Funeral Planning

OT1 - Job 19:1, 23-27
I know that my Vindicator lives.

Job answered Bildad the Shuhite 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.

OT2 - Wisdom 3:1-9

Thesouls 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 himself. 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 his elect.

OT3 - Ecclesiastes 3:1-11
A Time for Everything

There is an appointed time foreverything, 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.

OT4 - Wisdom 4:7-15
An unsullied life is the attainment of old age.

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 a 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. Because grace and mercy are with his holy ones and his care is with his elect.

OT5 - Isaiah 25:6, 7-9
He will destroy death for ever.

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!”

OT6 - Lamentations 3:17-26
It is good to hope in silence for the saving help of the Lord.

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.

NT1 - Romans 5:5-11
Having been justified by his blood, we will be saved from God’s anger through him.

Brothers and sisters: Hope does not disappoint, be- cause the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. For Christ, while we were still helpless, died at the appointed time for the ungodly. Indeed, only with dif- ficulty 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 recon- ciled, 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.

NT2 - Romans 6:3-9
Let us walk in newness of life.

Brothers and sisters: Are you unaware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were indeed buried with him through bap- tism 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.

NT3 - Romans 8:14-23
We also groan within ourselves as we wait for adop- tion, the redemption of our bodies.

Brothers and sisters: Those who are led by the Spirit of God, are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a spir- it 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 revela- tion of the children of God; for creation was made sub- ject 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.

NT4 - Romans 14:7-9, 10c-12
Whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.

Brothers and sisters: No one 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. Why then do you judge your brother? Or you, why do you look down on your brother? 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 accounting of himself to God.

NT5 - Romans 8:31b-35, 37-39
What will separate us from the love of Christ?

Brothers and sisters: If God is for us, who can be against us? He did not spare his own Son but handed him over for us all, 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 in- deed intercedes for us. What will separate us from the love of Christ? Will anguish, or distress or persecu- tion, 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.

NT6 - 1 Corinthians 15:20-28
So too in Christ shall all be brought to life.

Brothers and sisters: Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrec- tion of the dead came also through a man. 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 fruits; 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. When everything is sub- jected to him, then the Son himself will also be sub- jected to the one who subjected everything to him, so that God may be all in all.

NT7 - 1 Corinthians 15:51-5
Death is swallowed up in victory.

Brothers and sisters: 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 in- corruptible, and we shall be changed. For that which is corruptible must clothe itself with incorruptibility, and that which is mortal must clothe itself with im- mortality. And when that which is corruptible clothes itself with incorruptibility, and this which is mortal clothes itself with immortality, then the word that is written shall come about: Death is swallowed up in victory. Where, 0 death, is your victory? Where, 0 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.

NT8 - 2 Corinthians 4:14 – 5:1
What is seen is transitory; what is unseen is eternal.

Brothers and sisters: Knowing 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 over- flow for the glory of God. Therefore, we are not dis- couraged; 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.

NT9 - 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
Thus we shall always be with the Lord.

We do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sis- ters, 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 fall- en 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 al- ways be with the Lord. Therefore, console one another with these words.

NT10 - 1 John 3:1-2
We shall see God as he really is.

Beloved: See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we maybe 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.

Easter NT1 - Acts 10:34-43
He is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead.

Peter proceeded to speak, saying: “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 children of Israel as he proclaimed peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all, what has happened all over Ju- dea, 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.”

Easter NT2 - Revelation 14:13
Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord.

I, John, 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.” that we shall also live with him. We know that Christ, raised from the dead, dies no more; death no longer has pow- er over him.

Easter NT3 - Revelation 20:11 – 21:1
The dead were judged according to their deeds.

I, John, saw a large white throne and the one who was sitting on it. The earth and the sky fled from his pres- ence 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.

Easter NT4 - Revelation 21:1-5a, 6b-7
There shall be no more death.

I, John, saw a new heaven and a new earth. The for- mer 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.”

Gospel 1 - Matthew 5:1-12a
Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.

When Jesus saw the crowds, he 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.”

Gospel 2 - Matthew 11:25-30
Come to me and I will give you rest.

At that time Jesus answered: “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. ‘Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of the least ones, you did not do for me.’ And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

Gospel 3 - John 5:24-29
Whoever hears my word and believes has passed from death to life.

Jesus answered the Jews and said to them: “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes in the one who has 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 the 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.

Gospel 4 - John 6:37-40
Everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life.

Jesus said to the crowds: “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.”

Gospel 5 - John 6:51-59
Whoever eats this bread will live forever.

Jesus said to the crowds: “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.”

Gospel 6 - John 11:17-27
I am the resurrection and the life.

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. 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 that 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? “Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.”

Gospel 7 - John 11:32-45
Lazarus, come out!

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 have sent me.” And when he had 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 crowd, “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.

Gospel 8 - John 12:23-28
If it dies, it produces much fruit.

Brothers and sisters: Knowing 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.

Gospel 9 - John 14:1-6
Inmy Father’s house there are many dwellings.

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 may also 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.”

General Hymns:
Up to 3 hymns and songs may be selected from the following list.

• Amazing Grace - New Britain #645
• Be Not Afraid - Bob Dufford #683
• Christ the Lord is Risen Today - Llanfair #523
• Come to Me, Come to Me - Michael Joncas #731 Crown Him with Many Crowns - Diademata #420 Day is Done - Welsh #858
• Eye Has Not Seen - Mary Haugen #728
• For All the Saints - Sine Nomine #884
• How Great Thou Art - O Store Gud #578
• I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light - Houston #593 Jerusalem My Happy Home - Land Of Rest #870 Jesus, Lead the Way - Rochelle #732
• Lord of All Hopefulness - Slane #663
• Love Divine, All Loves Excelling - Hyfrydol #641
• O God, Our Help in Ages Past - St. Anne #688
• On Eagles Wings - Michael Joncas #691
• Precious Lord, Take My Hand - Precious Lord #955 Shepherd of Souls - St. Agnes #910
• Sing a New Song - Dan Schutte #607
• Sing with All the Saints in Glory - Hymn To Joy #539 The Strife is O’er - Victory #525
• There is a Balm in Gilead - Balm In Gilead #640
• We Have Been Told - David Haas #784
• We Shall Rise Again - Resurrection #871
• When All That is Hidden - Bernadette Farrel #746

Solos

• Ave Maria - Schubert
• Be Thou My Vision - Traditional Irish Melody Deep River - African American Spiritual
• Lady Of Knock - Dana And Damion Scallon Panis Angelicus - Cesar Franck

Commendation (Song of Farewell):
Select 1 Song From The Following List

• I Know That My Redeemer Lives - Scott Soper
• I Know That My Redeemer Lives - David Haas #972 I Know That My Redeemer Lives - Duke Street #527 In Paradisum - Chant Mode Vii
• Song Of Farwell - Michael Joncas #974

Song of Farewell and In Paradisum:

The final commendation of a funeral is the ritual in which the gathered assembly says its final farewell be- fore the body is brought to the place for burial or inter- ment. In the final commendation, there are two important musical rituals that connect to today’s gospel reading.

The first significant musical moment is singing the Song of Farewell. The text of this song includes the line, “May angels lead you to the bosom of Abraham,” quoting directly from verse 22 of the Gospel of Luke. The song of Farewell is a stand-alone ritual, meaning that the singing itself, like the Gloria, is the primary liturgical action and does not accompany any other rit- ual action, although there is the option that the body be incensed during the song. The Order of Christian Funerals calls this song, “the climax of the rite of final commendation” (147). Therefore, it should be sung by the entire assembly.

The second significant musical moment comes at the procession to the place of committal. Although the fu- neral rite allows for any suitable song, the tradition- al Latin text that accompanies this procession is the In Paradisum, or “In paradise.” Here is one English translation of this short refrain found in the Order of Christian Funerals: “May choirs of angels welcome you and lead you to the bosom of Abraham; and where Lazarus is poor no longer may you find eternal rest.” (176B) As we recall Lazarus and the rich man today, let us also remember that at the end of our lives as Christians, we hope that our compassion for those in need in this life will make us worthy to be with Lazarus at Abraham’s side.

Communion
Select 1 Song From The Following List

• Behold The Lamb - Martin Willet #939 Draw Near - Steven Janco #935
• Eat This Bread - Mary Haugen #941
• I Am The Bread Of Life - #945
• Take And Eat - Michael Joncas #950
• You Satisfy The Hungry Heart - Bicentennial #940

Psalm
Select 1 Song From The Following List

• Psalm 23: Shepherd Me, O God - Marty Haugen #35 Psalm 23: The Lord Is My Shepherd - Gelineau Tone Psalm 27: The Lord Is My Light And My
• Salvation - David Haas #41
• Psalm 34: Taste And See - James Moore #930 Psalm 122: Let Us Go Rejoicing - Michael Joncas #84