Office of the Dead
MORNING AND EVENING PRAYER
GREETING
Praise to you , God of all consolation.
Give us comfort and hope at the death of your faithful ones.
In you , O God , life is not ended , but transformed.
Death is swallowed up in victory.
Doxology
Glory to you , Three in One
Your Mercy endures forever .
Psalm 42
Shall we all meet in heaven ? Oh what a joy even to think of it !
As a Deer craves running water ,
I thirst for you my God ;
I thirst for God the living God ,
When will I see your face?
Tears are my steady diet .
Day and night I hear, “Where is your God ?”
I cry my heart out , I remember better days :
When I entered the house of God ,
I was caught in the joyful sound,
Of pilgrims giving thanks.
Why are you sad my heart ?
Why do you grieve ?
Wait for the Lord.
I will yet praise God my savior.
My heart is sad .
Even from Jordan and Hermon,
From the peak of Mizar,
I remember you.
There the deep roars to deep;
You torrents crash over me,
The love God summoned by day
Sustained my praise by night,
My prayer to the living God.
I complain to God , who I thought was rock:
“Why have you forgotten ?
Why am I bent double
Under the weight of enemies?”
Why are you sad my heart ?
Why do you grieve ?
Wait for the Lord.
I will yet praise God my savior.
Philippians 2:6-11
Day and night I faced Death.
Though in the form of God , Jesus did not claim equality with God, but emptied himself,
Taking the form of a slave , human like one of us.
Flesh and blood , he humbled himself . obeying to the death, death on a cross. For this reason God lifted him high and gave him the name above all names.
So at the name of Jesus every knee will bend in heaven , on earth , and in the world below,
And every tongue exclaim to the glory of God the Father, “ Jesus Christ is Lord.”
Reading: I Corinthians 15: 51-57
Listen , I will tell you a mystery ! We will not all die, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable body must put on imperishability, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When this perishable body puts on imperishability, and this mortal body puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will be fulfilled:” Death has been swallowed up in victory.” ” Where , O death , is your victory ? Where , O death , is your sting ?”
Canticle of Zechariah: From the earth you formed me, with flesh you clothed me. Redeemer God, raise me up on the last day.
Canticle of Mary: I know that my Redeemer lives and that at the last he will stand upon the earth; then in my flesh I shall see God.
INTERCESSIONS
Living God , you raised Jesus from the dead and promised us new life through his resurrection. With faith in your promise, we pray:
Through baptism you invite us to participate in the paschal mystery :
--By sharing in the sufferings of Jesus may we come to know the power of his
resurrection.
We have been promised a place at the heavenly banquet :
--May we be sustained by the eucharist and by our love for one another as we journey
home.
The communion of saints binds all believers together in the union of charity:
--May those who have preceded us in death enjoy eternal life.
Jesus comforted Mary and Martha, Jairus and the widow of Naim by raising their loved ones from the dead:
--My those who mourn be assured that their loved ones now see you face to face.
Jesus was raised from the dead:
--Raised up ________________ who has died and bring her/him to live with you
forever .
The Lord’s Prayer
Prayer : God of the living and the dead , through the power of Christ’s resurrection you have conquered sin and death forever. Catherine McAuley told us that each day is a step we take towards eternity. May we continue thus from day to day until we take the last step, which will bring us into your presence. Then we shall be reunited with those we love and every tear shall be wiped away. We ask this through Jesus , our Redeemer and brother . Amen.
Blessing:
May the God of mercy bless and protect us all . Amen
May the God of peace comfort us in times of trial : Amen
May the God of all consolation preserve us for life everlasting. Amen