MASSES FOR THE DEAD
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) NRSV
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 second letter of St.
Paul to the Corinthians
(2 Corinthians 4:5-10.)
For
it is not ourselves that we are preaching, but Christ Jesus as the Lord, and
ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. It is the same God that said, 'Let
there be light shining out of darkness', who has shone in our minds to radiate
the light of the knowledge of God's glory, the glory on the face of Christ. We
are only the earthenware jars that hold this treasure, to make it clear that
such an overwhelming power comes from God and not from us.
We are in difficulties on all sides, but
never cornered; we see no answer to our problems, but never despair; we have
been persecuted, but never deserted; knocked down, but never killed; always,
wherever we may be, we carry with us in our body the death of Jesus, so that
the life of Jesus, too, may always be seen in our body.
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 letter of St. Paul to the Thessalonians (4:4 – 10)
We know,
brothers loved by God, that you have been chosen, because our
gospel came to you not only in words, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with great effect. And you
observed the sort of life we lived when we were with you, which was
for your sake. You took us and the Lord as your model, welcoming the word with the
joy of the Holy Spirit in spite of great hardship.
And so you became an example to all believers….and your faith in God has spread everywhere. We do not need to
tell other people about it: other people tell us how we started
the work among you, how you broke with the worship of false gods when you were
converted to God and became servants of the living and true
God;
and how you are now waiting for Jesus, his Son, whom he raised from the
dead, to come from heaven.
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) NRSV
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.