Funeral Readings

Old Testament Readings (Choose one)

A reading from the book of the Prophet Jeremiah
Before I formed you in the womb,
I knew you,
And before you were born,
I consecrated you.
Don’t be afraid, for I am with you to protect you.
For it was you who created my being,
Knit me together in my mother’s womb,
I thank you for the wonder of my being,
For the wonder of all your creation.
The Word of the Lord.

A Reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah
The Lord who created you says: don’t be afraid, I am with you,
I have called you by your name, you are mine.
If you pass through deep waters, I will be with you,
Your troubles shall not overwhelm you.
If you pass through fire, you will not be burnt,
The hard trials of life will not overtake you.
For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel,
I will give up whole nations to save your life,
For you are precious in my sight, and I love you, and I honour you,
So don’t be afraid, I am with you.
The Word of the Lord.

A Reading from the Book of the Prophet Jeremiah
For I have plans for your life, says the Lord,
Plans for peace and not disaster,
Plans to give you a future and a hope.
When you call on me in prayer, I will listen to you,
When you search for me with all your heart,
You will find me.
I will restore your fortunes, and bring you back home.
The Word of the Lord.

A reading from the wisdom of Ben Sirach
If it is the will of the great Lord, the scholar will be filled with the spirit of understanding. He will shower forth words of wisdom, and in prayer, give thanks to the Lord.
He will grow upright in purpose and learning, and ponder the Lord’s hidden mysteries.
He will display the instruction he has received, taking his pride in the Law of the Lord’s covenant.
Many will praise his understanding, and it will never be forgotten.
His memory will not disappear, generation after generation his name will live.
Nations will proclaim his wisdom, and the assembly will celebrate his praises.
The Word of the Lord.

A reading from the wisdom of Ben Sirach
Let us praise illustrious men and women, our ancestors in their successive generations. Some wielded authority as kings, and were renowned for their strength.
Others were intelligent advisers, and uttered prophetic oracles.
Others directed the people by their advice, by their understanding of the popular mind, and by the wise words of their teaching.Others composed musical melodies, and set down ballads.
Others were rich and powerful, living peacefully in their homes.
All these were honoured by their contemporaries, and were the glory of their day.
Some left a name behind them, so that their praises are still sung.
Others have left no memory, and disappeared as though they had not existed.
Their offspring will last forever, their glory will not fade.Their bodies have been buried in peace, and their name lives on for all generations.
The peoples will proclaim their wisdom, the assembly will celebrate their praises.
The Word of the Lord.
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Responsorial Psalm

Response: The Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing I shall want.
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.
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Response: the Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing I shall want.
He guides me along the right path, he is true to his name,If I should walk in the valley of the shadow of death, no evil will I fear,For you are here beside me Lord, with your crook and your staff,With these you give me comfort.
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Response: the Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing I shall want.
You have prepared a banquet for me, in the sight of all my foes,My head you have anointed with oil, my cup is overflowing.
Response: The Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing I shall want.
Truly goodness and kindness shall follow me, all the days of my life, In the Lord’s own house shall I dwell, forever and ever.
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Response: the Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing I shall want.
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New Testament Readings (Choose one)

A reading from St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians
In our old way of living, we followed blindly the desires of our flesh and senses.
But God, Who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead through our sins, saved us by His grace, and brought us back to life together with Christ, and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places.
For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing, but is the gift of God.
For you are God’s work of art, God’s building,
Created in Christ Jesus, to carry out the good works which are God’s plan for your life.
The Word of the Lord.

A reading from the First Letter of St. John
Beloved, let us love one another, because love comes from God, and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.
Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent His only Son into this world so that we might live through Him.
God loved us first, and sent His Son to be the sacrifice that takes our sins away.
If God loved us so much, then we ought to love one another.
No one has ever seen God, but if we love one another, God lives in us and His love comes to perfection in us.
There can be no fear in love, because perfect love casts out all fear.
The Word of the Lord.

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.
He will transfigure these mortal bodies of ours into copies of His own glorious body.
He will do that by the same power with which He can subdue the whole universe.
The Word of the Lord.

A reading from the letter of St. Paul to the Colossians
As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with the fabrics of compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.
Make allowances for one another and if anyone has a grudge against someone else, forgive each other, just as the Lord has forgiven you.
And over all these virtues, put on the beautiful dress of love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony, and let the peace of Christ dwell in your hearts.
Be grateful for everything, and whatever you do or say, do or say it in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
The Word of the Lord.

A reading from the letter of St. Paul to the Philippians
I want you to be happy, always happy in the Lord. I repeat, what I want is your happiness. Let your tolerance be evident to everyone: the Lord is very near.
There is no need to worry, but if there is anything you need, pray for it, asking God for it with prayer and thanksgiving, and the peace of God, which is so much greater than we can ask or understand, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.
Finally, fill your minds with everything that is true, everything that is noble, everything that is good and pure, everything that we love and honour, and everything that is virtuous and worthy of praise.
Keep doing all the things that you learnt from me and have been taught by me and have heard and seen me do. Then the peace of God will be with you.
The Word of the Lord.

A reading from the first letter to the Thessalonians
We want you to be quite certain 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.
With such thoughts as these you should comfort one another.
The Word of the Lord.

A reading from the first letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians
You are God’s building. By the grace God gave me, I succeeded as an architect and laid the foundations, on which someone else is building. Everyone doing the building must work carefully. For the foundation, nobody can lay any other that the one which has already been laid: Jesus Christ.
Didn’t you realise that you were God’s temple and that the Spirit of God was living among you? The temple of God is sacred, and you are that temple.
The Word of the Lord.

A reading from the Second letter of St. Timothy
As for me, my life has been poured out as an offering to God, and the time of my departure has come.
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
From now on, there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the fair judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me,
But to all who have longed for His appearing.
The Word of the Lord.

A reading from St. Paul’s letter to the Romans
If God is on our side, who can be against us?
Nothing can come between us and the love of Christ, even if we are troubled or worried, or being persecuted, or lacking food or clothing. These are the trials through which we triumph, by the power of Him Who loves us.
For I am certain of this: neither death nor life, no angel or prince, nothing that exists and nothing still to come, can ever come between us and the love of God, made visible in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The Word of the Lord.

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to John
Jesus said to His disciples:
“Truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice; you will have pain, but your pain will turn into joy.
You have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will be full of joy, a joy no one will take from you.
Truly I tell you, if you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.
Until now, you have not asked for anything in my name.Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.”
The Gospel of the Lord.