The Mystery of Death and Christian Funerals - #11

The Order of Christian Funerals provides fifteen prayer texts for those who mourn. These newly composed orations are meant to console people who feel grief and loss because of the death of a loved one. Notice the way these prayers speak about God, especially God's attitude towards those who die, about the meaning of our lives, and about us and our relationship with God and our communion with the dead. I also hope that these liturgical prayers may be a source of personal prayer.

Prayer 1. Father of mercies and God of all consolation, you pursue us with untiring love and dispel the shadow of death with the bright dawn of life. Comfort your family in their loss and sorrow. Be our refuge and our strength, O Lord, and lift us from the depths of grief into the peace and light of your presence. Your Son, our lord Jesus Christ, by dying has destroyed our death, and by rising, restored our life. Enable us therefore to press on toward him, so that, after our earthly course is run he may reunite us with those we love, when every tear will be wiped away. We ask this through Christ our lord, Amen.

Prayer 2. Lord Jesus, our Redeemer, you willingly gave yourself up to death, so that all might be saved and pass from death to life. We humbly ask you to comfort your servants in their grief and to receive N. into the arms of your mercy. You alone are the Holy One, you are mercy itself; by dying you unlocked the gates of life for those who believe in you. Forgive N. his/her sins, and grant him/her a place of happiness, light, and peace in the kingdom of your glory forever and ever. Amen.

Prayer 3. God, all-compassionate, ruler of the living and the dead, you know beforehand those whose faithful lives reveal them as your own. We pray for those who belong to this present world and for those who have passed to the world to come: grant them pardon for all their sins. We ask you graciously to hear our prayer through the intercession of all the saints and for your mercy's sake. For you are God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer 4. Lord our God, the death of our brother/sister N. recalls our human condition and the brevity of our lives on earth. But for those who believe in your love, death is not the end, nor does it destroy the bonds that you forge in our lives. We share the faith of your Son's disciples and the hope of the children of God. Bring the light of Christ's resurrection to this time of testing and pain as we pray for N. and for those who love him/her, through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Prayer 5. Lord God, you are attentive to the voice of our pleading. Let us find in your Son comfort in our sadness, certainly in our doubt, and courage to live through this hour. Make our strength strong through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer 6. Lord, N. is gone now from this earthly dwelling and has left behind those who mourn his/her absence. Grant that as we grieve for our brother/sister we may hold his/her memory dear and live in hope of the eternal kingdom where you will bring us together again. We ask this thorough Christ our lord.

Prayer 7. Most merciful God, whose wisdom is beyond our understanding, surround the family of N. with your love, that they may not be overwhelmed by their loss, but have confidence in your goodness and strength to meet the days to come. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.