Hide not your face from me.R. From the variety of prayers provided the minister in consultation with the family should carefully select texts that truly capture the unspoken prayers and hopes of the assembly and also respond to the needs of the mourners.29 Having heard the word of God proclaimed and preached, the assembly responds at the vigil and at the funeral liturgy with prayers of intercession for the deceased and all the dead, for the family and all who mourn, and for all in the assembly. [6]Several models of intercessions are provided within the rites for adaptation to the circumstances.Music30 Music is integral to the funeral rites. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord, my God.Return to the Readings Menu, Psalm 103:8 and 10, 13-14, 15-16, 17-18R. The Church provides a number of prayers for the faithful to offer both to accompany the dying of a loved one and to strengthen our faith upon their death. Above all the psalms sing of faith in God, of revelation and redemption. Later that year, they confirmed the special texts and ritual directives, which were then published as an appendix to the Order of Christian Funerals. (2b) My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord, my God.O God, you are my God whom I seek; for you my flesh pines and my soul thirsts like the earth, parched, lifeless and without water.R. The mystery of the Lords death and resurrection gives power to all of the Churchs activity. R. To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.or:R. No one who waits for you, O Lord, will ever be be put to shame.Return to the Readings Menu, Psalm 27:1, 4, 7 and 8b and 9a, 13-14 R. (1a) The Lord is my light and my salvation.or:R. (13) I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom should I fear?The LORD is my lifes refuge; of whom should I be afraid?R. The presiding minister proclaims the readings only when there are no assisting ministers present.
My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord, my God.Thus will I bless you while I live; lifting up my hands, I will call upon your name.As with the riches of a banquet shall my soul be satisfied, and with exultant lips my mouth shall praise you.R. The Lord is kind and merciful.or:R. The salvation of the just comes from the Lord.Mans days are like those of grass; like a flower of the field he blooms;The wind sweeps over him and he is gone, and his place knows him no more.R. 
The vigil is the principal celebration of the Christian community during the time before the funeral liturgy. O Lord, hear my prayer.I remember the days of old; I meditate on all your doings; the works of your hands I ponder.I stretch out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like parched land.R. [4]Psalmody25 The psalms are rich in imagery, feeling, and symbolism. Whether we live or die, we are the Lords, So too in Christ shall all be brought to life, What is seen is transitory, but what is unseen is eternal, We have a building from God, eternal in heaven, He will change our lowly bodies to conform to his glory, If we have died with him, we also shall live with him, We know that we have passed from death to life because we love our brothers, Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven, Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last, Father, into your hands I commend my spirit. The Church through its funeral rites commends the dead to God's merciful love and pleads for the forgiveness of their sins. The human body is so inextricably associated with the human person that it is hard to think of a human person apart from his or her body. The funeral rites should be celebrated in an atmosphere of simple beauty, in a setting that encourages participation. I will walk in the presence of the Lord in the land of the living.or:R. Alleluia.Precious in the eyes of the LORD is the death of his faithful ones.O LORD, I am your servant, you have loosed my bonds.R. Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?
Pastors and other priests should instill in these ministers an appreciation of how much the reverent exercise of their ministries contributes to the celebration of the funeral rites. A reading from the Book of JobJob answered Bildad the Shubite and said:Oh, would that my words were written down! Though separated from the living, the dead are still at one with the community of believers on earth and benefit from their prayers and intercession. 109.6 See De Oratione communi seu fidelium (2nd ed., Vatican Polyglot Press, 1966), chapter 1, no. The readings and prayers, psalms and songs should be proclaimed or sung with understanding, conviction, and reverence. "If, then, we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him." Whoever hears my word and believes in me has passed from death to life, Everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, Whoever eats this bread will live forever, and I will raise them on the last day, In my Fathers house there are many dwellings, I wish that where I am they also may be with me, And bowing his head he handed over his Spirit, Luke 23:44-46, 50, 52-53; 24:1-6a or 23:44-46, 50, 52-53, Go to the New Testament Readings for the Easter Season. You have been taught that when we were baptized in Christ Jesus we were baptized into his death; in other words when we were baptized we went into the tomb with him and joined him in death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the Fathers glory, we too might live a new life. The homilist should also help the members of the assembly to understand that the mystery of Gods love and the mystery of Jesus victorious death and resurrection were present in the life and death of the deceased and that these mysteries are active in their own lives as well. %PDF-1.3 This is the body once washed in baptism, anointed with the oil of salvation, and fed with the bread of life. They powerfully express the suffering and pain, the hope and trust of people of every age and culture. . (Hebrews 5:7-9). The Church clearly prefers and urges that the body of the deceased be present for the funeral rites, since the presence of the human body better expresses the values which the Church affirms in those rites" (no. What will separate us from the love of Christ? Later that year, they confirmed the special texts and ritual directives, which were then published as an appendix to the. The following excerpts are taken from the General Introduction of the Order of Christian Funerals: 4. Although planning the funeral before death should be approached with sensitivity and care, it can have the effect of helping the one who is dying and the family face the reality of death with Christian hope. Return to the Readings MenuWisdom 3:1-9 or 3:1-6, 9As sacrificial offerings he took them to himself. Any other symbols, for example, national flags, or flags or insignia of associations, have no place in t the funeral liturgy (see no. Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. In some cases this process may find expression in the celebration of the sacrament of penance, either before the funeral liturgy or at a later time.Liturgical MinistersPresiding Minister14 Priests, as teachers of faith and ministers of comfort, preside at the funeral rites, especially the Mass; the celebration of the funeral liturgy is especially entrusted to pastors and associate pastors. I rejoiced when I heard them say: let us go to the house of the Lord.or:R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
33.4 See Lectionary for Mass (2nd editio typica, 1981), General Introduction, nos.
It may take the form of a liturgy of the word (see nos. GENERAL INTRODUCTIONWhy do you search for the Living One among the dead?1 In the face of death, the Church confidently proclaims that God has created each person for eternal life and that Jesus, the Son of God, by his death and resurrection, has broken the chains of sin and death that bound humanity. Amen.1015.11 Revelation 14:13Blessed are those who die in the Lord;let them rest from their labors for their good deeds go with them.Return to the Readings Menu, Mt 5 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heavenMt 11 Come to me and I will give you restMt 25 Behold the bridegroom! My soul is thirsting for the living God: when shall I see him face to face?Athirst is my soul for God, the living God. 413). In April 1997, the Holy See granted an indult for the United States to allow the diocesan bishop to permit the presence of the cremated remains of a body at a Funeral Mass. A careful selection and use of readings from Scripture for the funeral rites will provide the family and the community with an opportunity to hear God speak to them in their needs, sorrows, fears, and hopes.
The Church calls each member of Christs Body priest, deacon, layperson to participate in the ministry of consolation: to care for the dying, to pray for the dead, to comfort those who mourn.Community9 The responsibility for the ministry of consolation rests with the believing community, which heeds the words and example of the Lord Jesus: Blessed are they who mourn; they shall be consoled (Matthew 5:3). A reading from the Book of RevelationI, John, saw a new heaven and a new earth.The former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.I also saw the holy city, a new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, Behold, Gods dwelling is with the human race.He will dwell with them and they will be his people and God himself will always be with them as their God.He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain, for the old order has passed away.The one who sat on the throne said, Behold, I make all things new.I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.To the thirsty I will give a gift from the spring of life-giving water.The victor will inherit these gifts, and I shall be his God, and he will be my son.Return to the Readings Menu, Ps 23Ps 25Ps 27Ps 42 and 43Ps 63Ps 103Ps 116Ps 122Ps 130Ps 143, Psalm 23:1-3, 4, 5, 6R. (1) I rejoiced when I heard them say: let us go to the house of the Lord.or:R. (See 1) Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.I rejoiced because they said to me, We will go up to the house of the LORD.And now we have set foot within your gates, O Jerusalem.R. When shall I go and behold the face of God?R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.or:R. I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD in the land of the living.Wait for the LORD with courage; be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.R. %PDF-1.4 % As sacrificial offerings he took them to himself, An unsullied life, the attainment of old age, It is good to hope in silence for the saving help of the Lord, Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, He is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead, The dead were judged according to their deeds, Since we are now justified in his Blood, we will be saved through him from the wrath, Where sin increased, grace overflowed all the more. I am the resurrection and the life: those who believe in me, though they should die, will come to life; and those who are alive and believe in me will never die (John 11:25-26). [5] The Church, like Christ, turns again and again to the psalms as a genuine expression of grief and of praise and as a sure source of trust and hope in times of trial. Because of our belief not only in the immortality of the soul, but also in the resurrection of the body, the Church professes hope in the face of death, and acts with charity in the funeral rites. 132).Liturgical Color39 The liturgical color chosen for funerals should express Christian hope but should not be offensive to human grief or sorrow. If we are unfaithful he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself. I rejoiced when I heard them say: let us go to the house of the Lord.or:R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.Because of my relatives and friends I will say Peace be within you!Because of the house of the LORD, our God, I will pray for your good.R.
As part of the pastoral ministry, pastors, associate pastors, and other ministers should instruct the parish community on the Christian meaning of death and on the purpose and significance of the Churchs liturgical rites for the dead. The holy people of God, confident in their belief in the communion of saints, exercise their royal priesthood by joining together in this prayer for all those who have died. (9) I will walk in the presence of the Lord in the land of the living.or:R. Alleluia.Gracious is the LORD and just; yes, our God is merciful.R. which is translated, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?Some of the bystanders who heard it said, Look, he is calling Elijah.One of them ran, soaked a sponge with wine, put it on a reed, and gave it to him to drink, saying, Wait, let us see if Elijah comes to take him down.Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last.The veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom.When the centurion who stood facing him saw how he breathed his last he said, Truly this man was the Son of God! Return to the Readings Menu, Luke 7:11-17Young man, I tell you, arise!+ A reading from the holy Gospel according to LukeJesus journeyed to a city called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd accompanied him.As he drew near to the gate of the city, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow.A large crowd from the city was with her.When the Lord saw her, he was moved with pity for her and said to her, Do not weep.He stepped forward and touched the coffin; at this the bearers halted, and he said, Young man, I tell you, arise! The growing interest in and desire for cremation continues to remain a question in the minds of many Catholics. % A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the RomansBrothers and sisters:Are you unaware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live in newness of life.For if we have grown into union with him through a death like his, we shall also be united with him in the resurrection.We know that our old self was crucified with him, so that our sinful body might be done away with, that we might no longer be in slavery to sin.For a dead person has been absolved from sin.If, then, we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him.We know that Christ, raised from the dead, dies no more; death no longer has power over him. Information on how the parish community assists families in preparing for funerals should also be provided.By giving instruction, pastors and associate pastors should lead the community to a deeper appreciation of its role in the ministry of consolation and to a fuller understanding of the significance of the death of a fellow Christian. I rejoiced when I heard them say: let us go to the house of the Lord.or:R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.Return to the Readings Menu, Psalm 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-6ab, 6c-7, 8R. May those who love you prosper!May peace be within your walls, prosperity in your buildings.R. R. To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.or:R. No one who waits for you, O Lord, will ever be be put to shame.Relieve the troubles of my heart; and bring me out of my distress.Put an end to my affliction and my suffering; and take away all my sins. While the Church continues to hold a preference for corporeal burial, cremation has become part of Catholic practice in the United States and the around the world. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCBs) mission is to encounter the mercy of Christ and to accompany His people with joy. 47 The section entitled Rite of Committal includes two forms of the rite of committal, the concluding rite of the funeral: Rite of Committal and Rite of Committal with Final Commendation. The first form is used when the final commendation is celebrated as part of the conclusion of the funeral liturgy. They should also take into consideration the spiritual and psychological needs of the family and friends of the deceased to express grief and their sense of loss, to accept the reality of death, and to comfort one another.17 Whenever possible, ministers should involve the family in planning the funeral rites: in the choice of texts and rites provided in the ritual, in the selection of music for the rites, and in the designation of liturgical ministers. When no priest is available, deacons, as ministers of the word, of the altar, and of charity, preside at funeral rites. Part IV, Office for the Dead, includes Morning Prayer, Evening Prayer: and Additional Hymns. Part V, Additional Texts: contains Prayers and Texts in Particular Circumstances and Holy Communion outside Mass. The texts that appear in the various rites in Parts I, II, and IV may be replaced by cor-responding readings and psalms given in Part III and by corresponding prayers and texts given in Part V. Endnotes1 Vatican Council II, Constitution on the Liturgy Sacrosanctum Concilium, art. . Others who are eligible for an ecclesiastical funeral include: In every celebration for the dead, the Church attaches great importance to the reading of the word of God. 49, 52, and 55.5 See General Instruction of the Liturgy of the Hours, no. stream I will walk in the presence of the Lord in the land of the living.or:R. Alleluia.Return to the Readings Menu, Psalm 122:1-2, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9R. 5 0 obj A reading from the Acts of the ApostlesPeter proceeded to speak and said, In truth, I see that God shows no partiality.Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly is acceptable to him.You know the word that he sent to the children of Israel as he proclaimed peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all, what has happened all over Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached, how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power.He went about doing good and healing all those oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.We are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem.They put him to death by hanging him on a tree.This man God raised on the third day and granted that he be visible, not to all the people, but to us, the witnesses chosen by God in advance, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.He commissioned us to preach to the people and testify that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead.To him all the prophets bear witness, that everyone who believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins through his name.Or: [Short Form]Peter proceeded to speak and said, In truth, I see that God shows no partiality.Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly is acceptable to him.You know the word that he sent to the children of Israel as he proclaimed peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.He commissioned us to preach to the people and testify that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead.To him all the prophets bear witness, that everyone who believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins through his name.Return to the Readings Menu, Revelation 14:13Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord.
The Lord is kind and merciful.or:R. The salvation of the just comes from the Lord.As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him.For he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.R. For I shall again be thanking him, in the presence of my savior and my God. I will walk in the presence of the Lord in the land of the living.or:R. Alleluia.I believed, even when I said, I am greatly afflicted;I said in my alarm, No man is dependable.R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.or:R. I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.Return to the Readings Menu, Psalm 42:3, 5cdef, 42:3, 4, 5R. A reading from the Book of RevelationI, John, heard a voice from heaven say, "Write this:Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.Yes, said the Spirit, let them find rest from their labors, for their works accompany them.Return to the Readings Menu, Revelation 20:11-21:1The dead were judged according to their deeds.
