Funeral Readings
A
reading from the book of Genesis (Genesis
12: 1-2.4)
The
Lord said to Abram, 'Leave your country, your family and your father's house,
for the land I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you
and make your name so famous that it will be used as a blessing. So Abram went
as The Lord told him, and Lot went with him.
The
word of the Lord.
A
Reading from the book of Sirach (Sirach
2:1-9)
All
wisdom is from the Lord, and it is his own for ever.
The
sand of the sea and the raindrops, and the days of eternity, who can assess
them? The height of the sky and the breadth of the earth, and the depth of the
abyss, who can probe them? Before all other things wisdom was created, shrewd
understanding is everlasting. For whom has the root of wisdom ever been
uncovered? Her resourceful ways, who knows them? Only the wise, terrible
indeed, seated on his throne, the Lord. He himself has created her, looked on
her and assessed her, and poured her out on all his works
The
word of the Lord.
A
Reading from the Book of Job. (Job.19:1. 23-27)
Ah,
would that these words of mine were written down, inscribed on some monument
with iron chisel and engraving tool, cut into the rock for ever. This I know:
that my Avenger lives, and he, the Last, will take his stand on earth. After my
awaking, he will set me close to him, and from my flesh I shall look on God. He
whom I shall see will take my part: these eyes will gaze on him and find him
not aloof.
The
word of the Lord.
Reading
from the book of Wisdom (Wisdom
3.1-9)
But
the souls of the virtuous are in the hands of God, no torment shall ever touch
them. In the eyes of the unwise, they did appear to die, their going looked
like a disaster, their leaving us, like annihilation; but they are in peace. If
they experienced punishment as men see it, their hope was rich with
immortality; slight was their affliction, great will their blessings be. God
has put them to the test and proved them worthy to be with him; he has tested
them like gold in a furnace, and accepted them as a holocaust. When the time
comes for his visitation they will shine out; as sparks run through the
stubble, so will they. They shall judge nations, rule over peoples, and the
Lord will be their king for ever. They who trust in him will understand the
truth, those who are faithful will live with him in love; for grace and mercy
await those he has chosen.
The
word of the Lord.
Shorter
form
A
Reading from the book of Wisdom (Wisdom
3.1-6. 9)
But
the souls of the virtuous are in the hands of God, no torment shall ever touch
them. In the eyes of the unwise, they did appear to die, their going looked
like a disaster, their leaving us, like annihilation; but they are in peace. If
they experienced punishment as men see it, their hope was rich with
immortality; slight was their affliction, great will their blessings be. God
has put them to the test and proved them worthy to be with him; he has tested
them like gold in a furnace, and accepted them as a holocaust. They who trust
in him will understand the truth, those who are faithful will live with him in
love; for grace and mercy await those he has chosen.
The
word of the Lord.
A
Reading from the book of Wisdom (Wisdom
4:7-15)
The
virtuous man, though he die before his time, will find rest.
Length
of days is not what makes age honourable, nor number of years the true measure
of life; understanding, this is man's grey hairs, untarnished life, this is
ripe old age. He has sought to please God, so God has loved him; as he was
living among sinners, he has been taken up. He has been carried off so that
evil may not warp his understanding or treachery seduce his soul; for the
fascination of evil throws good things into the shade, and the whirlwind of
desire corrupts a simple heart. Coming to perfection in so short a while, he
achieved long life; his soul being pleasing to the Lord, he has taken him
quickly from the wickedness around him. Yet people look on, uncomprehending; it
does not enter their heads that grace and mercy await the chosen of the Lord,
and protection, his holy ones.
The
word of the Lord.
A
Reading from the book of Ecclesiastes NRSV (3:
1-8. 11)
For
everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
a
time to be born, and a time to die;
a
time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
a
time to break down, and a time to build up;
a
time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a
time to mourn, and a time to dance;
a
time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a
time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
a
time to seek, and a time to lose;
a
time to keep, and a time to throw away;
a
time to tear, and a time to sew;
a
time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
a
time for war, and a time for peace.
He
has made everything suitable for its time;
The
word of the Lord.
A
Reading from the book of Ecclesiastes (3:
1-8. 11)
There
is a season for everything, a time for every occupation under heaven:
A
time for giving birth, a time for dying;
a
time for planting, a time for uprooting what has been planted.
a
time for knocking down, a time for building.
A
time for tears, a time for laughter;
a
time for mourning, a time for dancing.
A
time for throwing stones away, a time for gathering them up;
a
time for embracing, a time to refrain from embracing.
A
time for searching, a time for losing;
a
time for keeping, a time for throwing away.
A
time for tearing, a time for sewing;
a
time for keeping silent, a time for speaking.
a
time for war, a time for peace.
All
that God does is apt for its time.
The
word of the Lord.
A
Reading from the prophet Isaiah (25:6-9)
On this mountain, the Lord of hosts will prepare for all peoples a banquet of
rich food. On this mountain he will remove the mourning veil covering all
peoples, and the shroud enwrapping all nations, he will destroy Death for ever.
The Lord will wipe away the tears from every cheek; he will take away his
people's shame everywhere on earth, for the Lord has said so. That day, it will
be said: See, this is our God in whom we hoped for salvation; the Lord is the
one in whom we hoped. We exult and we rejoice that he has saved us.
The
word of the Lord.
A
reading from the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah
35: 3-6. 10)
Strengthen
all weary hands, steady all trembling knees and say to all faint hearts,
'Courage! Do not be afraid. 'Look, your God is coming, vengeance is coming, the
retribution of God; he is coming to save you.' Then the eyes of the blind shall
be opened, the ears of the deaf unsealed, then the lame shall leap like a deer
and the tongues of the dumb sing for joy; for water gushes in the desert,
streams in the wasteland, for those the Lord has ransomed shall return. They
will come to Zion shouting for joy, everlasting joy on their faces; joy and
gladness will go with them and sorrow and lament be ended.
The
word of the Lord.
A
reading from the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah
41:9-11.13-14)
You
whom I brought from the confines of the earth and called from the ends of the
world; you to whom I said, 'You are my servant, I have chosen you, not rejected
you', do not be afraid, for I am with you; stop being anxious and watchful, for
I am your God. I give you strength, I bring you help, I uphold you with my
victorious right hand. Yes, all those who raged against you, shall be put to
shame and confusion; they who fought against you shall be destroyed, and
perish. For I, the Lord, your God, I am holding you by the right hand; I tell
you, 'Do not be afraid, I will help you'. It is the Lord who speaks - the Holy
One of Israel is your redeemer.
The
word of the Lord.
A
reading from the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah
49:8.14-16)
Thus
says The Lord: At the favourable time I will answer you, on the day of
salvation I will help you. For Zion was saying, 'The Lord has abandoned me, the
Lord has forgotten me'. Does a woman forget her baby at the breast, or fail to
cherish the son of her womb? Yet even if these forget, I will never forget you.
See, I have branded you on the palms of my hands.
The
word of the Lord.
A
reading from the prophet Isaiah NRSV
-(Isaiah 49:8.14-16)
Thus
says the LORD: In a time of favour I have answered you, on a day of salvation I
have helped you; But Zion said, "The LORD has forsaken me, my Lord has
forgotten me." Can a woman forget her nursing child, or show no compassion
for the child of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you.
See, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands.
The
word of the Lord.
A
reading from the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah
52:7-10.)
How
beautiful on the mountains, are the feet of one who brings good news, who
heralds peace, brings happiness, proclaims salvation, and tells Zion, 'Your God
is king!' Listen! Your watchmen raise their voices, they shout for joy
together, for they see The Lord face to face, as he returns to Zion. Break into
shouts of joy together, you ruins of Jerusalem; for The Lord is consoling his
people, redeeming Jerusalem. The Lord bares his holy arm in the sight of all
the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.
The
word of the Lord
A
reading from the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah
61:1-4)
The
spirit of the Lord has been given to me, for the Lord has anointed me. He has
sent me to bring good news to the poor, to bind up hearts that are broken; to
proclaim liberty to captives, freedom to those in prison; to proclaim a year of
favour from the Lord, a day of vengeance for our God, to comfort all those who
mourn and to give them for ashes a garland; for mourning robe the oil of
gladness, for despondency, praise.
The
word of the Lord.
A
Reading from the prophet Isaiah RSV
version (Isaiah 61:1-4)
The
spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; he has
sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the broken-hearted, to
proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners ;to proclaim the
year of the Lord's favour, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all
who mourn; to provide for those who mourn - to give them a garland instead of
ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning.
The
word of the Lord.
A
Reading from the book of Lamentation (3:17-26)
My
soul is shut out from peace; I have forgotten happiness. And now I say, 'My
strength is gone, that hope which came from the Lord'. Brooding on my anguish
and affliction is gall and wormwood. My spirit ponders it continually and sinks
within me. This is what I shall tell my heart, and so recover hope: the favours
of The Lord are not all past, his kindnesses are not exhausted; every morning
they are renewed; great is his faithfulness. 'My portion is The Lord' says my
soul 'and so I will hope in him.' The Lord is good to those who trust him, to
the soul that searches for him. It is good to wait in silence for the Lord to
save.
The
word of the Lord.
A
Reading from the prophet Daniel (12:1-3)
'At
that time Michael will stand up, the great prince who mounts guard over your
people. There is going to be a time of great distress, unparalleled since
nations first came into existence. When that time comes, your own people will
be spared, all those whose names are found written in the Book. Of those who
lie sleeping in the dust of the earth many will awake, some to everlasting
life, some to shame and everlasting disgrace. The learned will shine as brightly
as the vault of heaven, and those who have instructed many in virtue, as bright
as stars for all eternity.
This
is the word of the Lord.
A
Reading from the book of
Maccabees (12:43-45)
Judas, the leader of the Jews, took a collection from them individually,
amounting to nearly two thousand drachmae, and sent it to Jerusalem to have a
sacrifice for sin offered, an altogether fine and noble action, in which he
took full account of the resurrection. For if he had not expected the fallen to
rise again it would have been superfluous and foolish to pray for the dead,
whereas if he had in view the splendid recompense reserved for those who make a
pious end, the thought was holy and devout. This was why he had this atonement
sacrifice offered for the dead, so that they might be released from their sin.
The
word of the Lord.
First Readings
from New Testament
A
Reading from the Acts of the Apostles. (10:34-43)
Then
Peter addressed them: 'The truth I have now come to realise' he said 'is that
God does not have favourites, but that anybody of any nationality who fears God
and does what is right is acceptable to him. 'It is true, God sent his word to
the people of Israel, and it was to them that the good news of peace was
brought by Jesus Christ - but Jesus Christ is Lord of all men.
You
must have heard about the recent happenings in Judaea; about Jesus of Nazareth
and how he began in Galilee, after John had been preaching baptism. God had
anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and because God was with him,
Jesus went about doing good and curing all who had fallen into the power of the
devil. Now I, and those with me, can witness to everything he did throughout
the countryside of Judaea and in Jerusalem itself: and also to the fact that
they killed him by hanging him on a tree, yet three days afterwards God raised
him to life and allowed him to be seen, not by the whole people but only by
certain witnesses God had chosen beforehand. Now we are those witnesses - we
have eaten and drunk with him after his resurrection from the dead - and he has
ordered us to proclaim this to his people and to tell them that God has appointed
him to judge everyone, alive or dead. It is to him that all the prophets bear
this witness: that all who believe in Jesus will have their sins forgiven
through his name.'
The
word of the Lord.
Shorter
Form
A
Reading from the Acts of the Apostles. (10:34-36.
42-43)
Then Peter addressed them: 'The truth I have now come to realise' he said 'is
that God does not have favourites, but that anybody of any nationality who
fears God and does what is right is acceptable to him. 'It is true, God sent
his word to the people of Israel, and it was to them that the good news of
peace was brought by Jesus Christ - but Jesus Christ is Lord of all men, and he
has ordered us to proclaim this to his people and to tell them that God has
appointed him to judge everyone, alive or dead. It is to him that all the
prophets bear this witness: that all who believe in Jesus will have their sins
forgiven through his name.'
The
word of the Lord.
A
Reading from the book of the Apocalypse
I,
John, heard a voice from heaven say to me, 'Write down: Happy are those who die
in the Lord! Happy indeed, the Spirit says; now they can rest for ever after
their work, since their good deeds go with them.'
The
word of the Lord.
A
Reading from the book of the Apocalypse (20:11-21:1)
Then
I saw a great white throne and the One who was sitting on it. In his presence,
earth and sky vanished, leaving no trace. I saw the dead, both great and small,
standing in front of his throne, while the book of life was opened, and other
books opened which were the record of what they had done in their lives, by
which the dead were judged. The sea gave up all the dead who were in it; Death
and Hades were emptied of the dead that were in them; and every one was judged
according to the way in which he had lived. Then Death and Hades were thrown
into the burning lake. This burning lake is the second death; and anybody whose
name could not be found written in the book of life was thrown into the burning
lake. Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; the first heaven and the first
earth had disappeared now, and there was no longer any sea.
The
word of the Lord.
A
Reading from the book of the Apocalypse (21:1-7)
I,
John saw a new heaven and a new earth ; the first heaven and the first earth
had disappeared now, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the holy city, and
the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, as beautiful as a bride
all dressed for her husband. Then I heard a loud voice call from the throne,
'You see this city? Here God lives among men. He will make his home among them;
they shall be his people, and he will be their God; his name is God-with-them.
He will wipe away all tears from their eyes; there will be no more death, and
no more mourning or sadness. The world of the past has gone.' Then the One
sitting on the throne spoke: 'Now I am making the whole of creation new' he
said. 'Write this: that what I am saying is sure and will come true.' And then
he said, 'It is already done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and
the End. I will give water from the well of life free to anybody who is
thirsty; it is the rightful inheritance of the one who proves victorious; and I
will be his God and he a son to me.
The
word of the Lord.
A
reading from the Book of Revelation (Revelation
21:1-4)
Then
I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth
had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, the new
Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for
her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "See, the
home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them as their God; they will
be his peoples, and God himself will be with them; he will wipe every tear from
their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no
more, for the first things have passed away."
The
word of the Lord.
Second Readings
From the New Testament
A
Reading from the letter of St. Paul to the Romans (5:5-11)
Hope
is not deceptive, because the love of God has been poured into our hearts by
the Holy Spirit which has been given us. We were still helpless when at his
appointed moment Christ died for sinful men. It is not easy to die even for a
good man - though of course for someone really worthy, a man might be prepared
to die - but what proves that God loves us is that Christ died for us while we
were still sinners. Having died to make us righteous, is it likely that he
would now fail to save us from God's anger?
When
we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, we were still enemies; now
that we have been reconciled, surely we may count on being saved by the life of
his Son? Not merely because we have been reconciled but because we are filled
with joyful trust in God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have
already gained our reconciliation.
The
word of the Lord.
A
Reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans (5:17-21)
If
it is certain that death reigned over everyone as the consequence of one man's
fall, it is even more certain that one man, Jesus Christ, will cause everyone
to reign in life who receives the free gift that he does not deserve, of being
made righteous. Again, as one man's fall brought condemnation on everyone, so
the good act of one man brings everyone life and makes them justified. As by
one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by one man's obedience many
will be made righteous. When law came, it was to multiply the opportunities of
failing, but however great the number of sins committed, grace was even
greater; and so, just as sin reigned wherever there was death, so grace will
reign to bring eternal life thanks to the righteousness that comes through
Jesus Christ our Lord.
The
word of the Lord.
A
Reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the
Romans (6:3-9)
You
have been taught that when we were baptised in Christ Jesus we were baptised in
his death; in other words, when we were baptised we went into the tomb with him
and joined him in death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the
Father's glory, we too might live a new life. If in union with Christ we have
imitated his death, we shall also imitate him in his resurrection. We must
realise that our former selves have been crucified with him to destroy this
sinful body and to free us from the slavery of sin. When a Christian dies, of
course, he has finished with sin.
But
we believe that having died with Christ we shall return to life with him:
Christ, as we know, having been raised from the dead will never die again.
Death has no power over him any more.
The
word of the Lord.
Shorter
Form
A
Reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans (6:3-4,
8-9)
When
we were baptised in Christ Jesus we were baptised in his death; in other words,
when we were baptised we went into the tomb with him and joined him in death,
so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the Father's glory, we too might
live a new life. But we believe that having died with Christ we shall return to
life with him: Christ, as we know, having been raised from the dead will never
die again. Death has no power over him any more.
The
word of the Lord.
A
Reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the
Romans (8:14-23)
Everyone
moved by the Spirit is a son of God. The spirit you received is not the spirit
of slaves bringing fear into your lives again; it is the spirit of sons, and it
makes us cry out, 'Abba, Father!' The Spirit himself and our spirit bear united
witness that we are children of God. And if we are children we are heirs as
well: heirs of God and coheirs with Christ, sharing his sufferings so as to
share his glory. I think that what we suffer in this life can never be compared
to the glory, as yet unrevealed, which is waiting for us. The whole creation is
eagerly waiting for God to reveal his sons. It was not for any fault on the
part of creation that it was made unable to attain its purpose, it was made so
by God; but creation still retains the hope of being freed, like us, from its
slavery to decadence, to enjoy the same freedom and glory as the children of
God. From the beginning till now the entire creation, as we know, has been
groaning in one great act of giving birth; and not only creation, but all of us
who possess the first-fruits of the Spirit, we too groan inwardly as we wait
for our bodies to be set free.
The
word of the Lord.
A
Reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans (8:31-35,
37 -39)
With
God on our side who can be against us? 'Since God did not spare his own Son,
but gave him up to benefit us all, we may be certain, after such a gift, that
he will not refuse anything he can give. Could anyone accuse those that God has
chosen? When God acquits, could anyone condemn? Could Christ Jesus? No! He not
only died for us - he rose from the dead, and there at God's right hand he
stands and pleads for us. Nothing therefore can come between us and the love of
Christ, even if we are troubled or worried, or being persecuted, or lacking
food or clothes, or being threatened or even attacked. These are the trials
through which we triumph, by the power of him who loved us. For I am certain of
this: neither death nor life, no angel, no prince, nothing that exists, nothing
still to come, not any power, or height or depth, nor any created thing, can
ever come between us and the love of God made visible in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The
word of the Lord.
A
Reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans (14:7-12)
The
life and death of each of us has its influence on others; if we live, we live
for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord, so that alive or dead we
belong to the Lord. This explains why Christ both died and came to life, it was
so that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. This is also why
you should never pass judgement on a brother or treat him with contempt. We
shall all have to stand before the judgement seat of God; as scripture says: By
my life - it is the Lord who speaks - every knee shall bend before me, and
every tongue shall praise God. It is to God, therefore, that each of us must
give an account of himself.
The
word of the Lord.
A
reading from the letter of St. Paul to the Romans. (Romans
6:3-5.8-10)
You
have been taught that when we were baptised in Christ Jesus we were baptised in
his death; in other words, when we were baptised we went into the tomb with him
and joined him in death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the
Father's glory, we too might live a new life. If in union with Christ we have
imitated his death, we shall also imitate him in his resurrection. But we
believe that having died with Christ we shall return to life with him: Christ,
as we know, having been raised from the dead will never die again. Death has no
power over him any more. When he died, he died, once for all, to sin, so his
life now is life with God; and in that way, you too must consider yourselves to
be dead to sin but alive for God in Christ Jesus.
The
word of the Lord
A
reading from the letter of St. Paul to the Hebrews. (Hebrews 11:
1-2, 8-16.)
Only
faith can guarantee the blessings that we hope for, or prove the existence of
the realities that at present remain unseen. It was for faith that our ancestors
were commended. By faith he arrived, as a foreigner, in the Promised Land, and
lived there as if in a strange country, with Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs
with him of the same promise. They lived there in tents while he looked forward
to a city founded, designed and built by God. It was equally by faith that
Sarah, in spite of being past the age, was made able to conceive, because she
believed that he who had made the promise would be faithful to it. Because of
this, there came from one man, and one who was already as good as dead himself,
more descendants than could be counted, as many as the stars of heaven or the
grains of sand on the seashore. All these died in faith, before receiving any
of the things that had been promised, but they saw them in the far distance and
welcomed them, recognising that they were only strangers and nomads on earth.
People who use such terms about themselves make it quite plain that they are in
search of their real homeland. They can hardly have meant the country they came
from, since they had the opportunity to go back to it; but in fact they were
longing for a better homeland, their heavenly homeland. That is why God is not
ashamed to be called their God, since he has founded the city for them.
The
word of the Lord.
A
reading from the first letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians (1Cor
2:1-6.9)
As
for me, brothers, when I came to you, it was not with any show of oratory or
philosophy, but simply to tell you what God had guaranteed.
During
my stay with you, the only knowledge I claimed to have was about Jesus, and
only about him as the crucified Christ. Far from relying on any power of my
own, I came among you in great 'fear and trembling' and in my speeches and the
sermons that I gave, there were none of the arguments that belong to
philosophy; only a demonstration of the power of the Spirit. And I did this so
that your faith should not depend on human philosophy but on the power of God.
But still we have a wisdom to offer those who have reached maturity: not a
philosophy of our age, it is true, still less of the masters of our age, which
are coming to their end. We teach what scripture calls: the things that no eye
has seen and no ear has heard, things beyond the mind of man, all that God has
prepared for those who love him
The
word of the Lord.
A
reading from the first letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians (1Cor 2:1-6.9)
When
I came to you, brothers and sisters, I did not come proclaiming the mystery of
God to you in lofty words or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you
except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I came to you in weakness and in
fear and in much trembling. My speech and my proclamation were not with
plausible words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power,
so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God. Yet
among the mature we do speak wisdom, though it is not a wisdom of this age or
of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to perish. But, as it is written, "What
no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the human heart conceived, what God has
prepared for those who love him"--
The
word of the Lord
A
reading from the second letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians
(2
Corinthians 4: 5-10)
For
we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as
your slaves for Jesus' sake. For it is the God who said, "Let light shine
out of darkness," who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the
knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this
treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary
power belongs to God and does not come from us. We are afflicted in every way,
but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not
forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death
of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies.
The
word of the Lord.
A
Reading from the first letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians
Christ
has in fact been raised from the dead, the first-fruits of all who have fallen
asleep. Death came through one man and in the same way the resurrection of the
dead has come through one man. Just as all men die in Adam, so all men will be
brought to life in Christ; but all of them in their proper order: Christ as the
first-fruits and then, after the coming of Christ, those who belong to him.
After that will come the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father,
having done away with every sovereignty, authority and power. For he must be
king until he has put all his enemies under his feet and the last of the
enemies to be destroyed is death, for everything is to be put under his
feet. - Though when it is said that everything is subjected, this
clearly cannot include the One who subjected everything to him. And when
everything is subjected to him, then the Son himself will be subject in his
turn to the One who subjected all things to him, so that God may be all in all.
The
word of the Lord.
Shorter
form
A
Reading from the First letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians (15:20-23)
But
Christ has in fact been raised from the dead, the first-fruits of all who have
fallen asleep. Death came through one man and in the same way the resurrection
of the dead has come through one man. Just as all men die in Adam, so all men
will be brought to life in Christ; but all of them in their proper order:
Christ as the first-fruits and then, after the coming of Christ, those who
belong to him.
The
word of the Lord.
A
Reading from the first letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians (15:51-57)
I
will tell you something that has been secret: that we are not all going to die,
but we shall all be changed. This will be instantaneous, in the twinkling of an
eye, when the last trumpet sounds. It will sound, and the dead will be raised,
imperishable, and we shall be changed as well, because our present perishable
nature must put on imperishability and this mortal nature must put on
immortality. When this perishable nature has put on imperishability, and when
this mortal nature has put on immortality, then the words of scripture will
come true: Death is swallowed up in victory. Death, where is your victory?
Death, where is your sting?. Now the sting of death is sin, and sin gets its
power from the Law. So let us thank God for giving us the victory through our
Lord Jesus Christ.
The
word of the Lord.
A
Reading from the second letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians (4:14-5:1)
We
know that he who raised the Lord Jesus to life will raise us with Jesus in our
turn, and put us by his side and you with us. You see, all this is for your
benefit, so that the more grace is multiplied among people, the more
thanksgiving there will be, to the glory of God. That is why there is no
weakening on our part, and instead, though this outer man of ours may be
falling into decay, the inner man is renewed day by day. Yes, the troubles
which are soon over, though they weigh little, train us for the carrying of a
weight of eternal glory which is out of all proportion to them. And so we have
no eyes for things that are visible, but only for things that are invisible;
for visible things last only for a time, and the invisible things are eternal.
For we know that when the tent that we live in on earth is folded up, there is
a house built by God for us, an everlasting home not made by human hands, in
the heavens.
The
word of the Lord.
A
Reading from the second letter of St. Paul to the
Corinthians
(Cor:
5:1. 6-10)
For
we know that when the tent that we live in on earth is folded up, there is a
house built by God for us, an everlasting home not made by human hands, in the
heavens. We are always full of confidence, then, when we remember that to live
in the body means to be exiled from the Lord, going as we do by faith and not
by sight -we are full of confidence, I say, and actually want to be exiled from
the body and make our home with the Lord. Whether we are living in the body or
exiled from it, we are intent on pleasing him. For all the truth about us will
be brought out in the law court of Christ, and each of us will get what he
deserves for the things he did in the body, good or bad.
The
word of the Lord.
A
Reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Philippians. (3:20-21)
For
us, our homeland is in heaven, and from heaven comes the saviour we are waiting
for, the Lord Jesus Christ, and he will transfigure these wretched bodies of
ours into copies of his glorious body. He will do that by the same power with which
he can subdue the whole universe.
The
word of the Lord.
A
Reading from the first letter of St. Paul to the Thessalonians (4:13-18)
We
want you to be quite certain, brothers, about those who have died, to make sure
that you do not grieve about them, like the other people who have no hope. We
believe that Jesus died and rose again, and that it will be the same for those
who have died in Jesus: God will bring them with him. We can tell you this from
the Lord's own teaching, that any of us who are left alive until the Lord's
coming will not have any advantage over those who have died. At the trumpet of
God, the voice of the archangel will call out the command and the Lord himself
will come down from heaven; those who have died in Christ will be the first to
rise, and then those of us who are still alive will be taken up in the clouds,
together with them; to meet the Lord in the air. So we shall stay with the Lord
for ever.
With
such thoughts as these you should comfort one another.
The
word of the Lord.
A
Reading from the second letter of St. Paul to Timothy (2:8-13)
Remember
the Good News that I carry, 'Jesus Christ risen from the dead, sprung from the
race of David'; it is on account of this that I have my own hardships to bear,
even to being chained like a criminal - but they cannot chain up God's news. So
I bear it all for the sake of those who are chosen, so that in the end they may
have the salvation that is in Christ Jesus and the eternal glory that comes
with it. Here is a saying that you rely on: If we have died with him, then we
shall live with him. If we hold firm, then we shall reign with him. If we
disown him, then he will disown us. We may be unfaithful, but he is always
faithful, for he cannot disown his own self.
The
word of the Lord.
A
Reading from the second letter of St. Paul to Timothy (2 Timothy 4:6-8)
As
for me, my life is already being poured away as a libation, and the time has
come for me to be gone. I have fought the good fight to the end; I have run the
race to the finish; I have kept the faith; all there is to come now is the
crown of righteousness reserved for me, which the Lord, the righteous judge,
will give to me on that Day; and not only to me but to all those who have
longed for his Appearing.
The
word of the Lord.
A
Reading from the second letter of St. Paul to Timothy (2
Tim 2:8-12)
Remember
the Good News that I carry, 'Jesus Christ risen from the dead, sprung from the
race of David'; it is on account of this that I have my own hardships to bear,
even to being chained like a criminal - but they cannot chain up God's news. So
I bear it all for the sake of those who are chosen, so that in the end they may
have the salvation that is in Christ Jesus and the eternal glory that comes
with it. Here is a saying that you rely on: If we have died with him, then we
shall live with him. If we hold firm, then we shall reign with him.
The
word of the Lord.
A
Reading from the letter of St Paul to the Galatians (Galatians 6:7-10)
Don't
delude yourself into thinking God can be cheated: where a man sows, there he
reaps: if he sows in the field of self-indulgence he will get a harvest of
corruption out of it; if he sows in the field of the Spirit he will get from it
a harvest of eternal life. We must never get tired of doing good because if we
don't give up the struggle we shall get our harvest at the proper time. While
we have the chance, we must do good to all, and especially to our brothers in
the faith.
The
word of the Lord.
A
Reading from the letter of St Paul to the Galatians (Galatians
6:7-10)
Do
not be deceived; God is not mocked, for you reap whatever you sow.
If
you sow to your own flesh, you will reap corruption from the flesh; but if you
sow to the Spirit, you will reap eternal life from the Spirit. So let us not
grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do
not give up. So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good
of all, and especially for those of the family of faith.
The
word of the Lord.
A
Reading from the first letter of St. John (3:1-2)
Think
of the love that the Father has lavished on us, by letting us be called God's
children; and that is what we are. Because the world refused to acknowledge
him, therefore it does not acknowledge us. My dear people, we are already the
children of God but what we are to be in the future has not yet been revealed;
all we know is, that when it is revealed we shall be like him because we shall
see him as he really is.
The
word of the Lord.
A
Reading from the first letter of St. John (3: 14-16)
We
have passed out of death and into life, and of this we can be sure because we
love our brothers. If you refuse to love, you must remain dead; to hate your
brother is to be a murderer, and murderers, as you know, do not have eternal
life in them. This has taught us love - that he gave up his life for us; and
we, too, ought to give up our lives for our brothers.
The word of the Lord.
A
reading from the first letter of St. John (1John 4: 7 -12.17)
My
dear people, let us love one another since love comes from God and everyone who
loves is begotten by God and knows God. Anyone who fails to love can never have
known God, because God is love. God's love for us was revealed when God sent
into the world his only Son so that we could have life through him; this is the
love I mean: not our love for God, but God's love for us when he sent his Son
to be the sacrifice that takes our sins away.
My
dear people, since God has loved us so much, we too should love one another. No
one has ever seen God; but as long as we love one another God will live in us
and his love will be complete in us. Love will come to its perfection in us
when we can face the day of Judgement without fear; because even in this world
we have become as he is.
The
word of the Lord.
A
reading from the first letter of St. Peter. (1
Peter 1:3-9.)
Blessed
be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in his great mercy has given us
a new birth as his sons, by raising Jesus Christ from the dead, so that we have
a sure hope and the promise of an inheritance that can never be spoilt or
soiled and never fade away, because it is being kept for you in the heavens.
Through your faith, God's power will guard you until the salvation which has
been prepared is revealed at the end of time. This is a cause of great joy for
you, even though you may for a short time have to bear being plagued by all
sorts of trials; so that, when Jesus Christ is revealed, your faith will have
been tested and proved like gold - only it is more precious than gold, which is
corruptible even though it bears testing by fire - and then you will have
praise and glory and honour. You did not see him, yet you love him; and still
without seeing him, you are already filled with a joy so glorious that it
cannot be described, because you believe; and you are sure of the end to which
your faith looks forward, that is, the salvation of your souls.
The
word of the Lord.