Funeral Mass

Old Testament Reading Wisdom 3:1-6,9

A Reading from the Book of Wisdom

The souls of the just are in the hand of God

and no torment shall touch them.

They seemed, in the view of the foolish, to be dead;

and their passing away was thought an affliction

and their going forth from us, utter destruction.

But they are in peace.

For if in the eyes of men, indeed they be punished,

yet is their hope full of immortality;

Chastised a little, they shall be greatly blessed,

because God tried them,

and found them worthy of himself.

As gold in the furnace, he proved them,

and as sacrificial offerings he took them to himself.

Those who trust in him shall understand truth,

and the faithful shall abide with him in love:

Because grace and mercy are with his holy ones,

and his care is with his elect.

The Word of the Lord

Old Testament Reading Wisdom 4:7-15

A Reading from the Book of Wisdom

The just, though they die early, shall be at rest.

For the age that is honorable comes not

with the passing of time,

nor can it be measured in terms of years.

Rather, understanding is the hoary crown,

and an unsullied life, the attainment of old age.

Those who pleased God were loved;

they who lived among sinners were transported–

Snatched away, lest wickedness pervert their mind

or deceit beguile their soul;

For the witchery of paltry things obscures what is right

and the whirl of desire transforms the innocent mind.

Having become perfect in a short while,

they reached the fullness of a long career;

for their souls were pleasing to the Lord,

therefore he sped them out of the midst of wickedness.

But the people saw and did not understand,

nor did they take this into account.

The Word of the Lord

Old Testament Reading Job 19:1, 23-27

A Reading from the Book of Job

Then Job answered and said:

Oh, would that my words were written down!

Would that they were inscribed in a record:

That with an iron chisel and with lead

they were cut in the rock forever!

But as for me, I know that my Vindicator lives,

and that he will at last stand forth upon the dust;

whom I myself shall see: my own eyes,

Not another’s shall behold him,

And from my flesh I shall see God;

my inmost being is consumed with longing.

The Word of the Lord

Old Testament Reading Isaiah 25:6a, 7-9

A Reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah

On this mountain the Lord of hosts

will provide for all peoples.

On this mountain he will destroy

the veil that veils all peoples,

The web that is woven over all nations;

he will destroy death forever.

The Lord God will wipe away

the tears from all faces;

The reproach of his people he will remove

from the whole earth; for the Lord has spoken.

On that day it will be said:

“Behold our God, to whom we looked to save us!

This is the Lord for whom we looked;

let us rejoice and be glad that he has saved us!”

The Word of the Lord

Old Testament Reading Lamentations 3:17-26

A Reading from the Book of Lamentations

My soul is deprived of peace,

I have forgotten what happiness is;

I tell myself my future is lost,

all that I hoped for from the Lord.

The thought of my homeless poverty

is wormwood and gall;

remembering it over and over leaves my soul

downcast within me. But I will call this to mind,

as my reason to have hope:

the favors of the Lord are not exhausted,

his mercies are not spent;

they are renewed each morning,

so great is his faithfulness. My portion is the Lord,

says my soul; therefore will I hope in him.

Good is the Lord to one who waits for him,

to the soul that seeks him; it is good to hope in silence

for the saving help of the Lord.

The Word of the Lord

Old Testament Reading Maccabees 12:43-46

A reading from the Book of Maccabees

Judas, the ruler of Israel,

took up a collection among all his soldiers,

amounting to two thousand silver drachmas,

which he sent to Jerusalem

to provide for an expiatory sacrifice.

In doing this he acted in a very excellent and noble way,

inasmuch as he had the resurrection of the dead in view;

for if he were not expecting the fallen to rise again,

it would have been useless and foolish

to pray for them in death.

But if he did this with a view to the splendid reward

that awaits those who had gone to rest in godliness,

it was a holy and pious thought.

Thus he made atonement for the dead

that they might be freed from this sin.

The Word of the Lord

Old Testament Reading Daniel 12:1-3

A reading from the book of the prophet Daniel

I, Daniel, mourned and I heard this word of the Lord:

"At that time there shall arise Michael,

the great prince, guardian of your people;

It shall be a time unsurpassed in distress

since nations began until that time.

At that time your people shall escape,

everyone who is found written in the book.

Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth

shall awake; some shall live forever,

others shall be an everlasting horror and disgrace.

But the wise shall shine brightly

like the splendor of the firmament,

and those who lead the many to justice

shall be like the stars forever.”

The Word of the Lord

Old Testament Reading Ecclesiastes 3:1-11

A Reading From the Book of Ecclesiastes

There is an appointed time for everything,

and a time for everything under the heavens.

A time to be born, and a time to die;

a time to plant, and a time to uproot the plant.

A time to kill, and a time to heal;

a time to tear down, and a time to build.

A time to weep, and a time to laugh;

a time to mourn, and a time to dance.

A time to scatter stones, and a time to gather them;

a time to embrace, and a time to be far from embraces.

A time to seek, and a time to lose;

a time to keep, and a time to cast away.

A time to rend, and a time to sew;

a time to be silent, and a time to speak.

A time to love, and a time to hate;

a time of war, and a time of peace.

The Word of the Lord

Old Testament Reading Micah 6:6-8

A Reading from the Book of the Prophet Micah

With what shall I come before the Lord,

and bow before God?

Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,

with calves a year old?

Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,

with myriad streams of oil?

shall I give my firstborn child? No.

You know, O man, what is good;

and what the LORD requires of you.

Only this: That you act justly, love tenderly,

and walk humbly with your God.

The Word of the Lord

Old Testament Reading Proverbs 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31

A Reading from the Book of Proverbs

When one finds a worthy wife,

her value is far beyond pearls.

Her husband, entrusting his heart to her,

has an unfailing prize.

She brings him good, and not evil,

all the days of her life.

She obtains wool and flax

and works with loving hands.

She puts her hands to the distaff,

and her fingers ply the spindle.

She reaches out her hands to the poor,

and extends her arms to the needy.

Charm is deceptive and beauty fleeting;

the woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

Give her a reward for her labors,

and let her works praise her at the city gates.

The Word of the Lord

New Testament Reading Book of Colossians 3:12-17

A Reading from the Book of Colossians

Because you are God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved,

clothe yourselves with heartfelt mercy, with

kindness, humility, meekness and patience. Bear with

one another; forgive whatever grievances you have

against one another. Forgive as the Lord has forgiven

you. Over all these virtues put on love, which

binds the rest together and makes them perfect. Christ’s

peace must reign in your hearts, since as members

of the one body you have been called to that peace.

Dedicate yourselves to thankfulness. Let the word

of Christ, rich as it is, dwell in you. In wisdom made

perfect, instruct and admonish one another. Sing

gratefully to God from your hearts in psalms, hymns, and

inspired songs. Whatever you do, whether in

speech or in action, do it in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Give thanks to God the Father through him.

The Word of the Lord

New Testament Reading Acts of the Apostles 10:34-43

A Reading from the Acts of the Apostles

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

Israelites 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."

The Word of the Lord

New Testament Reading Romans 5:1-11

A Reading from the letter of Paul to the Romans

Hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has

been poured out into our hearts through the holy

Spirit that has been given to us. For Christ, while we

were still helpless, yet died at the appointed time

for the ungodly. Indeed, only with difficulty does one die

for a just person, though perhaps for a good person

one might even find courage to die. But God proves his

love for us in that while we were still sinners

Christ died for us. How much more then, since we are

now justified by his blood, will we be saved

through him from the wrath. Indeed, if, while we were

enemies, we were reconciled to God through the

death of his Son, how much more, once reconciled, will

we be saved by his life. Not only that, but we also

boast of God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through

whom we have now received reconciliation.

The Word of the Lord

New Testament Reading Romans 5:17-21

A Reading from the letter of Paul to the Romans

For if, by the transgression of one person, death came to

reign through that one, how much more will those

who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of

justification come to reign in life through the one

person Jesus Christ. In conclusion, just as through one

transgression condemnation came upon all, so

through one righteous act acquittal and life came to all.

For just as through the disobedience of one person

the many were made sinners, so through the obedience of

one the many will be made righteous. The law

entered in so that transgression might increase but, where

sin increased, grace overflowed all the more, so

that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign

through justification for eternal life through Jesus

Christ our Lord.

The Word of the Lord

New Testament Reading Romans 6:3-9

A Reading from the letter of Paul to the Romans

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.

The Word of the Lord

New Testament Reading Romans 8:14-23

A Reading from the letter of Paul to the Romans

For those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of

God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to

fall back into fear, but you received a spirit of adoption,

through which we cry, "Abba, Father!" The Spirit

itself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of

God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and

joint heirs with Christ, if only we suffer with him so that

we may also be glorified with him. I consider that

the sufferings of this present time are as nothing

compared with the glory to be revealed for us. For

creation awaits with eager expectation the revelation of

the children of God; for creation was made subject

to futility, not of its own accord but because of the one

who subjected it, in hope that creation itself would

be set free from slavery to corruption and share in the

glorious freedom of the children of God. We know

that all creation is groaning in labor pains even until now;

and not only that, but we ourselves, who have the

first fruits of the Spirit, we also groan within ourselves as

we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.

The Word of the Lord

New Testament Reading Romans 8:31B-35, 37-39

A Reading from the letter of Paul to the Romans

If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not

spare his own Son but handed him over for us all,

how will he not also give us everything else along with

him? Who will bring a charge against God's

chosen ones? It is God who acquits us. Who will

condemn? It is Christ (Jesus) who died, rather, was

raised, who also is at the right hand of God, who indeed

intercedes for us. What will separate us from the

love of Christ? Will anguish, or distress, or persecution,

or famine, or nakedness, or peril or the sword? No,

in all these things we conquer overwhelmingly through

him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither

death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present

things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height,

nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate

us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The Word of the Lord

Old Testament Reading Job 19:1, 23-27

A Reading from the letter of Paul to the Romans

None of us lives for oneself, and no one dies for oneself.

For if we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die,

we die for the Lord; so then, whether we live or die, we

are the Lord's. For this is why Christ died and

came to life, that he might be Lord of both the dead and

the living. For we shall all stand before the

judgment seat of God; for it is written: "As I live, says

the Lord, every knee shall bend before me, and

every tongue shall give praise to God." So then each of

us shall give an account of himself to God.

The Word of the Lord

New Testament Reading 2 Corinthians 4:13 -5:1, 6-10

A Reading from the second letter of Paul to the Corinthians

We know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will

raise us also with Jesus and place us with you in

his presence. Everything indeed is for you, so that the

grace bestowed in abundance on more and more

people may cause the thanksgiving to overflow for the

glory of God. Therefore we are not discouraged;

rather, although our outer self is wasting away, our inner

self is being renewed day by day. For this

momentary light affliction is producing for us an eternal

weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look

not to what is seen but to what is unseen; for what is seen

is transitory, but what is unseen is eternal. For we

know that if our earthly dwelling, a tent, should be

destroyed, we have a building from God, a

dwelling not made with hands, eternal in heaven.

The Word of the Lord

New Testament Reading Philippians 3:20-21

A reading from the letter of Paul to the Philippians

Our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we also await a

savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will change our

lowly body to conform with his glorified body by the

power that enables him also to bring all things into

subjection to himself.

The Word of the Lord

New Testament Reading 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

New Testament Reading 2 Timothy 2:8-13

A Reading from the second letter of Paul to Timothy

Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a

descendant of David: such is my gospel, for which

I am suffering, even to the point of chains, like a

criminal. But the word of God is not chained.

Therefore, I bear with everything for the sake of those

who are chosen, so that they too may obtain the

salvation that is in Christ Jesus, together with eternal

glory. This saying is trustworthy: If we have died

with him we shall also live with him; if we persevere we

shall also reign with him. But if we deny him he

will deny us. If we are unfaithful he remains faithful, for

he cannot deny himself.

The Word of the Lord

New Testament Reading 1 John 3:1-2

A Reading from the first letter of John

See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may

be called the children of God. Yet so we are. The

reason the world does not know us is that it did not know

him. Beloved, we are God's children now; what we

shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that

when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we

shall see him as he is.

The Word of the Lord

New Testament Reading 1 John 3:14-16

A reading from the first letter of John

We know that we have passed from death to life because

we love our brothers. Whoever does not love

remains in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a

murderer, and you know that no murderer has

eternal life remaining in him. The way we came to know

love was that he laid down his life for us; so we

ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.

The Word of the Lord

New Testament Reading Revelation 21:1-5, 6-7

A Reading from the book of Revelation

I 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, God's 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."

The Word of the Lord

New Testament Reading Revelation 14:13

A reading from the book of Revelation

I 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."

The Word of the Lord

New Testament Reading Revelation 20:11-21:1

A Reading from the book of Revelation

I saw a large white throne and the one who was sitting on

it. The earth and the sky fled from his presence and

there was no place for them. I saw the dead, the great and

the lowly, standing before the throne, and scrolls

were opened. Then another scroll was opened, the book

of life. The dead were judged according to their

deeds, by what was written in the scrolls. The sea gave

up its dead; then Death and Hades gave up their

dead. All the dead were judged according to their deeds.

Then Death and Hades were thrown into the pool

of fire. (This pool of fire is the second death.) Anyone

whose name was not found written in the book of

life was thrown into the pool of fire. Then I saw a new

heaven and a new earth. The former heaven and

the former earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.

The Word of the Lord