Preparing FUNERAL

At this time of your loss we would like to offer you our condolences. Please know that each day those who have died are remembered at every Mass, as are those who mourn. We hope that the Church’s prayer will be a comfort and consolation for you at this testing time. Preparing the funeral service of someone who has died can be a difficult thing to face. May the time you spend reflecting on the Word of God strengthen your trust and faith in God’s love and mercy.

Please do make an appointment with your parish priest to discuss the funeral arrangements. He will have a lot of experience of preparing and celebrating the Funeral Liturgy of the Church. He will welcome your suggestions and consider how he can then best prepare the Liturgy in line with the Church’s tradition, and respectful of your particular circumstances. We hope you find what follows helpful at this difficult time.

The purpose of the Catholic Funeral Liturgy is

  1. To express our sadness at the death of the one we love, and to receive comfort
  2. To express our faith in the Christian belief in the resurrection to eternal life and the life of the world to come
  3. To recall with thanksgiving the blessings received from the one who has died
  4. To offer Christ’s perfect sacrifice on the cross in the Sacrifice of the Mass for our dear departed one, that he or she may be gently cleansed of any sins or imperfections in Purgatory, and so prepared for fullness of God’s presence in Heaven, the fulfilment of our human destiny.
  5. To worship and thanksgiving to God, the author of all life; to pray for the deceased, and to offer support to the bereaved.

The Church encourages us to celebrate the funeral in three main stages:

• The Vigil of Prayer, usually the evening before the funeral;

• The Funeral Liturgy, which may be a Mass or a Funeral Service;

• The Committal at the cemetery or crematorium.

When it is not practical to celebrate all three stages the funeral may comprise a single act of worship either in a cemetery chapel or crematorium. The Church’s ministers will help you consider what is best and practical for your particular circumstances. They will ensure the services are true to the tradition of the Church, and appropriate to the one who has died, and those who gather to pray for them. Please ensure that you make contact with the priest who will lead the funeral service before finalising any arrangements with the Funeral Director.

• The Vigil of Prayer: This Vigil is the first stage of the farewell journey. Its mood is one of quiet support which helps to prepare the bereaved for the final leave-taking. It may be held in the home of the deceased person, in a funeral home or in the church. The body of the deceased may be present or not. The Vigil may be led a priest, but may also be led by others. It will include prayers and readings from scripture. It may include the Rosary, and appropriate liturgical songs and hymns.

• The Funeral Liturgy: The Funeral Liturgy usually takes the form of the celebration of Mass, the highest form of prayer in which the Sacrifice of Christ himself is made present. In offering this Sacrifice, we commend to God the soul of the deceased in union with Christ himself.

In some circumstances it is suitable for the Funeral Liturgy to take the form of a Liturgy of the Word only. The Funeral Liturgy usually takes place in a parish church but it may sometimes be appropriate to hold it in the chapel of a cemetery or crematorium

• The Committal: The final act of saying farewell takes place in a brief service at the graveside or at the crematorium. When a body is cremated it is encouraged that there be a further brief service, sometime later, for the burial of the ashes.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Who will help me plan the funeral services?

The priest, deacon, or other nominated members of the parish community will be happy to help.

Can I help choose the songs and readings?

Yes, and the priest will help you select from the range of approved readings from Scripture and of hymns and songs appropriate for use at Catholic worship.

Please see the accompanying leaflets on choosing readings and hymns.

What about Music at Funerals?

The Church gives priority to the singing of the Order of Mass – the Alleluia, the Holy, and Great Amen, for example, and the songs proper to the Funeral Rite, for example the Song of Farewell.

Please read carefully the accompanying booklet. Please note that the use of CD’s not permitted.

Can we have a Eulogy?

A member of the family or a friend may also speak very briefly about the deceased. A written text, seen by the priest or deacon beforehand, must always be used as speaking without this, or with only rough notes, can prove stressful at a funeral. It should be no longer than 500 words. What is said should always be in accordance with Catholic belief and should celebrate the Christian faith at the deceased. It should also be appropriate for a service of worship, so may be rather different in character to reminiscences in a setting outside church later on the day. The reading of poems as part of Eulogy is rarely appropriate in church.

What can be put on the coffin during the funeral?

  • A Book of Gospels: Symbolising the words through which were are called to eternal life.
  • A crucifix: symbolising the sacrifice of Christ which has won for us eternal life
  • A Pall: may be requested and placed over the coffin when it is received at the church. A reminder of the baptismal garment of the deceased, the pall is a sign of Christian dignity of the person. The use of pall also signifies that all are equal before God.

Other symbols:

  • Near by always stands the Paschal (Easter) Candle. A symbol of the Risen Lord.
  • Holy Water is used as a sign of our entry into eternal life through baptism
  • Incense is used as a sign of dignity given to the body even in death

Other things:

  • Placing a photograph of the deceased or mass cards on a table near the coffin.
  • Only Christian symbols may rest on or be placed over the coffin during the funeral liturgy
  • Any other symbols, for example, national flags, or flags of insignia or associations, have no place in the funeral liturgy.
  • When ordering floral tributes please bear in mind that there needs to be space on the coffin for the placing of the Christians symbols of the Gospel book and Crucifix.

Can members of the family or friends participate in the liturgy?

You may invite members / friends to read the Bible readings, and Biding Prayers . It is best that such readers are already used to reading at Mass. The priest himself will always reads the Gospel reading.

If members of the family wish to read the Bidding Prayers, the parish clergy will provide you with the set format to be used.

The priest will be able to discuss which version of these will be most fitting. Music at a Funeral Liturgy should always be drawn from the broad repertoire of Christian hymns and compositions. A piece of music from another source may be used after the formal Liturgy has finished provided there is nothing in it inconsistent with the sacred nature of the place and the occasion. In considering what to sing, do take into account the likely congregation and how they will respond to the invitation to sing. If the congregation is small, or unfamiliar with singing, it may be better to rely more on the organ or other instrumental music than song only

Celebrating life: Also important is the reception afterwards. Often this will be the better place for the display of photos and the use of popular music that was particularly like by the person who has died, or is associated with them by others. These things can encourage conversation and the sharing of personal memories of the one who has died, in ways that are especially helpful to the bereaved, to the family and friends. In the funeral service we particularly focus on the things of faith, and how these give us hope for ourselves and for the person who has died even in the midst of the pain of bereavement. In other gatherings before and after the funeral services our attention is much more singly on the person themselves, and the place they have in our lives.

OTHER PRACTICALITIES

Funeral directors: If the deceased had a pre-paid funeral plan a number of features regarding the funeral will already have been agreed and paid for. Otherwise choosing a funeral director is a matter for the family. Your parish priest may be able to provide you with contact details of a number of local companies that you can select from with confidence. It is common to invite estimates of costs from different firms before making your final choice.

Your funeral director will advise you on the options and costs of the service they can provide. There is often a higher cost for a funeral which includes burial. Those choosing burial will also need to consider the upkeep of the grave.

A stipend or offering to the parish for the services of the priest/deacon leading the funeral service(s) is usual. In the Archdiocese of Westminster a standard fee is set by a parish or deanery. This stipend is usually included automatically in the account prepared by the Funeral Director, although the family is free to make its own arrangements. There is usually an additional fee for an organist or other musician.

When will the funeral take place?

The funeral director will liaise with family, parish and cemetery/crematorium to arrange the day and time of the funeral service(s). Generally nothing can be done until a death has been registered. If the cause of death is clear, the doctor will issue a medical certificate and a notice with information on how to register the death so that funeral arrangements can then be made. If there is need to report the death to the coroner (for example when no doctor can issue a medical certificate of cause of death, if a death is judged unnatural or suspicious, or if a person dies during an operation), there may be a delay while a post mortem or inquest is carried out.

Can non-Catholics come to a Catholic Mass?

We always welcome to a Funeral Mass those from different Christian traditions and even those who do not share our faith in Jesus Christ. While we cannot admit them to Holy Communion, we ask them to offer their prayers for the peace and the unity of both the Christian and the human family.

SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT CREMATION

Does the Catholic Church permit cremation?

Cremation is now permitted by the Church provided that it is not a deliberate statement contrary to Christian belief. The Church clearly prefers and urges that the body of the deceased be present for the funeral rites, since the presence of the human body better expresses the values which the Church affirms in those rites. It is therefore desirable that cremation always follows the Funeral Rites.

What should be done with cremated remains?

The cremated remains of a body should be treated with the same respect given to the human body from which they come. This includes the use of a worthy vessel to contain the ashes, the manner in which they are carried, the care and attention to appropriate placement and transport, and the final disposition. The cremated remains should be buried in the ground or another respectful place. The practice of scattering cremated remains on the sea, from the air, or on the ground, or keeping cremated remains in the home of a relative or friend of the deceased are not the reverent disposition that the Church requires. Whenever possible, appropriate means for recording with dignity the memory of the deceased should be adopted, such as a plaque or stone which records the name of the deceased.

Unbaptized children:  The Church’s funeral rites may be celebrated for a child who died before baptism and whose parents intended to have the child baptized.

Burial of Stillborn and Foetuses: The Church urges that stillborn and foetuses of Catholic parents be interred whenever possible. The decision and procedure for the interment is left to the parents and their pastor. It may be burial after cremation.

A Final word:

The Catholic Church has a two-thousand-year history. Truth, wisdom and tradition are aspects of the great treasure of the Catholic Church Faith. From her great storehouse of wisdom and experience, the Church provides directions about how funerals are to be conducted. The Church directs what is to take place during a funeral service. The Church provides the texts and prayers, signs and symbols that are to be used. These directives and texts are mandatory. It is always the duty of the priest or deacon to see to it that the Church’s norms are followed. For Catholic funerals, the priest or deacon has authority to determine what is acceptable and what is not, and he will be happy to offer guidance and suggestions.

When Catholic clergy are called upon to provide funeral services, they will assume that the person making the request seeks to have a funeral that is celebrated according to Catholic beliefs and norms. They will also assume that, even if friends and family members of the deceased do not hold the Catholic faith, they are willing to give due respect to Catholic practices and authority.

Masses for the Dead: Our faith tells us that our relationship with someone who has died is not at an end and we can continue to help them by our prayers and sacrifices. We should ensure that Masses are said for our loved ones who have died. Masses can be arranged through the Parish office.

A lasting memory: Over the years many families have chosen to donate money for some specific use in the church in memory of a loved one. If you would like to do this or know more please speak to one of the priests.

During this time in which you mourn the loss of a loved one and prepare for the Funeral Liturgy, we assure you that each day we pray for those who have died recently.  We urge you to make such prayer a conscious part of  your day too, especially at this time. We offer you the prayer which follows for daily use and we assure you of our blessing.

Lord Jesus, we turn to you in our sorrow.

We commend to you the soul of our loved one who has died. Receive N. (Name of the your loved one) into your arms, the arms opened wide on the Cross to show your love for us. Grant mercy to N. and grant to us a strong faith in you and a steadfast hope in your promise of eternal life.

Eternal rest grant unto N.,

O Lord and let perpetual light shine upon him/her.

May he/she rest in peace. Amen.

Mass Readings for Funeral service

The word of God is a source encouragement and consolation for the faithful of God. When the Scriptures are proclaimed in church, when we gather for prayer, Jesus is sacramentally present amidst us. Reading personally allow us to listen to the voice of the God of life.

THE WORD OF GOD AND FUNERAL SERVICES

How many readings are there at a Funeral?

There are a variety of forms of funeral service. These include:

  1. VIGIL FOR THE DECEASED: (which can include the reception of the body at eh church)
  • THE PRINCIPAL FUNERAL LITURGY (which may be the Funeral mass or a Funeral Liturgy (outside of Mass)
  • THE RITE OF COMMITAL: (at the cemetery or crematorium).

At the principal funeral service there will always be two or three reading including a gospel reading

  • If there is one reading (Funeral Liturgy outside mass), that reading is always a Gospel reading
  • If there are two then one is from the first (OLD TESTAMENT) or second (NEW TESTAMENT) section, and third is the Gospel reading
  • If there are three readings then one reading is taken from each of the three sections.

The priest who is conducting the funeral will agree with you which forms of service will take place, and which readings will be used. He will want to ensure that those decisions are taken which will best meet your needs and respect the tradition of the Church.

Who reads them?

The Gospel readings is always read by the priest. The other reading(s) may be read by family members or friends. Please be sure to choose a reader who is able to read clearly and audibly, so that your guests will be able to hear the reading you have chosen. If you feel that family members or friends will not be able to read, then please let the priest know, and he will happily arrange for someone else to read the chosen readings.

Selecting the readings

The following pages contain a selection of readings, approved by the Church for use at funerals. If you are pleased for time then you might start with the Gospel readings, and then move on to the Old and New Testament readings. It may well be that among the readings you will find a favourite reading, or a reading that has been traditionally used at family funerals – and that you decide to choose this reading for us on this occasion too. On the other hand, it may be that none of the readings offered are very familiar to you. In either case we recommend that you take your time to read through the various readings offered. Each one has something to say to us about the experience of death and the life of faith. It would be a good thing to let this reading of the scriptures, listening to God’s word, be a part of your spiritual preparation for the funeral, and starting to come to terms with the death of a loved one, and your own bereavement. Consider what these readings have to say about faith, about death, and about the mystery of the Resurrection. Bring the readings and your response to them to your prayer. It can be helpful too, to discuss the readings – at least the ones that you have chosen to have at the funeral service with family members or friends.

Advising the priest of the reading(s) you chose: Be sure to make certain that your let the priest have the details of the reading or readings you have chosen when you meet with him to prepare the funeral liturgy.

What about reading that are not in the bible?

In every celebration for the dead, the Church attaches great importance to the reading of the word of God. The readings proclaim to the assembly the paschal mystery, teach remembrance of the dead, convey the hope of being gathered together again in God’s kingdom, and encourage the witness of Christian life. Above all, the reading tell of God’s designs for a world in which suffering and death will relinquish their hold on all whom God has called his own. It is for this reason that in the celebration of the liturgy of the word at the funeral liturgy, the biblical readings may not be replaced by non-biblical readings.

Section 1: OLD TESTAMENT READINGS

1. A Reading from the prophet Isaiah (25: 6-9)

The Lord will destroy Death forever

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 rejoice that he has saved us.

2.A Reading from the book of Wisdom (3:1-6,9)

He accepted them as a holocaust

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 utter destruction, but they are at peace. If they experienced punishment as we see it, their hope was rich with the promise of eternal life; 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 the 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 whom He has chosen.

3. A Reading from the book of Wisdom (4:7-15)

Untarnished life, this is ripe of old age

The virtuous person, though he/she die before his/her 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 grey hairs; untarnished life, this is ripe old age. He/she has sought to please God, so God has loved him/her; as he/she was living among sinners, he/she has been taken up. He/she has been carried off so that evil may not warp his/her understanding, or treachery seduce his/her 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/she achieved long life; his/her soul being pleasing to the Lord, he has taken him/her quickly from the wickedness around him/her. 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. This is the Word of the Lord.

4. A Reading from the prophet Isaiah (41:10; 44:22: 49:15-16)

Fear not, I will help you

Fear not, I am with you; be not dismayed; I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you, and uphold you with my right hand of justice. For I am the Lord, your God, who grasps your right hand; It is I who say to you “Fear not, I will help you.” I have brushed away your offences like a cloud, your sins like a mist; return to me, for I have redeemed you. Can a mother forget her infant, be without tenderness for the child within her womb? Even should she forget, I will never forget you. See, upon the palm of my hand I have written your name. Yes, in joy you shall depart, in peace you shall be brought back. This is the Word of the Lord.

5. A Reading from the book of Lamentations (3: 17-26)

“My portion is the lord and so I will hope in him.”

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, 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 passed, his kindnesses are not all 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 food to those who trust in Him, to the soul that searches for him. It is good to wait in silence for the Lord to save. This is the Word of the Lord.

6. A reading from the book of Job 19:1, 23-27

This I know: that my Avenger lives

Job said:  ‘Ah, would that these words of mine were written down, inscribed on some monument with iron chisel and engraving tool, cut into the rock forever. 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’

7.A Reading from the prophet Isaiah (43: 1-5)

You are precious in my eyes, you are honoured and I love you.

Thus says Yahweh, God, who created you: Do not be afraid, I have called you by your name, you are mine. Should you pass through the sea, I will be with you; or through rivers, they will not swallow you up. Should you walk through fire, you will not be scorched and the flames will not burn you. For I am Yahweh, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your saviour. You are precious in my eyes, you are honoured and I love you. Do not be afraid, for I am with you. This is the Word of the Lord.

section 2: NEW TESTAMENT READINGS

1. A Reading from the first letter of St. John (1 Jn 3: 1-3)

We shall see him as he really is

Think of the love that the Father has shown 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.

2. A Reading from the letter of St. Paul to the Romans. (8: 31-35, 37-39)

Nothing can come between us and the love of Christ

With God on our side, who can be against us? Since God did not spare his only 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 loves 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, nor height, nor depth, not any created thing, can ever come between us and the love of God made visible through Christ Jesus our Lord.

3. A Reading from the letter of St. Paul to the Thessalonians (4: 13-18)

We are people of hope because Jesus died and rose again

We want you to be quite certain, sisters and 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. With thoughts such as these you should comfort one another.

4. A Reading from the letter of St. Paul to the Philippians (3:20-21)

Christ will transfigure these wretched bodies of ours into copies of his glorious body

For us, our homeland is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will transform the body of our humiliation that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, by the power that also enables him to make all things subject to himself.

5. A Reading from the first letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians (15: 20-23)

All will be made alive in Christ

Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died. For since death came through a human being, the resurrection of the dead has also come through a human being; for as all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ.  But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.

6. A Reading from the Book of Revelations (21: 1-5)

There will be no more death

I, John, saw a new earth and a new sky, for the present earth and sky has disappeared. And I, John, saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven. It was a glorious sight, beautiful as a bride at her wedding. I heard a loud shout from the throne saying, “Look, the home of God in now among men, and he will live with them, and they will be his people; yes, God himself will be among them. He will wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, or sorrow, or crying, or pain. All of that has gone forever.” And the one sitting on the throne said, “See, I am making all things new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.”

7. A Reading from the letter of St. Paul to the Romans (14: 7-12)

Alive or dead, we belong to the Lord.

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. 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.

Section III. GOSPEL READINGS

1. A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew (5: 1-12)

Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven

Seeing the crowds, Jesus went up the hill. There he sat down and was joined by his disciples. Then he began to speak. This is what he taught them: Blessed are the poor in spirit; theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed the gentle; they shall have the earth as their heritage. Blessed those who mourn; they shall be comforted. Blessed those who hunger and thirst for what is right; they shall be satisfied. Blessed the merciful; they shall have mercy shown them. Blessed the pure in heart; they shall see God. Blessed the peacemakers; they shall be called the children of God. Blessed those who are persecuted in the cause of right; theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people abuse you and persecute you and speak all kinds of calumny against you on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. This is the Gospel of the Lord.

2. A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew (11: 25-30)

Come to me, and I will give you rest

Jesus exclaimed, “I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to mere children. Yes, Father, for that is what it pleased you to do. Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, just as no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him. Come to me all you who labour and are overburdened and I will give you rest. Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls. Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden light.” This is the Gospel of the Lord.

3. A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew (25: 31-36)

Come, you whom my Father has blessed.

Jesus said to his disciples: “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, escorted by all the angels, then he will take his seat on his throne of glory. All the nations will be assembled before him and he will separate one from another as the shepherd separates sheep from goats. He will place the sheep on his right hand and the goats on his left. Then the King will say to those on his right hand, “Come, you whom my Father has blessed, take for your heritage the kingdom prepared for you since the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; I was a stranger and you made me welcome; naked and you clothed me, sick and you visited me, in prison and you came to see me.” Then the virtuous will say to him in reply, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you; or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and make you welcome, naked and clothe you; sick or in prison and go to see you?” And the king will answer, “I tell you solemnly, in so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers and sisters, you did it to me.” This is the Gospel of the Lord.

4. A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to John (14: 1-6)

There are many rooms in my Father’s house

Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not let your hearts be troubled Trust in God still, and trust in me. There many rooms in my Father’s house; if there were not, I should have told you. I am going now to prepare a place for you, and after I have gone and prepared you a place, I shall return to take you with me; so that where I am you may be too. You know the way to the place I am going.” Thomas said, “Lord, we do not know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” This is the Gospel of the Lord.

5. A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to John (11: 21-27)

I am the resurrection and the life

Martha said to Jesus, “If you had been here, my brother would not have died, but I know that, even now, whatever you ask of God, he will grant you.” “Your brother,” said Jesus to her, “will rise again.” Martha said, “I know he will rise again at the resurrection on the last day.” “I am the resurrection and the life. If anyone believes in me, even though they die, they shall live, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” “Yes Lord,” she said, “I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who was to come into this world.” This is the Gospel of the Lord.

6. A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to John (6: 37-40)

All that the Father gives me will come to me

Jesus said to the crowd: “All that the Father gives me will come to me and whoever comes to me I shall not turn away; because I have come from heaven, not to do my own will, but to do the will of him who sent me. Now the will of him who sent me is that I shall lose nothing of all that he has given to me, and that I should raise it up on the last day. Yes, it is my Father’s will that whoever sees the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and the I shall raise them up on the last day.”

7. A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke (24: 13-16, 28-35)

Was it not ordained that the Christ should suffer and so enter into his glory

On the first day of the week, two of the disciples were on their way to a village called Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were talking together about all that had happened. Now as they talked this over, Jesus himself came up and walked by their side; but something prevented them from recognising him. When they drew near the village to which they were going, he made as if to go on; but they pressed him to stay with them. “It is nearly evening,” they said, “and the day is nearly over.” So he went in to stay with them. Now, while he was with them at table, he took the bread and said the blessing; then he broke it and handed it to them. And their eyes were opened and they recognised him; but he had vanished from their sight. Then they said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us as he talked to us on the road and explained the scriptures to us?” They set out at that instant and returned to Jerusalem. There they found the eleven assembled together with their companions, who said to them: “Yes it is true. The Lord has risen and had appeared to Simon.” Then they told their story of what had happened on the road and how they had recognised him at the breaking of the bread. This is the Gospel of the Lord.

SECTION VI: RESPONSORIAL PSALMS

1. Psalm 23

Response: The Lord is my shepherd There is nothing I shall want.
The Lord is my shepherd, There is nothing I shall want. Fresh and green are the pastures Where he gives me repose. Near restful waters he leads me To revive my drooping spirit    [R]

He guides me along the right path; He is true to his name. If I should walk in the valley of darkness,
No evil would I fear. You are there with your crook and your staff; With these you give me comfort.[R]

You have prepared a banquet for me In the sight of my foes. My head you have anointed with oil; My cup is overflowing.        [R]
Surely goodness and kindness shall follow me All the days of my life. In the Lord’s own house shall I dwell Forever and ever.            [R]

2. Psalm 130
Response: Out of the depths I cry to you O Lord.
Out of the depths I cry to you O Lord. Lord, hear my voice! O let your ears be attentive To the voice of my pleading.    [R]

If you, O Lord, should mark our guilt, Lord, who would survive? But with you is found forgiveness; For this we revere you        [R]

My soul is waiting for the Lord, I count on his word. My soul is longing for the Lord, More than watchmen for daybreak.[R]

Because with the Lord there is mercy And fullness of redemption. Israel indeed he will redeem From all its iniquity.        [R]

3. Psalm 33
Response: Taste and see that the Lord is good
I will bless the Lord at all times, His praise always on my lips; In the lord my soul shall make its boast. The humble shall hear and be glad.[R]

Glorify the lord with me; Together let us praise his name. I sought the Lord and he answered me; From all terrors he set me free.    [R]

I sought the Lord, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears. Look to him, and be radiant; so your[a] faces shall never be ashamed. [R]

This poor soul cried, and was heard by the Lord, and was saved from every trouble. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. [R]

O taste and see that the Lord is good; happy are those who take refuge in him. O fear the Lord, you his holy ones, for those who fear him have no want. [R]

4. Psalm 139
Response: Lord, you have made me and you know me.
O Lord, you search me and you know me; You know my resting and my rising; You discern my thoughts from afar. You mark when I walk or lie down; All my ways lie open to you.     [R]

O where can I go from your Spirit; Or where can I fly from your face? If I climb to the heavens you are there, If I lie in the grave you are there.[R]

If I take the wings of the morning And dwell at the sea’s furthest end, Even there your hand would lead me, Your right hand hold me fast.    [R]

For it was you who created my being, Knit me together in my mother’s womb. I thank you for the wonder of my being, For the wonders of all your creations.[R]

O search me, God, and know my heart. O test me and know my thoughts. See that I follow not the wrong path And lead me in the path of life eternal.[R]

5. Psalm 26

Response: The Lord is my light and my help

The Lord is my light and my help; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; before whom shall I shrink? [R]

There is one thing I ask of the Lord, for this I long, to live in the house of the Lord, all the days of my life, to savour the sweetness of the Lord, to behold his temple. [R]

O Lord, hear my voice when I call; have mercy and answer. It is your face, O Lord, that I seek; hide not your face. [R]

I am sure I shall see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living. Hope in him, hold firm and take heart. Hope in the Lord [R]