PLANNING GUIDE
for
The Celebration of a Mass of Christian Burial
Introduction
We extend our deepest sympathy on the loss of your loved
one. At this difficult time, we turn to our loving God for comfort and
strength. As we prepare for the Mass of Christian Burial, we offer some suggestions for your
consideration.
Ministerial Roles
Family members or friends are welcome to minister in the
following ways:
–Assisting with placing the Pall on the casket, as a reminder
of the white Baptismal garment
–Proclaiming the First and Second readings
–Reading the General Intercessions (Prayer of the Faithful)
–Bringing the bread and wine forward at Preparation
(offertory) time
–Assisting with the distribution of Communion, if he/she is
a Eucharistic Minister
–Assisting as an Altar server, if so trained
–Music Ministry
**You may consult relatives and friends as they visit with
you, and then discuss these options with the priest or deacon. You may
also contact the parish Director of Liturgy and Music regarding these choices
and the music selection.
Scriptures
The words of scripture can be particularly comforting at
this time. This booklet contains a selection of readings which may be proclaimed at the funeral
liturgy. You may select an Old Testament and a New Testament passage. The Responsorial
Psalm will be sung, and will be considered in the Music section of this
booklet. The priest or deacon will
proclaim the Gospel.
FIRST READING
(select one from #1-7)
#1
Job 19:1, 23—27a
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.
#2
Wisdom 3: 1-6, 9
(Long form in parenthesis & italic–Wisdom 3:1-9)
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 before 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 him self. As gold in the furnace, he proved them, and as sacrificial
offerings he took them to himself. (In the time of their visitation they shall shine, and shall
dart about as sparks through stubble; They shall judge nations and rule over peoples, and the
Lord shall be their King forever.) 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 the elect.
#3
Wisdom 4: 7-15
The just man, though he 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 for men, and an
unsullied life, the attainment of old age. He who pleased God was loved; he who lived among
sinners was transported–snatched away, lest wickedness pervert his mind or deceit beguile his
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, he reached the fullness of
long career; for his soul was pleasing to the Lord, therefore he sped him out of the midst
of wickedness, But the people saw and did not understand nor did they take this into account.
#4
Isaiah 25:6a, 7-9
On the 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!”
#5
Lamentations 3:17-26
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.
#6
Daniel 12:1-3
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.
#7
2 Maccabees 12: 43-46
Judas, the ruler of Israel, then 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.
SECOND READING
(select one from #1-19)
During the Easter season, reading 1, 17, 18, or 19 may be used
as the first reading instead of a reading from the Old Testament
#1
Acts 10:34-36, 42-43
(Easter Time)
(Long form in parenthesis & italic Acts 10:34-43)
Peter proceeded to address the people in these words: “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 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.”
#2
Romans 5: 5-11
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.
#3
Romans 5: 17–21
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 disobedience 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.
#4
Romans 6:3-4, 8-9
(Long form in parenthesis & italic–Romans 6:3-9)
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.
#5
Romans 8:14–23
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 it self 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 our selves as we wait for adoption, the redemption of our
bodies.
#6
Romans 8: 31b - 35, 37-39
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 heights, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate
us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
#7
Romans 14: 7–9, 10b–12
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.
#8
1 Corinthians 15: 20–23
(Long form in parenthesis & italic–1 Corinthians 15:
20–23, 24b-28)
Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of
those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a human being, the resurrection of the
dead came also through a human being. For just as in
Adam all die, so too in Christ shall all be brought to life, but each one in proper order: Christ the first fruit; then, at his coming,
those who belong to Christ; (then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to his God and
Father. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be
destroyed is death, for “he subjected everything under his feet.” But when it says that everything has been
subjected, it is clear that it excludes the One who subjected everything to him,
then the Son himself will also be subjected to the One who subjected everything to him, so
that God may be all in all.)
#9
1 Corinthians 15: 51-57
Behold, I tell you a mystery. We shall not all fall asleep, but we will all
be changed, in an instant, in the blink of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For that which is corruptible must clothe itself with incorruptibility, and that which is
mortal must clothe itself with immortality. And when
that which is corruptible clothes itself with incorruptibility and that which is mortal clothes itself with immortality, then the word that is written shall come about: “Death is
swallowed up in victory. Where, O death,
is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin,
and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our
Lord Jesus Christ.
#10
1 Corinthians 4: 14—5:1
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.
#11
1 Corinthians 5:1, 6–10
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. So we are always courageous, although we know that while we are at home in the body we
are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yet we are courageous, and
we would rather leave the body and go home to the Lord. Therefore, we aspire to please him, whether
we are at home or away. For we
must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive recompense according to what he did in the body,
whether good or evil.
#12
Philippians 3:20–21
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.
#13
1 Thessalonians 4:13–18
We do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters,
about those who have fallen asleep, so that you may not grieve like the rest, who have no hope.
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose, so too will God, through Jesus, bring with him
those who have fallen asleep. Indeed, we tell you this, on the word of the Lord, that we
who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will surely not precede those who
have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself, with a word of command, with the voice of an
archangel and with the trumpet of God, will come down from heaven, and the dead in Christ will
rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in
the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Thus, we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore,
console one another with these words.
#14
Timothy 2:8-13
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.
#15
1 John 3: 1–2
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.
#16
1 John 3: 14–16
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 we laid down his life for us; so we ought to lay
down our lives for our brothers and sisters.
(Easter Time)
#17
Revelation 14:13
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.”
#18
Revelation 20: 11-21: 1
(Easter Time)
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.
#19
Revelation 21:1–5a, 6b -7
(Easter Time)
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.”
RESPONSORIAL PSALM (this is sung after the first reading)
–You may choose one of the following Psalms:
Psalm 23: The Lord is my
shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Psalm 25: To you, O Lord,
I lift my soul.
Psalm 27: The Lord is my
light and my salvation.
Psalm 42: My soul is
thirsting for the living God: when shall I see him face to face?
Psalm 63: My soul is
thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
Psalm 103: The Lord is
kind and merciful.
Psalm 116: I will walk in
the presence of the Lord in the land of the living.
Psalm 122: I rejoiced
when I heard them say: let us go to the house of the Lord.
Psalm 130: Out of the
depths, I cry to you, Lord.
Psalm 143: O Lord, hear
my prayer.
GOSPEL READING
(select one from #1-19)
#1
Matthew 5:1-12a
When he saw the crowds, Jesus went up the mountain, and
after he had sat down, his disciples came to him.
He began to teach them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be
comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the
kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every
kind of evil against you falsely because of me.
Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.”
#2
Matthew 11: 25-30
On one occasion Jesus spoke thus: “I give praise to you,
Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and
the learned you have revealed them to the childlike.
Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and
no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son
wishes to reveal him. “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will
give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of
heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my
yoke is easy, and my burden light.”
#3
Matthew 25: 1-13
Jesus spoke this parable to his disciples: “The kingdom of heaven will be like ten
virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish
ones, when taking their lamps, brought no oil with them, but the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps. Since the bridegroom was long delayed, they
all became drowsy and fell asleep. At
midnight, there was a cry, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise ones replied, ‘No, for there may not be enough for us and you. Go instead to the merchants and buy some for
yourselves.’ While they went off to buy it, the bridegroom came and those who
were ready went into the wedding feast with him. Then
the door was locked. Afterwards the
other virgins came and said, ‘Lord, Lord, open the door for us!’ But he said in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the
hour.”
#4
Matthew 25:31-46
Jesus said to his disciples:
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the
nations will be assembled before him. And he will
separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will
place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed
by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the
world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a
stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in
prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we
see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome
you, or naked and clothe you?
When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’ And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you
did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’ “Then he will say to those on his left,
‘Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the
devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave
me no drink, a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing,
ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.’
Then they will answer and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and
not minister to your needs?’ He will answer them, ‘Amen, I say to you, what you did not do
for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.’
And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
#5
Mark 15: 33-39
(Long form in parenthesis & italic–Mark 15: 33-39; 16:
1-6)
At noon darkness came over the whole land until three in the
afternoon. And at three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema
sabachthani?” 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!” (When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of James, and Salome bought
spices so that they might go and anoint him. Very
early when the sun had risen, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb. They
were saying to one another, “Who will roll back the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?”
When they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back; it was very large.
On entering the tomb they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a white robe, and they were utterly
amazed. He said to them, “Do not be amazed! You seek
Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified. He has
been raised; he is not here. Behold, the place where they laid him.”)
#6
Luke 7: 11-17
Jesus 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 dead man sat up and began to speak, and
Jesus gave him to his mother.
Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, exclaiming, “A great prophet has risen in our midst,” and “God has visited his
people.” This report about him spread through the whole of Judea and in all the surrounding
region.
#7
Luke 12:35-40
Jesus said to his disciples: “Gird your loins and light your
lamps and be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding, ready to open
immediately when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on
his arrival. Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself, have them recline at table, and proceed
to wait on them. And should he come in the second or third watch and find them prepared in this
way, blessed are those servants. Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour
when the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be prepared, for at an hour you
do not expect, the Son of Man will come.”
#8
Luke 23: 33, 39-43
When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified
Jesus and the criminals there, one on his right, the other on his left. Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying, “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us.” The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply, “Have you no fear of
God, for you are subject to the same condemnation?
And indeed, we have been condemned justly, for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes, but this man has done
nothing criminal.” Then he said, “Jesus remember me when you come into your
kingdom.” He replied to him, “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
#9
Luke 23: 44-46, 50, 52-53
(Long form in parenthesis & italic–Luke 23: 44-46, 50,
52-53; 24: 1-6a)
It was now about noon and darkness came over the whole land
until three in the afternoon because of an eclipse of the sun. Then the veil of the temple was torn down the
middle. Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I
commend my spirit”; and when he said this he breathed his last. Now there was a virtuous and righteous man
named Joseph who, though he was a member of the council, went to
Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. After he
had taken the body down, he wrapped it in a linen cloth and laid him in a rock–hewn tomb in which no one had yet been buried. (But at daybreak on the first day of the week the women took the spices they had prepared and
went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb; but when they
entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.
While they were puzzling over this, behold, two men in dazzling garments appeared to them.
They were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground. They said to them, “Why do you seek the living one among the
dead? He is not here, but he has been raised.”)
#10
Luke 24: 13-16, 28-35
(Long form in parenthesis & italic–Luke 24: 13-35)
Now that very day the first day of the week two of the
disciples were going to a village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus, and they were conversing
about all the things that had occurred. And it
happened that while they were conversing and debating, Jesus himself drew near and walked with them, but their eyes were prevented
from recognizing him. (He asked them, “What are you discussing as you walk along?” They stopped, looking downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, said to him in reply, “Are you the only
visitor to Jerusalem who does not know of the things that have taken place there in these
days?” And he replied to them, “What sort of things?” They
said to him, “The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the
people, how our chief priests and rulers both handed him over to a sentence of death and crucified
him. But we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel; and besides all this, it
is now the third day since this took place. Some women
from our group, however, have astounded us: they were at the tomb early in the morning and did not find his body; they came back and
reported that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who announced that he was alive. Then some of those with us went to the tomb and found things just as the women had described, but him
they did not see.” And he said to them, “Oh how foolish you are! How slow of heart to believe all that the
prophets spoke! Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things
and enter into his glory?” Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them
what referred to him in all the scriptures.) As they
approached the village to which they were going, he gave the impression that he was going on farther. But they urged him, “Stay with us, for it is
nearly evening and the day is almost over.”
So he went in to stay with them.
And it happened that, while he was with them at table, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it,
and gave it to them. With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he vanished
from their sight. Then they said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while
he spoke to us on the way and opened the scriptures to us?” So
they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem where they found gathered together the eleven and those with them who were saying, “The Lord has
truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!” Then the two recounted what had taken place
on the way and how he was made known to them in the breaking of the
bread.
#11
John 5: 24-29
Jesus said to the Jews:
“Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes in the one who sent me has eternal life and will not come to
condemnation, but has passed from death to life. Amen, amen, I say to you, the hour is coming and is now here when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and
those who hear will live. For just as the Father has life in himself, so also he gave to
his Son the possession of life in himself. And he gave
him power to exercise judgment, because he is the Son of Man. Do not be amazed at this, because the hour is coming in
which all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and will come out, those who have done
good deeds to the resurrection of life, but those who have done wicked deeds
to the resurrection of condemnation.”
#12
John 6: 37-40
Jesus said to the crowd:
“Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to me, because I came down from
heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me. And this is the will of the one who sent me,
that I should not lose anything of what he gave me, but that I should raise it
on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in
him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day.”
#13
John 6: 51-58
Jesus said to the crowd:
“I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will
give is my flesh for the life of the world.” The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”
Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life
within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will
raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I have
life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will
have life because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever.”
#14
John 11: 21-27
(Long form in parenthesis & italic–John 11: 17-27)
(When Jesus arrived in Bethany, he found that Lazarus had
already been in the tomb for four days. Now Bethany was
near Jerusalem, only about two miles away.
And many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them about their
brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him; but Mary sat at
home.) Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will
rise.” Martha said to him, “I know he will rise, in the resurrection on the last
day.” Jesus told her, “I am the
resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will
live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one
who is coming into the world.”
#15
John 11: 32-45
When Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at
his feet and said to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have
died.” When Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews who had come with her weeping, he
became perturbed and deeply troubled, and said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Sir, come and see.” And Jesus wept. So
the Jews said, “See how he loved him.”
But some of them said, “Could not the one who opened the eyes of the blind man have
done something so that this man would not have died?” So Jesus, perturbed again, came to the
tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay across it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the dead man’s sister, said to him, “Lord, by now there will be a
stench; he has been dead for four days.” Jesus said to
her, “Did I not tell you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?” So they took
away the stone. And Jesus raised his
eyes and said, “Father, I thank you for hearing me. I
know that you always hear me; but because of the crowd here I have said this, that they may believe that you sent
me.” And when he said this, he cried out in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, tied hand and foot with burial bands, and his face was wrapped in a cloth. So Jesus said to them, “Untie him and let him go.”
Now many of the Jews who had come to Mary and seen what he had done began to believe in him.
#16
John 12: 23-26
(Long form in parenthesis & italic–John 12: 23-28)
Jesus told his disciples:
“The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Amen, amen, I say to you , unless a grain of wheat falls to the
ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces mush fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for
eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant
be. The Father will honor whoever serves me.
(“I am troubled now. Yet what
should I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But it
was for this purpose that I came to this hour.
Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice
came from heaven, “I have glorified it and will glorify it again.”)
#17
John 14: 1-6
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Do not let your hearts be troubled.
You have faith in God; have faith also in me. In
my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for
you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that
where I am you also may be. Where I am going you know the way.” Thomas said to him, “Master, we do not know
where you are going; how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him , “I am the way and the
truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
#18
John 17: 24-26
Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and said: Father, [my
disciples] are your gift to me. I wish that where I am they also may be with me, that they may see
my glory that you gave me, because you loved me before the foundation of the
world. Righteous Father, the world also does not know you, but I know you, and they know that
you sent me. I made known to them your name and I will make it known, that the love
with which you loved me may be in them and I in them.”
#19
John 19: 17-18, 25-30
Jesus carrying the cross himself went out to what is called
the Place of the Skull, in Hebrew, Golgotha. There they
crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, with Jesus in the middle. Standing
by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. When Jesus saw his mother and the
disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your
son.” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.”
And from that hour the disciple took her into his home. After this, aware that everything was now finished, in order that the
scripture might be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I thirst.” There was
a vessel filled with common wine. So
they put a sponge soaked in wine on a sprig of hyssop and put it up to his mouth. When Jesus had taken the wine, he said, “It
is finished.” And bowing
his head, he handed over the spirit.
MUSIC
–You may choose 4 or 5 of the following songs:
A Living Faith
All Creatures Of Our God And King
Alleluia Sing To Jesus
Amazing Grace
A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
Ave Maria
Be Not Afraid
Blest Are They
Crown Him With Many Crowns
Eye Has Not Seen
For All The Saints
Hail Mary, Gentle Woman
Here I Am, Lord
Holy God We Praise Thy Name
Holy Holy Holy
Hosea
How Great Thou Art
I Am the Bread of Life
I Have Loved You
I Heard The Voice Of Jesus
I Know That My Redeemer Lives
Immaculate Mary
In The Garden
It Is Well With My Soul
I Want To Walk As A Child Of The Light
Jerusalem My Happy Home
Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee
Just a Closer Walk With Thee
Let There Be Peace on Earth
Like a Shepherd
Lord Of All Hopefulness
Lord When You Came
Make Me A Channel Of Your Peace
Morning Has Broken
O God Our Help in Ages Past
O Lord, I Am Not Worthy
On Eagles’ Wings
One Bread, One Body
Panis Angelicus
Prayer of St. Francis
Precious Lord, Take My Hand
Rock Of Ages
Shall We Gather at the River
Shepherd Me, O God
Sing With All The Saints In Glory
The Hand Of God Shall Hold You
The King of Love My Shepherd Is
The Strife Is O’er
We Walk By Faith
You Are Mine
You Are Near
You Satisfy The Hungry Heart
We Remember
We Shall Gather At The River
SPEAKERS
Certainly, there will be many stories told and memories
shared over the next few days. During the Mass of Christian Burial, the homily is based on
readings selected. The homilist may well incorporate stories recounted by the family as
examples of ways in which the deceased exemplified Gospel values in his or her life. If a
celebrant allows a speaker during the Mass itself, we ask that you respect the following:
“one speaker, a member or friend of the family may speak for
not more than five (5) minutes.”
It is imperative that the “5 minute” rule be followed as
closely as possible due to the many different schedules that converge to allow a funeral Mass to
take place. We must be considerate of everyone’s time and schedule.
CONCLUSION
We will continue to remember your family and friends in our
prayers during the coming weeks and months. If you would like more information or if
you have any questions pertaining to the funeral, please feel free to call your Parish Office.
Planning Guide for the Mass of Christian Burial
Name(s) of the deceased:
_____________________________________________
Date: ________________________
Serving as pallbearers are:
_________________________________________________
Eulogy?
□ Yes
□ No
Name of
speaker: ____________________________
Remains:
□ Casket
□ Cremains
□ No remains will be present
Will incense be used?
□ Yes
□ No If so,
when?
□ At the offertory
□ Before Mass
□ After Communion
□ After the Final Commendation
Table needed for photos, etc.?
□ Yes
□ No
Introductory Rites
Processional
Hymn: ____________________________________________________________________
Greeting – Sprinkling with Holy Water – Placing of the Pall
Will the Pall be placed over the remains by family
members?
□ Yes
□ No
If so, by whom?
___________________________________________________________________________
Opening Prayer
Liturgy of the Word
First Reading:
_______________________________________________
Read by:
___________________________
Psalm (normally this is sung):
_________________________________________________
Second Reading:
_____________________________________________
Read by:
___________________________
The Gospel Acclamation (sung)
The Gospel:
____________________________________________
Proclaimed by: ___________________________
Homily offered by:
_________________________________________________
General Intercessions
Read by:
___________________________________________
Liturgy of the Eucharist
Preparation of the Gifts
Will the gifts of bread and wine be brought forward by
family members?
□ Yes
□ No.
If so, by whom?
___________________________________________________________________________
Offertory Hymn:
____________________________________________________
Sanctus – Acclamation – Amen
Rite of Fraction (the Lamb of God is sung)
Communion
Is there a need for an additional Eucharistic Minister?
□ Yes
□ No. If so, who?
__________________________
Communion Hymn:
____________________________________________________________________
Meditation Hymn:
____________________________________________________________________
Prayer After Communion
Final Commendation
In paradisum:
□ Recited
□ Sung by: ___________________________
Version:
_________________________
Recessional Hymn:
____________________________________________________________________
Will Holy Water be used at the conclusion of the
funeral?
□ Yes
□ No If so, where?
________________________
NOTES
