Christ we have imitated his death, we shall also imitate him in his resurrection. We must realise that our former selves have been crucified with him to destroy this sinful body and to free us from the slavery of sin. When a we die, of course, we have finished with sin.
But we believe that having died with Christ we shall return to life with him: Christ, as we know, having been raised from the dead will never die again. Death has no power over him any more.
The word of the Lord.
ALL: Thanks be to God.
(or shorter version)
Reader: A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Romans (6:3-9)
You have been taught that when we were baptised in Christ Jesus we were baptised in his death; in other words, when we were baptised we went into the tomb with him and joined him in death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the Father’s glory, we too might live a new life.
But we believe that having died with Christ we shall return to life with him: Christ, as we know, having been raised from the dead will never die again. Death has no power over him any more.
The word of the Lord.
ALL: Thanks be to God.
E.
Reader: A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Romans (8:14-23)
Everyone moved by the Spirit is a Child of God. The spirit you received is not the spirit of slaves bringing fear into your lives again; it is the spirit of children, and it makes us cry out, ‘Abba, Father!’ The Spirit himself and our spirit bear united witness that we are children of God. And is we are children we are heirs as well: heirs of God and coheirs with Christ, sharing his sufferings so as to share his glory.
I think that what we suffer in this life can never be compared to the glory, as yet unrevealed, which is waiting for us. The whole creation is eagerly waiting for God to reveal his children. It was not for any fault on the part of creation that it was made unable to attain its purpose, it was made so by God; but creation still retains hope of being freed, like us, from its slavery to decadence, to enjoy the same freedom and glory as the children of God. From the beginning till now the entire creation, as we know, has been groaning in one great act of giving birth; and not only creation, but all of us who possess the first-fruits of the Spirit, we too groan inwardly as we wait for our bodies to be set free.
The word of the Lord.
ALL: Thanks be to God.
F.
Reader: A reading from the letter of Paul to the Romans (8:31b-35. 37-39)
With God on our side who can be against us? Since God did not spare his own Son, but gave him up to benefit us all, we may be certain, after such a gift, that he will not refuse anything he can give. Could anyone accuse those that God has chosen? When God acquits, could anyone condemn? Could Christ Jesus? No! He not only died for us – he rose form the dead, and there at God’s right hand he stands and pleads for us.
Nothing therefore can come between us and the love of Christ, even if we are troubled or worried, or being persecuted, or lacking food or clothes, or being threatened or even attacked. These are the trials through which we triumph, by the power of him who loved us.
For I am certain of this: neither death nor life, no angel, no prince, nothing that exists, nothing still to come, not any power, or height or depth, nor any created thing, can ever come between us and the love of God made visible in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The word of the Lord.
ALL: Thanks be to God.
G.
Reader: A reading from the letter of Paul to the Romans (14:7-12)
The life and death of each of us has its influence on others; if we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord, so that alive or dead we belong to the Lord. This explains why Christ both died and came to life, it was so that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. We shall all have to stand before the judgement seat of God; as Scripture says: By my life – it is the Lord who speaks – every knee shall bend before me, and every tongue shall praise God. It is to God, therefore, that each of us must give account of oneself.
The word of the Lord.
ALL: Thanks be to God.
H.
Reader: A reading from the first letter of St Paul to the Corinthians (15:20-28)
Christ has been raised from the dead, the first-fruits of all who have fallen asleep. Death came through one person and in the same way the resurrection of the dead has come through one person. Just as all die in Adam, so all will be brought to life in Christ; but all of them in their proper order; Christ as the first-fruits and then, after the coming of Christ, those who belong to him. After that will come the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father. For he must be king until he has put all his enemies under his feet and the last of the enemies to be destroyed is death, for everything is to be put under his feet. Though when it is said that everything is subjected, this clearly cannot include the One who subjected everything to him. And when everything is subjected to him, then the Son himself will be subject in his turn to the One who subjected all things to him, so that God may be all in all.
The word of the Lord.
ALL: Thanks be to God.
(or shorter version)
Reader: A reading from the first letter of St Paul to the Corinthians (15:20-23)
Christ has been raised from the dead, the first-fruits of all who have fallen asleep. Death came through one person and in the same way the resurrection of the dead has come through one person. Just as all die in Adam, so all will be brought to life in Christ; but all of them in their proper order: Christ as the first-fruits and then, after the coming of Christ, those who belong to him.
The word of the Lord.
ALL: Thanks be to God.
I.
Reader: A reading from the first letter of St Paul to the Corinthians (15:51-57)
I will tell you something that has been secret: that we are not all going to die, but we shall all be changed. This will be instantaneous, in the twinkling of an eye, when the last trumpet sounds. It will sound, and the dead will be raised, imperishable, and we shall be changed as well, because our present perishable nature must put on imperishability and this mortal nature must put on immortality.
When this perishable nature has put on imperishability, and when this mortal nature has put on immortality, then the words of Scripture will come true: Death is swallowed up in victory. Death, where is your victory? Death, where is your sting? Now the sting of death is sin, and sin gets its power from the Law. So let us thank God for giving us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
The word of the Lord.
ALL: Thanks be to God.
J.
Reader: A reading from the second letter of Paul to the Corinthians (4:14 – 5:1)
We know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus to life will raise us with Jesus in our turn, and put us by his side and you with us. You see, all this is for you benefit, so that the more grace is multiplied among people, the more thanksgiving there will be, to the glory of God.
That is why there is no weakening on our part, and instead, though this outer human form of ours may be falling into decay, the inner person is renewed day by day. Yes, the troubles which are soon over, though they weigh little, train us for the carrying of a weight of eternal glory which is out of all proportion to them. And so we have no eyes for things that are visible, but only for things that are invisible; for visible things last only for a time, and the invisible things are eternal.
For we know that when the tent that we live in on earth is folded up, there is a house built by God for us, an everlasting home not made by human hands, in heavens.
The word of the Lord.
ALL: Thanks be to God.
K.
Reader: A reading from the second letter of Paul to the Corinthians (5:1. 6-10)
We know that when the tent that we live in on earth is folded up, there is a house built by God for us, an everlasting home not made by human hands, in the heavens.
We are always full of confidence, then, when we remember that to live in the body means to be exiled from the Lord, going as we do by faith and not by sight – we are full of confidence, I say, and actually want to be exiled from the body and make our home with the Lord. Whether we are living in the body or exiled from it, we are intent on pleasing him. For all the truth about us will be brought out in the law court of Christ, and each of us will get what we deserve for the things we did in the body, good or bad.
The word of the Lord.
ALL: Thanks be to God.
L.
Reader: A reading from the first letter of St Paul to the Philippians (3:20-21)
For us, our homeland is in heaven, and from heaven comes the saviour we are waiting for, the Lord Jesus Christ, and he will transfigure these wretched bodies of ours into copies of his glorious body. He will do that by the same power with which he can subdue the whole universe.
The word of the Lord.
ALL: Thanks be to God.
M.
Reader: A reading from the first letter of St Paul to the Thessalonians (4:13-18)
We want you to be quite certain, brothers, about those who have died, to make sure that you do not grieve about them, like the other people who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again, and that it will be the same for those who have died in Jesus: God will bring them with him. We can tell you this from the Lord’s own teaching, that any of us who are left alive until the Lord’s coming will not have any advantage over those who have died. At the trumpet of God, the voice of the archangel will call out the command and the Lord himself will come down from heaven; those who have died in Christ will be the first to rise, and then those of us who are still alive will be taken up in the clouds, together with them, to meet the Lord in the air. So we shall stay with the Lord for ever. With such thoughts as these you should comfort one another.
The word of the Lord.
ALL: Thanks be to God.
N.
Reader: A reading from the second letter of St Paul to Timothy (2:8-13)
Remember the Good News that I carry, ‘Jesus Christ risen from the dead, sprung from the race of David’; it is on account of this that I have my own hardships to bear, even to being chained like a criminal – but they cannot chain up God’s news. So I bear it all for the sake of those who are chosen so that in the end they may have the salvation that is in Christ Jesus and the eternal glory that comes with it.
Here is a saying that you can rely on:
If we have died with him, then we shall live with him.
If we hold firm, then we shall reign with him.
If we disown him, then he will disown us.
We may be unfaithful, but he is always faithful,
For he cannot disown his own self.
The word of the Lord.
ALL: Thanks be to God.
O.
Reader: A reading from the second letter of Paul to Timothy (4:6-11)
As for me, my life is already being poured away as an offering, and the time has come for me to depart.
I have fought the good fight to the end; I have run the race to the finish; I have kept the faith; all there is to come for me now is the crown of uprightness which the Lord, the upright judge, will give to me on that Day; and not only to me but to all those who have longed for his appearing.
The word of the Lord.
ALL: Thanks be to God.
P.
Reader: A reading from the first letter of St John (3:1-2)
Think of the love that the Father has lavished on us, by letting us be called God’s children; and that is what we are. Because the world refused to acknowledge him, therefore it does not acknowledge us. My dear people, we are already the children of God but what we are to be in the future has not yet been revealed; all we know is, that when it is revealed we shall be like him because we shall see him as he really is.
The word of the Lord.
ALL: Thanks be to God.
Q.
Reader: A reading from the first letter of St John (3:14-16)
We have passed out of death and into life, and of this we can be sure because we love our brothers and sisters. If you refuse to love, you must remain dead; to hate your brother or sister is to be a murderer, and murderers, as you know, do not have eternal life in them. This has taught us love – that he gave up his life for us; and we, too, ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters.
The word of the Lord.
ALL: Thanks be to God.
8. Gospel Acclamation
(during the time of Lent, ‘Alleluia’ is replaced by the verse ‘Glory and praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ!’)
9. Gospel Reading
(Please stand)
(please choose one gospel acclamation and one gospel reading from the selection given below)A. Matthew 5:1-12
ALL: Alleluia, alleluia!
Come, you whom my Father has blessed, says the Lord;
inherit the kingdom prepared for you since the foundation of the world.
Alleluia!
Priest: The Lord be with you.
ALL: And with your spirit.
Priest: A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew
ALL: Glory to you Lord.
Priest: Seeing the crowds, Jesus went up the hill. There he sat down and was joined by his disciples. Then he began to speak. This is what he taught them:
‘How happy are the poor in spirit;
theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Happy the gentle:
they shall have the earth for their heritage.
Happy those who mourn:
they shall be comforted.
Happy those who hunger and thirst for what is right:
they shall be satisfied.
Happy the merciful:
they shall have mercy shown them.
Happy the pure in heart:
they shall see God.
Happy the peacemakers:
they shall be called children of God.
Happy those who are persecuted in the cause of right:
theirs is the kingdom of heaven.’
‘Happy are you when people abuse you and persecute you ad speak all kinds of calumny against you on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.’
The Gospel of the Lord.
ALL: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
B. Matthew 11:25-30
ALL: Alleluia, alleluia!
Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth;
you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the kingdom.
Alleluia!
Priest: The Lord be with you.
ALL: And with your spirit.
Priest: A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew
ALL: Glory to you Lord.
Priest: Jesus exclaimed, ‘I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to mere children. Yes, Father, for that is what it pleased you to do. Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, just as no one Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
‘Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden light.’
The Gospel of the Lord.
ALL: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
C. Matthew 25:1-13
ALL: Alleluia, alleluia!
Our true home is in heaven, and Jesus Christ, whose return we long for,
will come from heaven to save us.
Alleluia!
Priest: The Lord be with you.
ALL: And with your spirit.
Priest: A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew
ALL: Glory to you Lord.
Priest: Jesus spoke this parable to his disciples:
‘Then the kingdom of Heaven will be like this: Ten wedding attendants took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were sensible: the foolish ones, though they took their lamps, took no oil with them, whereas the sensible ones took flasks of oil as well as their lamps. The bridegroom was late, and they all grew drowsy and fell asleep. But at midnight there was a cry, “Look! The bridegroom! Go out and meet him.” Then all those wedding attendants woke up and trimmed their lamps, and the foolish ones said to the sensible ones, “Give us some of your oil: our lamps are going out.” But they replied, “There may not be enough for us and for you; you had better go to those who sell it and buy some for yourselves.” They had gone off to buy it when the bridegroom arrived. Those who were ready went in with him to the wedding hall and the door was closed. The other attendants arrived later. “Lord, Lord,” they said, “open the door for us.” But he replied, “In truth I tell you, I do not know you.” So stay awake, because you do not know either the day or the hour.
The Gospel of the Lord.
ALL: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
D. Matthew 25:31-46
ALL: Alleluia, alleluia!
Come, you whom my Father has blessed, says the Lord;
inherit the kingdom prepared for you since the foundation of the world.
Alleluia!
Priest: The Lord be with you.
ALL: And with your spirit.
Priest: A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew
ALL: Glory to you Lord.
Priest: Jesus said to his disciples: ‘When the Son of man comes in his glory, escorted by all the angels, then he will take his seat on his throne of glory. All nations will be assembled before him and he will separate people one from another as the shepherd separates sheep from goats. He will place the sheep on his right hand and the goats on his left. Then the King will say to those on his right hand, “Come, you whom my Father has blessed, take as your heritage the kingdom prepared for you since the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you made me welcome, lacking clothes and you clothed me, sick and you visited me, in prison and you came to see me.” Then the upright will say to him in reply, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and make you welcome, lacking clothes and clothe you? When did we find you sick or in prison and go to see you?” And the King will answer, “In truth I tell you, in so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me.” Then he will say to those on his left hand, “Go away from me, with your curse upon you, to the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you never gave me food, I was thirsty and you never gave me anything to drink, I was a stranger and you never made me welcome, lacking clothes and you never clothed me, sick and in prison and you never visited me.” Then it will be their turn to ask, “Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty, a stranger or lacking clothes, sick or in prison, and did not come to your help?” Then he will answer, “In truth I tell you, in so far as you neglected to do this to one of the least of these, you neglected to do it to me.” And they will go away to eternal punishment, and the upright to eternal life.’
The Gospel of the Lord.
ALL: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
E. Mark 15:33-39
ALL: Alleluia, alleluia!
If we die with Christ, we shall live with him,
and if we are faithful to the end, we shall reign with him.
Alleluia!
Priest: The Lord be with you.
ALL: And with your spirit.
Priest: A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Mark
ALL: Glory to you Lord.
Priest: When the sixth hour came there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘Eloi, eloi, lama sabachthani?’ which means, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ When some of those who stood by heard this, they said, ‘Listen, he is calling on Elijah.’ Someone ran and soaked a sponge in vinegar and, putting it on a reed, gave it to him to drink saying, ‘Wait! And see if Elijah will come to take him down.’ But Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last. And the veil of the Sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom. The centurion, who was standing in front of him, had seen how he had died, and he said, ‘In truth this man was Son of God.’
When the Sabbath was over, Mary of Magdala, Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices with which to go and anoint him. And very early in the morning on the first day of the week they went to the tomb when the sun had risen. They had been saying to one another, ‘Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?’ But when they looked they saw that the stone – which was very big – had already been rolled back. On entering the tomb they saw a young man in a white robe seated on the right-hand side, and they were struck with amazement. But he said to them, ‘There is no need to be so amazed. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified: he has risen, he is not here. See, here is the place where they laid him.’
The Gospel of the Lord.
ALL: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
(or shorter version)
Priest: A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Mark
ALL: Glory to you Lord.
Priest: When the sixth hour came there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘Eloi, eloi, lama sabachthani?’ which means, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ When some of those who stood by heard this, they said, ‘Listen, he is calling on Elijah.’ Someone ran and soaked a sponge in vinegar and, putting it on a reed, gave it to him to drink saying, ‘Wait! And see if Elijah will come to take him down.’ But Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last. And the veil of the Sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom. The centurion, who was standing in front of him, had seen how he had died, and he said, ‘In truth this man was Son of God.’
The Gospel of the Lord.
ALL: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
F. Luke 7:11-17
ALL: Alleluia, alleluia!
I am the resurrection and the life, said the Lord:
whoever believes in me will not die for ever.
Alleluia!
Priest: The Lord be with you.
ALL: And with your spirit.
Priest: A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke
ALL: Glory to you Lord.
Priest: Jesus went to a town called Nain, accompanied by his disciples and a great number of people. When he was near the gate of the town it happened that as dead man was being carried out for a burial, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a considerable number of the townspeople were with her. When the Lord saw her he felt sorry for her. ‘Do not cry,’ he said. Then he went up and put his hand on the bier and the bearers stood still, and he said, ‘Young man, I tell you to get up’. And the dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him to his mother. Everyone was filled with awe and praised God saying, ‘A great prophet has appeared among us; God has visited his people’. And this opinion of him spread throughout Judaea and all over the countryside.
The Gospel of the Lord.
ALL: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
G. Luke 12:35-40
ALL: Alleluia, alleluia!
Our true home is in heaven, and Jesus Christ, whose return we long for,
will come from heaven to save us.
Alleluia!
Priest: The Lord be with you.
ALL: And with your spirit.
Priest: A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke
ALL: Glory to you Lord.
Priest: Jesus said to his disciples: ‘See that you have your belts done up and your lamps lit. Be like people waiting for their master to return from the wedding feast, ready to open the door as soon as he comes and knocks. Blessed those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. In truth I tell you, he will do up his belt, sit them down at table and wait on them. It may be in the second watch that he comes, or in the third, but blessed are those servants if he finds them ready. You may be quite sure of this, that if the householder had known at what time the burglar would come, he would not have let anyone break through the wall of his house. You too must stand ready, because the Son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect.’
The Gospel of the Lord.
ALL: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
H. Luke 23:33. 39-43
ALL: Alleluia, alleluia!
Happy are those who have died in the Lord;
let them rest from their labours for their good deeds go with them.
Alleluia!
Priest: The Lord be with you.
ALL: And with your spirit.
Priest: A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke
ALL: Glory to you Lord.
Priest: When the soldiers reached the place called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there and the two criminals also, one on the right, the other on the left.
One of the criminals hanging there abused him. ‘Are you not the Christ?’ he said. ‘Save yourself and us as well.’ But the other spoke up and rebuked him. ‘Have you no fear of God at all?’ he said. ‘You got the same sentence as he did, but in our case we deserved it: we are paying for what we did. But this man has done nothing wrong. Jesus,’ he said, ‘remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ ‘Indeed, I promise you,’ he replied, ‘today you will be with me in paradise.’
The Gospel of the Lord.
ALL: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
I. Luke 23:44-46. 50
ALL: Alleluia, alleluia!
Jesus Christ is the first born from the dead;
Glory and kingship be his for ever and ever. Amen.
Alleluia!
Priest: The Lord be with you.
ALL: And with your spirit.
Priest: A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke
ALL: Glory to you Lord.
Priest: It was now about the sixth hour and the sun’s light failed, so that darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. The veil of the Sanctuary was torn right down the middle. Jesus cried out in a loud voice saying, ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.’ With these words he breathed his last.
Then a member of the Council arrived, a good and upright man named Joseph. This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. He then took it down, wrapped it in a shroud and put it in a tomb which was hewn in stone and which had never held a body.
On the first day of the week, at the first sign of dawn, they went to the tomb with the spices they had prepared. They found that the stone had been rolled away from the tomb, but on entering they could not find the body of the Lord Jesus. As they stood there puzzled about this, two men in brilliant clothes suddenly appeared at their side. Terrified, the women bowed their heads to the ground. But the two said to them, ‘Why look among the dead for someone who is alive? He is not here; he has risen.
The Gospel of the Lord.
ALL: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
(or shorter version)
Priest: A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke
ALL: Glory to you Lord.
Priest: It was now about the sixth hour and the sun’s light failed, so that darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. The veil of the Sanctuary was torn right down the middle. Jesus cried out in a loud voice saying, ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.’ With these words he breathed his last.
Then a member of the Council arrived, a good and upright man named Joseph. This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. He then took it down, wrapped it in a shroud and put it in a tomb which was hewn in stone and which had never held a body.
The Gospel of the Lord.
ALL: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
J. Luke 24:13-35
ALL: Alleluia, alleluia!
God loved the world so much, he gave us his only Son,
that all who believe in him might have eternal life.
Alleluia!
Priest: The Lord be with you.
ALL: And with your spirit.
Priest: A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke
ALL: Glory to you Lord.
Priest: Now that very same day, two of them were on their way to a village called Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were talking together about all that had happened. And it happened that as they were talking together and discussing it, Jesus himself came up and walked by their side; but their eyes were prevented from recognising him. He said to them, ‘What are all these things that you are discussing as you walk along?’ They stopped, their faces downcast.
Then one of them, called Cleopas, answered him, ‘You must be the only person staying in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have been happening there these last few days.’ He asked, ‘What things?’ They answered, ‘All about Jesus of Nazareth, who showed himself a prophet powerful in action and speech before God and the whole people; and how our chief priests and our leaders handed him over to be sentenced to death, and had him crucified. Our own hope had been that he would be the one to set Israel free. And this is not all: two whole days have now gone by since it all happened; and some women from our group have astounded us: they went to the tomb in the early morning, and when they could not find the body, they came back to tell us they had seen a vision of angels who declared he was alive. Some of our friends went to the tomb and found everything exactly as the women had reported, but of him they saw nothing.’
Then he said to them, ‘You fools! So slow to believe all that the prophets have said! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer before entering into his glory?’ Then, starting with Moses and going through all the prophets, he explained to them the passages throughout the Scriptures that were about himself.
When they drew near to the village to which they were going, he made as if to go on; but they pressed him to stay with them saying, ‘It is nearly evening, and the day is almost over.’ So he went in to stay with them. Now while he was with them at table, he took the bread and said the blessing; then he broke it and handed it to them. And their eyes were opened and they recognised him; but he had vanished from their sight. Then they said to each other, ‘Did not our hearts burn within us as he talked to us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?’
They set out that instant and returned to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven assembled together with their companions, who said to them, ‘The Lord has indeed risen and has appeared to Simon.’ Then they told their story of what had happened on the road and how they had recognised him at the breaking of bread.
The Gospel of the Lord.
ALL: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
(or shorter version)
Priest: A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke
ALL: Glory to you Lord.
Priest: On the first day of the week, two of the disciples were on their way to a village called Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were talking together about all that had happened. And it happened that as they were talking together and discussing it, Jesus himself came up and walked by their side; but their eyes were prevented from recognising him.
When they drew near to the village to which they were going, he made as if to go on; but they pressed him to stay with them saying, ‘It is nearly evening, and the day is almost over.’ So he went in to stay with them. Now while he was with them at table, he took the bread and said the blessing; then he broke it and handed it to them. And their eyes were opened and they recognised him; but he had vanished from their sight. Then they said to each other, ‘Did not our hearts burn within us as he talked to us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?’
They set out that instant and returned to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven assembled together with their companions, who said to them, ‘The Lord has indeed risen and has appeared to Simon.’ Then they told their story of what had happened on the road and how they had recognised him at the breaking of bread.
The Gospel of the Lord.
ALL: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
K. John 5:24-29
ALL: Alleluia, alleluia!
Come, you whom my Father has blessed, says the Lord;
Inherit the kingdom prepared for you since the foundation of the world.
Alleluia!
Priest: The Lord be with you.
ALL: And with your spirit.
Priest: A reading from the Holy Gospel according to John
ALL: Glory to you Lord.
Priest: Jesus said to the Jews:
I tell you most solemnly, whoever listens to my words, and believes in the one who sent me, has eternal life; without being brought to judgement he has passed from death to life. I tell you most solemnly, the hour will come – in fact it is here already – when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and all who hear it will live. For the Father, who is the source of life, has made the Son the source of life; and, because he is the Son of Man, has appointed him supreme judge. Do not be surprised at this, for the hour is coming when the dead will leave their graves at the sound of his voice; those who did good will rise again to life; and those who did evil, to condemnation. I can do nothing by myself; I can only judge as I am told to judge, and my judging is just, because my aim is to do not my own will, but the will of him who sent me.
The Gospel of the Lord.
ALL: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
L. John 6:37-40
ALL: Alleluia, alleluia!
This is the will of my Father, says the Lord,
that I should lose nothing of all that he has given to me,
and that I should raise it up on the last day.
Alleluia!
Priest: The Lord be with you.
ALL: And with your spirit.
Priest: A reading from the Holy Gospel according to John
ALL: Glory to you Lord.
Priest: Jesus said to the crowd:
‘All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I shall not turn him away; because I have come from heaven, not to do my own will, but to do the will of the one who sent me. Now the will of the one who sent me is that I should lose nothing of all that he has given to me, and that I should raise it up on the last day.
Yes, it is my Father’s will that whoever sees the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and that I shall raise him up on the last day.’
The Gospel of the Lord.
ALL: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
M. John 6:51-58
ALL: Alleluia, alleluia!
I am the living bread from heaven, says the Lord;
Whoever eats this bread will live for ever.
Alleluia!
Priest: The Lord be with you.
ALL: And with your spirit.
Priest: A reading from the Holy Gospel according to John
ALL: Glory to you Lord.
Priest: Jesus said to the crowd:
I am the living bread which has come down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live for ever; and the bread that I shall give is my flesh, for the life of the world.’
Then the Jews started arguing among themselves, ‘How can this man give us his flesh to eat?’
Jesus replied to them: In all truth I tell you, if you do not eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.
Anyone who does eat my flesh and drink my blood has eternal life, and I shall raise that person up on the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink.
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me and I live in that person.
As the living Father sent me and I draw life from the Father, so whoever eats me will also draw life from me.
This is the bread which has come down from heaven; it is not like the bread our ancestors ate: they are dead, but anyone who eats this bread will live for ever.
The Gospel of the Lord.
ALL: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
N. John 11:17-27
ALL: Alleluia, alleluia!
I am the resurrection and the life, said the Lord;
whoever believes in me will not die for ever.
Alleluia!
Priest: The Lord be with you.
ALL: And with your spirit.
Priest: A reading from the Holy Gospel according to John
ALL: Glory to you Lord.
Priest: On arriving at Bethany, Jesus found that Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days already. Bethany is only about two miles from Jerusalem, and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them about their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming she went to meet him. Mary remained sitting in the house. Martha said to Jesus, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died, but even now I know that God will grant whatever you ask of him.’
Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother will rise again.’ Martha said, ‘I know he will rise again at the resurrection on the last day.’
Jesus said: I am the resurrection. Anyone who believes in me, even though that person dies, will live, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this? ‘Yes, Lord,’ she said, ‘I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who was to come into this world.’
The Gospel of the Lord.
ALL: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
(or shorter version)
Priest: A reading from the Holy Gospel according to John
ALL: Glory to you Lord.
Priest: Martha said to Jesus, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died, but even now I know that God will grant whatever you ask of him.’
Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother will rise again.’ Martha said, ‘I know he will rise again at the resurrection on the last day.’
Jesus said: I am the resurrection. Anyone who believes in me, even though that person dies, will live, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this? ‘Yes, Lord,’ she said, ‘I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who was to come into this world.’
The Gospel of the Lord.
ALL: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
O. John 11:32.45
ALL: Alleluia, alleluia!
God loved the world so much, he gave us his only Son,
that all who believed in him might have eternal life.
Alleluia!
Priest: The Lord be with you.
ALL: And with your spirit.
Priest: A reading from the Holy Gospel according to John
ALL: Glory to you Lord.
Priest: Mary went to Jesus, and as soon as she saw him she threw herself at his feet, saying, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.’ At the sight of her tears, and those of the Jews who had come with her, Jesus was greatly distressed, and with a profound sigh he said, ‘Where have you put him?’ They said, ‘Lord, come and see.’ Jesus wept; and the Jews said, ‘See how much he loved him!’ But there were some who remarked, ‘He opened the eyes of the blind man. Could he not have prevented this man’s death?’ Sighing again, Jesus reached the tomb: it was a cave with a stone to close the opening. Jesus said, ‘Take the stone away.’ Martha, the dead man’s sister, said to him, ‘Lord, by now he will smell; this is the fourth day since he died.’ Jesus replied, ‘Have I not told you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?’ So they took the stone away.
Then Jesus lifted up his eyes and said: Father, I thank you for hearing my prayer. I myself knew that you hear me always, but I speak for the sake of all these who are standing around me, so that they may believe it was you who sent me.
When he had said this, he cried in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’ The dead man came out, his feet and hands bound with strips of material, and a cloth over his face. Jesus said to them, ‘Unbind him, let him go free.’
Many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what he did, believed in him.
The Gospel of the Lord.
ALL: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
P. John 12:23-28
ALL: Alleluia, alleluia!
Happy are those who have died in the Lord;
let them rest from their labours for their good deeds go with them.
Alleluia!
Priest: The Lord be with you.
ALL: And with your spirit.
Priest: A reading from the Holy Gospel according to John
ALL: Glory to you Lord.
Priest: Jesus said to his disciples: Now the hour has come for the Son of man to be glorified. In all truth I tell you, unless a wheat grain falls into the earth and dies, it remains only a single grain; but if it dies it yields a rich harvest.
Any who love their life lose it; any who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me, must follow me, and my servant will be with me wherever I am. If anypeople serve me, my Father will honour them.
Now my soul is troubled. What shall I say: Father, save me from this hour? But it is for this very reason that I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name!
A voice came from heaven, ‘I have glorified it, and I will again glorify it.’
The Gospel of the Lord.
ALL: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
(or shorter version)
Priest: A reading from the Holy Gospel according to John
ALL: Glory to you Lord.
Priest: Jesus said to his disciples: Now the hour has come for the Son of man to be glorified. In all truth I tell you, unless a wheat grain falls into the earth and dies, it remains only a single grain; but if it dies it yields a rich harvest.
Any who love their life lose it; any who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me, must follow me, and my servant will be with me wherever I am. If anypeople serve me, my Father will honour them.
The Gospel of the Lord.
ALL: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Q. John 14:1-6
ALL: Alleluia, alleluia!
This is the will of my Father, says the Lord
that all who believe in the Son will have eternal life
and that I will raise them to life again on the last day.
Alleluia!
Priest: The Lord be with you.
ALL: And with your spirit.
Priest: A reading from the Holy Gospel according to John
ALL: Glory to you Lord.
Priest: Jesus said to his disciples:
Do not let your hearts be troubled. You trust in God, trust also in me. In my Father’s house there are many places to live in; otherwise I would have told you. I am going now to prepare a place for you, and after I have gone and prepared you a place, I shall return to take you to myself, so that you may be with me where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.
Thomas said, ‘Lord, we do not know where you are going, so how can we know the way?’
Jesus said: I am the Way; I am Truth and Life. No one can come to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father too. From this moment you know him and have seen him.
The Gospel of the Lord.
ALL: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
R. John 17:24-26
ALL: Alleluia, alleluia!
This is the will of my Father, says the Lord,
that I should lose nothing of all that he has given to me,
and that I should raise it up on the last day.
Alleluia!
Priest: The Lord be with you.
ALL: And with your spirit.
Priest: A reading from the Holy Gospel according to John
ALL: Glory to you Lord.
Priest: Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and said:
‘Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, so that they may always see the glory you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.
Father, Righteous One, the world has not known you, but I have known you, and these have known that you have sent me.
I have made your name known to them and will continue to make it known so that the love with which you loved me may be in them, and so that I may be in them.’
The Gospel of the Lord.
ALL: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
S. John 19:17-18
ALL: Alleluia, alleluia!
This is the will of my Father, says the Lord,
that I should lose nothing of all that he has given to me,
and that I should raise it up on the last day.
Alleluia!
Priest: The Lord be with you.
ALL: And with your spirit.
Priest: A reading from the Holy Gospel according to John
ALL: Glory to you Lord.
Priest: Carrying his own cross, Jesus went out to the Place of the Skull or, as it is called in Hebrew, Golgotha, where they crucified him with two others, one on either side, Jesus being in the middle.
Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. Seeing his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing near her, Jesus said to his mother, ‘Woman, this is your son.’ Then to the disciple he said, ‘This is your mother.’ And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.
After this, Jesus knew that everything had now been completed and, so that the Scripture should be completely fulfilled, he said: I am thirsty. A jar full of sour wine stood there; so, putting a sponge soaked in the wine on a hyssop stick, they held it up to his mouth. After Jesus had taken the wine he said, ‘It is fulfilled’; and bowing his head he gave up his spirit.
It was the Day of Preparation, and to avoid the bodies’ remaining on the cross during the Sabbath – since that Sabbath was a day of special solemnity – the Jews asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken away. Consequently the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with him and then of the other. When they came to Jesus, they saw he was already dead, and so instead of breaking his legs one of the soldiers pierced his side with a lance; and immediately there came out blood and water. This is the evidence of one who saw it-true evidence, and he knows that what he says is true – and he gives it so that you may believe as well. Because all this happened to fulfil the words of Scripture: Not one bone of his will be broken; and again, in another place Scripture says: They will look to the one whom they have pierced.
After this, Joseph of Arimathaea, who was a disciple of Jesus – though a secret one because he was afraid of the Jews – asked Pilate to let him remove the body of Jesus. Pilate gave permission, so they came and took it away. Nicodemus came as well – the same one who had first come to Jesus at night-time – and he brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about a hundred pounds.
The Gospel of the Lord.
ALL: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
(or shorter version)
Priest: A reading from the Holy Gospel according to John
ALL: Glory to you Lord.
Priest: Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. Seeing his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing near her, Jesus said to his mother, ‘Woman, this is your son.’ Then to the disciple he said, ‘This is your mother.’ And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.
The Gospel of the Lord.
ALL: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
(Please be seated)
(10. If not shared earlier, the reflection about the person may be done at this point.)
11. Homily.
(Please stand)
12. Prayers of the faithful.
Priest: Let us come to our loving Father, asking him to give eternal rest to NN and comfort and hope to the living.
(prayers to be read by the reader; please choose four of the following prayers)
A.
Reader: For (the family of NN) as they mourn the loss of NN, may they be strengthened by the love they shared.
We pray to the Lord.
ALL: Lord, hear our prayer.
B.
Reader: For the gift of life and love given to us by NN, we give thanks and ask that you grant him/her eternal peace.
We pray to the Lord.
ALL: Lord, hear our prayer.
C.
Reader: We thank our Lord for our memories of NN. May his/her, love, courage and faith remain an inspiration to his/her family and friends.
We pray to the Lord.
ALL: Lord, hear our prayer.
D.
Reader: You washed NN with the waters of Baptism, you anointed him/her with the oil of the Holy Spirit; give him/her now a place among your saints and chosen ones.
We pray to the Lord.
ALL: Lord, hear our prayer.
E.
Reader: NN was nourished at the table of the Saviour. Welcome him/her into the halls of the heavenly banquet.
We pray to the Lord.
ALL: Lord, hear our prayer.
F.
Reader: For all deceased relatives and friends, may they share an everlasting home with our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
We pray to the Lord.
ALL: Lord, hear our prayer.
G.
Reader: Heal the pain of all those who grieve for NN. Let us remember those things we loved about him/her and thank God for his/her presence in our lives.
We pray to the Lord.
ALL: Lord, hear our prayer.
Priest: Compassionate and loving God, hear the prayers of all who mourn the death of …, and be with them in the hour of need. We make this and all our prayers through Christ our Lord.
ALL: AMEN
(Please be seated)
13. Offertory Hymn.
Preparation of the gifts: (gifts to be presented by family members)
14. Prayer over the gifts:
(Choose from one of the following prayers.)
(Please stand)
Priest:
A. (Outside Easter Time.)
As we humbly present to you these sacrificial offerings, O Lord, for the salvation of your servant NN, we beseech your mercy, that he/she, who did not doubt your Son to be a loving Saviour, may find in him a merciful Judge.
Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
ALL: AMEN.
B. (Outside Easter Time.)
Be near, O Lord, we pray, to your servant NN, on whose funeral day we offer you this sacrifice of conciliation, so that, should any stain of sin have clung to him/her or any human fault have affected him/her, it may, by your loving gift, be forgiven and wiped away.
Through Christ our Lord.
ALL: AMEN.
C. (During Easter Time.)
Look favourably on our offerings, O Lord, so that your departed servant NN may be taken up into glory with your Son, in whose great mystery of love we are all united.
Through Christ our Lord.
ALL: AMEN.
D. (During Easter Time.)
Almighty and merciful God, by means of these sacrifical offerings, wash away, we pray, in the Blood of Christ,
the sins of your departed servant NN, and purify unceasingly by your merciful forgiveness those you once cleansed in the waters of Baptism.
Through Christ our Lord.
ALL: AMEN.
15. Preface
Priest: The Lord be with you.
ALL: And with your spirit.
Priest: Lift up your hearts.
ALL: We lift them up to the Lord.
Priest: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
ALL: It is right and just.
Priest:
It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation, always and everywhere to give you thanks, Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God, through Christ our Lord.
In him the hope of blessed resurrection has dawned, that those saddened by the certainty of dying might be consoled by the promise of immortality to come.
Indeed for your faithful, Lord, life is changed not ended, and, when this earthly dwelling turns to dust, an eternal dwelling is made ready for them in heaven.
And so, with Angels and Archangels, with Thrones and Dominions, and with all the hosts and Powers of heaven,
we sing the hymn of your glory, as without end we acclaim:
ALL: Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of hosts. Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
(Please kneel)
16. Acclamation
ALL: We proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection until you come again.
17. Communion Rite
(Please stand)
Priest: At the Saviour’s command and formed by divine teaching, we dare to say:
ALL: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. 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.
Priest: Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil, graciously grant peace in our days, that by your mercy, we may be always free from sin and safe from all distress, as we await the blessed hope and the coming of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
ALL: For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever.
Priest: Lord Jesus Christ, who said to your Apostles: Peace I leave you, my peace I give you.
Look not on our sins, but on the faith of your church, and graciously grant her peace and unity in accordance with your will.
Who live and reign for ever and ever.
ALL: AMEN.
Priest: The peace of the Lord be with you always.
ALL: And with your spirit.
Priest: Let us offer each other a sign of peace.
18. Communion
ALL: Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, your take away the sins of the world, grant us peace.
(Please kneel)
Priest: Behold the lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.
ALL: Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.
19. Communion Hymn
(Please stand)
20. Prayer after Communion
Priest:
Let us pray.
(choose from one of the following prayers.)
A. (Outside Easter Time.)
Lord God, whose Son left us, in the Sacrament of his Body, food for the journey, mercifully grant that, strengthened by it, our brother/sister NN may come to the eternal table of Christ.
Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
ALL: AMEN.
B. (Outside Easter Time.)
Grant, we pray, almighty God, that your servant NN, who (today) has journeyed from this world may by this sacrifice be cleansed and freed from sin and so receive the everlasting joys of the resurrection.
Through Christ our Lord.
ALL: AMEN.
C. (During Easter Time.)
Grant, we pray, O Lord, that your servant NN, for whom we have celebrated this paschal Sacrament, may pass over to a dwelling place of light and peace.
Through Christ our Lord.
ALL: AMEN.
D. (During Easter Time.)
Having received the Sacrament of your Only Begotten Son, who was sacrificed for us and rose in glory, we humbly implore you, O Lord, for your departed servant NN, that, cleansed by the paschal mysteries, he/she may glory in the gift of the resurrection to come.
Through Christ our Lord.
ALL: AMEN.
21. Final Commendation
Priest: Trusting in God, we have prayed together for NN and now we come to the last farewell. There is sadness in parting, but we take comfort in the hope that one day we shall see NN again and enjoy his/her friendship.
Although we will disperse in sorrow, the mercy of God will gather us together again in the joy of his kingdom.
Therefore let us console one another in the faith of Jesus Christ.
(all pray quietly in silence)
Signs of Farewell:
The coffin is now sprinkled with holy water. This sprinkling reminds us of NN’s Baptism here he/she was adopted by God as his son / daughter, he/she became a brother / sister of Jesus Christ, his/her Lord and Saviour. He/she was made a living temple of God’s Spirit and was incorporated into the Communion of Saints.
After the sprinkling, the coffin is incensed. This shows our respect for the body which had within it the Spirit of God. Also as the smoke rises towards heaven so do our prayers for NN and ourselves.
Priest: Saints of God, come to his/her aid. Hasten to meet him/her, angels of the Lord.
ALL: Receive his/her soul and present him/her to God the most high.
Priest: May Christ, who called you NN, take you to himself: may angels lead you to the bosom of Abraham.
ALL: Receive his/her soul and present him/her to God the most high.
Priest: Eternal rest, grant unto him/her O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him/her.
ALL: Receive his/her soul and present him/her to God the most high.
Priest: Into your hands, Father of mercies, we commend our brother / sister NN in the sure and certain hope that, together with all who have died in Christ, he/she will rise with him on the last day. We give you thanks for the blessings which you bestowed upon NN in this life, they are signs to us of goodness and our fellowship with the saints of Christ Merciful Lord turn toward us and listen to our prayers: open the gates of paradise to your servant and help us who remain to comfort one another with assurances of faith, until we meet in Christ and are with you and with our brother / sister NN forever.
Priest: In peace let us take our brother / sister NN to his/her final rest.
22. Procession to the Hearse
24. Additional Miscellaneous Material
© Copyright:
A. Thank you
Thank you to all who shared in NN’s life.
May his beautiful life and memories give our heart wings to rise above our loss.
Special thanks to the priests and all who helped to make this such a loving, caring and memorable ceremony.
Thank you to all who visited NN in his last days in hospital / home, and to all who sent sympathy cards and flowers and phone calls to the family.
B. Refection: Ready for the Journey
I have got my leave.
Bid me farewell, my brothers and sisters.
I bow to you all and take my departure.
Here I give back the keys of my door,
and I give up all claims to my house.
I only ask for last kind words from you.
We were neighbours for long,
but I have received more than I could give.
Now the day has dawned
and the lamp that lit my dark corner is out.
A summons has come
and I am ready for my journey.
C. Reflection on Saint Joseph
What a humble and holy man was Joseph, the man whom God had chosen to be his own foster father. He did few things that anyone would think extraordinary. But he did everything with a great love for God and for his family. Today, we pray to St Joseph the patron saint of NN to be with us and with people we love at the moment of death. We pray that he will watch and protect the church, the ‘family’ of Jesus, as he watched over and protected his own family. St Joseph was a quiet man. He knew what God wanted him to do, and he was happy to do it. He is the special friend of all fathers who work hard to care for their families.
Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal, © 2010, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved.
Scripture readings are taken from the Jerusalem Bible © 1966 by Darton, Longman and Todd Ltd and Doubleday and Company Inc. Used by permission.
Psalm text taken from Psalms: The New Translation © 1963 published by HarperCollinsReligious by permission of A.P. Watt Ltd on behalf of The Grail, England.