Mass Book Readings
In moments of grief and remembrance, the very words of Scripture become a gentle companion. The passages you’ve provided—from the bold proclamation of God’s impartial love in Acts 10:34–43 and the heavenly inheritance promised in Ephesians 1:3–5, to the hope of resurrection in Philippians 3:20–21 and the vision of a new creation in Revelation 21:4—offer profound consolation. Whether it’s the triumphant confidence of Romans 8:31–35, 37–39 or the enduring comfort of Psalm 23, each reading speaks directly to our need for reassurance, peace and eternal promise.
Drawing on rich strands of biblical wisdom—Gospel narratives, Pauline letters, prophetic visions, the poetic laments of Lamentations and the stirring reflections of Ecclesiastes and Job—this collection becomes a source of solace and strength. As you turn these selected readings over in your heart, may they light your path through sorrow, uplift your spirit with hope and provide a deeply personal way to honour and celebrate those we love and have lost.
He Only Takes The Best
God saw you getting tired And a cure was not to be So he put his arms around you And whispered, come with me. With tearful eyes we watched you And saw you pass away And although we really loved you We would not make you stay. A golden heart stopped beating Hard working hands at rest God broke our hearts to prove to us He only takes the best.
Her Journey’s Just Begun
Don’t think of her as gone away
Her journey’s just begun
Life holds so many facets
This earth is only one.Just think of her as resting
From the sorrows and the tears
In a place of warmth and comfort
Where there are no days and years.Think how she must be wishing
That we could know today
How nothing but our sadness
can really pass away.And think of her as living
In the hearts of those she touched
For nothing loved is ever lost
And she was loved so much.His Journey’s Just Begun
Don’t think of him as gone away
His journey’s just begun
Life holds so many facets
This earth is only one.Just think of him as resting
From the sorrows and the tears
In a place of warmth and comfort
Where there are no days and years.Think how he must be wishing
That we could know today
How nothing but our sadness
can really pass away.And think of him as living
In the hearts of those he touched
For nothing loved is ever lost
And he was loved so much.I Did Not Die
Do not stand at my grave and weep,
I am not there, I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow,
I am the diamond glimpsed on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain,
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning’s hush,
I am the swift uplifting rush
of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there, I did not die.I Will Be There
And if I go,
while you’re still here …
know that I live on,
vibrating to a different measure
– behind a thin veil you
cannot see through.
You will not see me,
so you must have faith.
I wait for the time when we can
soar together again
– both aware of each other.
Until then, live your life
to its fullest.
And when you need me,
just whisper my name
in your heart …
I will be there.I’m Free
Don’t grieve for me, for now I’m free.
I’m following the path God laid for me.
I took God’s hand when I heard the call;
I turned my back and left it all.I could not stay another day
To laugh, to love, to work or play.
Tasks left undone must stay that way,
I found that place at the close of day.If my parting has left a void,
Then fill it with remembered joy.
A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss.
Ah yes, these things, I too, will miss.Be not burdened with times of sorrow,
I wish you the sunshine of tomorrow.
My life’s been full, I savoured much,
Good friends, good times, a loved one’s touch.Perhaps my time seemed all too brief;
don’t lengthen it now with undue grief.
Lift up your heart and share with me.
God wanted me now, God set me free.If Roses Grow in Heaven
If roses grow in heaven,
Lord, please pick a bunch for me,
Place them in my Mother’s arms
And tell her they’re from me.Tell her I love her and miss her,
And when she turns to smile,
Place a kiss upon her cheek
And hold her for a while.Because remembering her is easy,
I do it every day,
But there’s an ache within my heart
That will never go away.Anonymous
Impressions Of A Pilot
Flight is freedom in its purest form,
To dance with the clouds which follow a storm;
To roll and glide, to wheel and spin,
To feel the joy that swells within.To leave the earth with its troubles and fly,
And know the warmth of a clear spring sky;
Then back to earth at the end of the day,
Released from the tensions which melted away.Should my end come while I am in flight,
Whether brightest day or darkest night;
Spare me your pity and shrug off the pain,
Secure in the knowledge that I’d do it again.For each of us is created to die,
And within me I know,
I was born to fly.Gary Claude Stoker
In Our Hearts
We thought of you with love today,
But that is nothing new,
We thought about you yesterday
And days before that too.
We think of you in silence,
We often speak your name,
Now all we have is memories
And your picture in a frame.
Your memory is our keepsake,
With which we’ll never part,
God has you in His keeping,
We have you in our hearts.Irish Blessing
May the road rise up to meet you,
May the wind always be at your back,
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
May the rains fall soft upon your fields,
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of his hand.Isaiah 25: 6-9
A reading from the prophet Isaiah.
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 nations, he will destroy Death for ever. The Lord will wipe away the tears from every cheek; he will take away his peoples 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.
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.
John 11: 17-27
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John.
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 sympathise with them over their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus had come she went to meet him. Mary remained sitting in the house. Martha said to Jesus, “If you had been here, my brother would not have died, but I know that, even now, whatever you ask of God, he will grant you.” “Your brother” said Jesus to her “will rise again.” Martha said, “I know he will rise again at the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus said:
“I am the resurrection and the life.
If anyone believes in me, even though he dies he 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.
John 11: 32-45
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John.
Mary, the sister of Lazarus, 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 followed her, Jesus said in great distress, with a sigh that came straight from the heart, ‘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?’ Still sighing, Jesus reached the tomb: it was a cave with a stone to close the opening. Jesus said, ‘Take the stone away.’ Martha said to him, ‘Lord, by now he will smell; this is the fourth day.’ Jesus replied, ‘Have I not told you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?’
So they took away the stone. Then Jesus lifted up his eyes and said:
‘Father, I thank you for hearing my prayer. I knew indeed that you always hear me, but I speak for the sake of all those who stand round me, so that they may believe it was you who sent me.’
When he had said this, he cried in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, here! Come out!’ The dead man came out, his feet and hands bound with bands of stuff and a cloth round 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.
John 12: 23-28
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Now the hour has come for the Son of Man to be gloried. I tell you, most solemnly, unless a wheat grain falls on the ground and dies, it remains only a single grain; but if it dies, it yields a rich harvest. Anyone who loves his life loses it; anyone who hates his life in this world will keep it for the eternal life. If a man serves me, he must follow me, wherever I am, my servant will be there too. If anyone serves me, my Father will honour him.
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 glorify it again.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
All: Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.
John 14: 1-6
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John.
Jesus said to His disciples:
“Do not let your hearts be troubled.
Trust in God still, and trust in me. There are many rooms in my Father’s house; if there were not, I should 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 with me, so that where I am you may be too. 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, the Truth and the Life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
John 17: 24-26
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John.
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.
John 19: 17-18
Carrying his own cross, Jesus went out of the city to the place of the skull or, as it was called in Hebrew, Golgotha, where they crucified him with two others, one on either side with Jesus 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 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.’
After this, Jesus knew that everything had now been completed, and to fulfil the Scripture perfectly he said: ‘I am thirsty’.
A jar of vinegar stood there, so putting a sponge soaked in the vinegar on a hyssop stick they held it up to his mouth. After Jesus had taken the vinegar he said, ‘It is accomplished’; and bowing his head he gave up his spirit.
The Gospel of the Lord.
All: Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.
John 5 (24-29)
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John.
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.
The Gospel of the Lord.
John 6: 37-40
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John.
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 him 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.
John 6: 51-58
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John.
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 people started arguing with one another: ‘How can this man give us his flesh to eat?’ they said.
Jesus replied:
‘I tell you most solemnly, if you do not eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you will not have life in you. Anyone who does eat my flesh and drink my blood has eternal life, and I shall raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me and I live in him. As I, who am sent by the living Father, myself draw life from the Father, so whoever eats me will draw life from me. This is the bread come down from heaven; 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.
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.
Luke 12: 35-40
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke.
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘See that you are dressed for action and have your lamps lit. Be like men waiting for their master to return from the wedding feast, ready to open the door as soon as he comes and knocks. Happy those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. I tell you solemnly, he will put on an apron, sit them down at table and wait on them. It may be in the second watch he comes, or in the third, but happy those servants if he finds them ready. You may be quite sure of this, that if the householder had known at what hour 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.
Luke 23: 33, 39-43
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke.
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.
Luke 23: 44-46
It was about the sixth hour and, with the sun eclipsed, a darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. The veil of the Temple was torn right down the middle; and when Jesus had cried out in a loud voice, ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit’. With these words he breathed his last.
Then a member of the council arrived, an upright and virtuous 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 him in a tomb which was hewn in stone in which no one had yet been laid.
On the first day of the week, at the first sign of dawn, the women 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 discovered that the body of the Lord Jesus was not there. As they stood there not knowing what to think, two men in brilliant clothes suddenly appeared at their side. Terrified, the women lowered their eyes. But the two men 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.
Luke 24: 13-35
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. Now as they talked this over, Jesus himself came up and walked by their side; but something prevented them 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. ‘It is nearly evening,’ they said, ‘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, ‘Yes, it is true. The Lord has 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.
Luke 7: 11-17
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 a dead man was being carried out for 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.
Mark 10: 13-16
People were bringing little children to Jesus, for him to touch them. The disciples turned them away, but when Jesus saw this he was indignant and said to them, ‘Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. I tell you solemnly, anyone who does not welcome the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.’ Then he put his arms around them, laid his hands on them and gave them his blessing.
The Gospel of the Lord.
All: Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.
Mark 15: 33-39
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew.
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 deserted 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 Temple 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 a son of God.’
The Gospel of the Lord.
Matthew 11: 25-30
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew.
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, just as no one knows the 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.
Matthew 25: 1-13
Jesus spoke this parable to his disciples:
“The kingdom of heaven will be like this; Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were sensible; the foolish ones did take their lamps, but they brought no oil, 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. ‘The bridegroom is here! Go out and meet him.’ At this, all those bridesmaids 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 bridesmaids arrived later. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us.’ But he replied, ‘I tell you solemnly, 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.
Matthew 25: 31-46
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘When the Son of Man comes in glory, escorted by all the angels, then he will take his seat on his throne of glory. All the nations will be assembled before him and he will separate men one from another as the shepherd separates sheep from goats. He will place the sheep on his right hand the goats on his left. Then the King will say to those on his right hand, “Come, you whom my Father has blessed, take for your heritage the kingdom prepared for you since the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me good; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; I was a stranger and you made me welcome; naked and you clothed me, sick and you visited me, in prison and you came to see me.”
Then the virtuous 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; naked and clothe you; sick or in prison and go to see you?”
And the King will answer, “I tell you solemnly, in so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me.”
Next 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 thirsty and 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; naked and you never clothed me; sick and in prison and you never visited me.”
Then he will answer, “I tell you solemnly, 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 virtuous to eternal life.
The Gospel of the Lord.
Matthew 5: 1-12
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew.
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 sons 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 and 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.
Miss Me But Let Me Go
When I come to the end of the road,
And the sun has set for me,
I want no rites in a gloom filled room,
Why cry for a soul set free.Miss me a little – but not too long,
And not with your head bowed low.
Remember the love that we once shared,
Miss me – but let me go.For this is a journey that we all must take,
And each must go alone.
It’s all part of the Master’s plan,
A step on the road to home.When you’re lonely and sick of heart,
Go to the friends we know,
And lose your sorrows in doing good deeds,
Miss me – but let me go.Moving On (Female)
You can shed tears that she is gone,
Or you can smile because she has lived.You can close your eyes and pray that she’ll come back,
Or you can open your eyes and see all she’s left.Your heart can be empty because you can’t see her,
Or you can be full of the love you shared.You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday,
Or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.You can remember her and only that she’s gone,
Or you can cherish her memory and let it live on.You can cry and close your mind,
be empty and turn your back,
Or you can do what she’d want:
smile, open your eyes, love and go on.Moving On (Male)
You can shed tears that he is gone,
Or you can smile because he has lived.You can close your eyes and pray that he’ll come back,
Or you can open your eyes and see all he’s left.Your heart can be empty because you can’t see him,
Or you can be full of the love you shared.You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday,
Or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.You can remember him and only that he’s gone,
Or you can cherish his memory and let it live on.You can cry and close your mind,
be empty and turn your back,
Or you can do what he’d want:
smile, open your eyes, love and go on.Mums Are Special People
Mums are special people
No home should be without
For every family will agree
They’re so nice to have aboutThey are a happy mixture
Of a small girl and a woman
And they’re very necessary
In every family planSometimes they’re most demanding
And stern and firm and tough
But underneath they’re soft as silk
For this is just a bluffBut in any kind of trouble
Mum reaches out her hand
And you can always count on her
To help and understandAnd while we do not praise Mum
As often as we should
We love her and admire her
And while that’s understoodIt’s only fair to emphasise
Her importance and her worth
For if there were no loving Mums
This would be a loveless earth.One At Rest
Think of me as one at rest
for me you should not weep,
I have no pain no troubled thoughts
for I am just asleep.
The living thinking me that was,
is now forever still.
And life goes on without me
as time forever will.
If your heart is heavy now
because I’ve gone away,
dwell not long upon it friend
for none of us can stay.
Those of you who liked me
I sincerely thank you all,
and those of you who loved me
I thank you most of all.One At Rest
Think of me as one at rest, for me you should not weep,
I have no pain, no troubled thoughts for I am just asleep.
The living, thinking, me that was, is now forever still.
And life goes on without me, as time forever will.If your heart is heavy now, because I’ve gone away,
dwell not long upon it friend, for none of us can stay.
Those of you who liked me, I sincerely thank you all,
and those of you who loved me, I thank you most of all.The answer to life’s riddle, in life I never knew,
I go with hope that now I will, and even so will you.
Oh, foolish, foolish me that was, I who was so small,
To have wondered, even worried at the mystery of it all.And in my fleeting life span, as time went rushing by,
I found some time to hesitate, to laugh, to love, to cry.
Matters it now if time began, if time will ever cease?
I was here, I used it all, and now I am at peace.Out Of This World Of Suffering
Out of this world of suffering,
into God’s garden of rest,
it must be a beautiful garden,
because He always takes the best.
Mass readings
Matthew 5: 1-12
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew.
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 sons 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 and 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.
Philippians 3: 20-21
A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Philippians.
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 mortal 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.
Prayer of the Faithful
Choose 1 prayer from each section
For the one who has died
For N., a child of God and heir to the kingdom, that he/she may be held securely in God’s loving embrace now and for all eternity.
That God in his mercy may blot out all N.’s offences, establish him/her in light and peace, and call him/her to happiness in the company of all the saints.
That God will receive our praise and thanksgiving for the life of N.
In baptism, N. received the light of Christ. Let us pray that God will now scatter the darkness and lead him/her over the waters of death.
For the bereaved family
The family and friends of N. seek comfort and consolation. Let us pray that God will heal their pain and dispel the darkness and doubt that come from grief.
For the family and friends of our brother/sister N. that they may be consoled in their grief by the Lord who wept at the death of his friend Lazarus.
That all of us, N’s family and friends, may be comforted in our grief.
For N.’s family (especially his/her mother, father, brother, sister…), that they may feel the healing power of Christ in the midst of their pain and grief.
For the assembled mourners
For all of us assembled here to worship in faith, that we may be gathered together again in God’s kingdom.
We are assembled here in faith and confidence to pray for our brother/sister N. Let us pray that God will strengthen our hope so that we may live in the expectation of the coming of Christ.
That the Lord Jesus who blesses those who mourn and are in pain will look upon N.’s family and friends who gather around him/her today.
For us the Church, that we may prepare worthily for the hour of our death, when God will call us by name to pass from this world to the next.
For others who have died
That God may welcome into glory those of our family and friends who have departed this life (especially…).
Many friends and members of our families have gone before us and await the kingdom. May God grant them an everlasting home with Christ.
Those who trusted in the Lord now sleep in the Lord. Let us pray that all the faithful departed will find in God refreshment, rest, and peace.
For all those who have fallen asleep in the hope of rising again, that they may see God face to face.
For causes or organisations appropriate to the deceased
That God will grant release to all those who suffer from …
For the doctors and nurses at … who cared for N., that their works of service may be richly blessed.
N. fought for peace and freedom. May he/she now rest in peace and may people everywhere live free from oppression.
For the work of …, that those who are left will carry forward that for which N. so generously labored.
For other needs
That those who bear the cross of pain in mind or body may never feel forsaken by God.
Many people die by violence, war, and famine each day. May God show mercy to those who suffer so unjustly these sins against love, and gather them to the eternal kingdom of peace.
For all parents who grieve over the death of their children, that they be comforted in the knowledge that their little ones dwell with God.
For those who cannot find hope and who live in the darkness of despair.
Psalm 103
Response: The Lord is kind and merciful.
or
Response: The salvation of the just comes from the Lord.
The Lord is compassion and love, slow to anger and rich in mercy. He does not treat us according to our sins nor repay us according to our faults.
As a father has compassion on his sons, the Lord has pity on those who fear him; for he knows of what we are made, he remembers that we are dust.
As for man, his days are like grass; he flowers like the flower of the field; the wind blows and he is gone and his place never sees him again.
But the love of the Lord is everlasting upon those who hold him in fear; his justice reaches out to children’s children when they keep his covenant in truth.
Psalm 115 & 116
Response: I will walk in the presence of the Lord in the land of the living.
or
Response: Alleluia!
How gracious is the Lord, and just; our God has compassion. The Lord protects the simple hearts; I was helpless so he saved me.
I trusted, even when I said: ‘I am sorely afflicted,’ and when I said in my alarm: ‘No man can be trusted’.
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.
Psalm 122
Response: I rejoiced when I heard them say: let us go to the house of the Lord.
or
Response: Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
I rejoiced when I heard them say: ‘Let us go to God’s house.’ And now our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem.
Jerusalem is built as a city strongly compact. It is there that the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord.
For Israel’s law it is, there to praise the Lord’s name. There were set the thrones of judgement of the house of David.
For the peace of Jerusalem pray: ‘Peace be to your homes! May peace reign in your walls, in your palaces, peace!’
For love of my brethren and friends I say: ‘Peace upon you!’ For love of the house of the Lord I will ask for your good.
Psalm 130
Response: Out of the depths, I cry to you, Lord.
or
Response: I hope in the Lord, I trust in his word.
Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord, Lord, hear my voice! O let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleading.
If you, O Lord, should mark our guilt, Lord, who would survive? But with you is found forgiveness: for this we revere you.
My soul is waiting for the Lord, I count on his word. My soul is longing for the Lord more than watchman for daybreak.
Because with the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption, Israel indeed he will redeem from all its iniquity.
Psalm 143
Response: O Lord, hear my prayer.
Lord, listen to my prayer: turn your ear to my appeal. You are faithful, you are just; give answer. Do not call your servant to judgement for no-one is just in your sight.
I remember the days that are past: I ponder all your works. I muse on what your hands have wrought and to you I stretch out my hands. Like parched land my soul thirsts for you.
Lord, make haste to give an answer: for my spirit fails within me. In the morning let me know your love for I put my trust in you.
Teach me to do your will for you, O Lord, are my God. Let your good spirit guide me in the ways that are level and smooth.
Psalm 23
Response: The Lord is my Shepherd, there is nothing I shall want.
or
Response: Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me.
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.
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.
You have prepared a banquet for me in the sight of my foes. My head you have anointed with oil; my cup is overflowing.
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.
Psalm 25
Response: To You, O Lord, I lift my soul.
or
Response: No one who waits for you, O Lord, will ever put to shame.
Remember your mercy, Lord, and the love you have shown from of old.
In your love remember me, because of your goodness, O Lord.
Relieve the anguish of my heart and set me free from my distress.
See my affliction and my toil and take all my sins away.
Preserve my life and rescue me. Do not disappoint me, you are my refuge.
My innocence and uprightness protect me: for my hope is in you, O Lord.
Psalm 27
Response: The Lord is my Light and Salvation.
or
Response: 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 help, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; before whom shall I shrink?
There is one thing I ask of the Lord, for this I long, to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to savour the sweetness of the Lord, to behold his temple.
O Lord hear my voice when I call, have mercy and answer. It is your face, O Lord, that I seek; hide not your face.
I am sure I will see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living. Hope in God, hold firm and take heart, hope in the Lord.
Psalm 42
Response: My soul is thirsting for the living God: when shall I see him face to face?
Like the deer that yearns for running streams, so my soul is yearning for you, my God.
My soul is thirsting for God, the God of my life; when can I enter and see the face of God?
These things will I remember as I pour out my soul: how I would lead the rejoicing crowd into the house of God amid cries of gladness and thanksgiving, the throng wild with joy.
Psalm 63
Response: My Soul is Thirsting for You, O Lord My God.
O God, you are my God, for you I long; for you my soul is thirsting. My body pines for you like a dry, weary land without water.
So I gaze on you in the sanctuary to see your strength and your glory. For your love is better than life, my lips will speak your praise.
So I will bless you all my life; in your name I will lift up my hands. My soul shall be filled as with a banquet; my mouth shall praise you with joy.
You have been my help; in the shadow of your wings I rejoice. My soul clings to you; your right hand holds me fast.
Revelation 14: 13
A reading from the Book of Revelation.
I, John, heard a voice from heaven say to me, “Write down: Happy are those who die in the Lord! Happy indeed, the Spirit says; now they can rest for ever after their work, since their good deeds go with them.”
The word of the Lord.
Revelation 21: 4
A reading from the Book of Revelation.
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.”
The word of the Lord.
Romans 14: 7-12
A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Romans.
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 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 an account of himself.
The word of the Lord.
Romans 5: 17-21
If it is certain that death reigned over everyone as the consequence of one man’s fall, it is even more certain that one man, Jesus Christ, will cause everyone to reign in life who received the free gift that he does not deserve, of being made righteous. Again, as one man’s fall brought condemnation on everyone, so the good act of one man brings everyone life and makes them justified. As by one man’s disobedience many will be made sinners, so by one man’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.
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 men. It is not easy to die even for a good man – though of course for someone really worthy a man 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.
Romans 6: 3-9
A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Romans.
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 man dies, of course, he has 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.
Romans 8: 14-23
Everyone moved by the Spirit is a son of God. The spirit you received is not the spirit of slaves bringing fear into your lives again: it is the spirit of sons, and it makes us cry out, ‘Abba, Father!’ The Spirit himself and our spirit bear united witness that we are children of God. And if 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 sons. 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 the 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.
Romans 8: 31-35, 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 from 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.
Wisdom 3: 1-9
A reading from the book of Wisdom.
The souls of the virtuous are in the hands of God, and 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 men see it, their hope was rich with immortality; slight was their affliction, great will their blessings be.
God has put them to the test and proved them worthy to be with him; he 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 shall be their king for ever.
They who trust in him shall understand 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.
Wisdom 4: 7-15
A reading from the book of Wisdom.
The virtuous man, though he die before his 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 man’s grey hairs, untarnished life, this is ripe old age.
He has sought to please God, so God has loved him; as he was living among sinners, he has been taken up.
He has been carried off so that evil may not warp his understanding or treachery seduce his 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, he achieved long life; his soul being pleasing to the Lord, he has taken him quickly from the wickedness around him.
Yet people look on, uncomprehending; it does not enter their heads that grace and mercy await the chosen of the Lord, and protection, God’s holy ones.
The Word of the Lord.
