Worship
The Day of Pentecost 31st May 2020
New Testament Reading Acts 2. 1-21
When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.
Please read on in your bible………
Gospel for today John 20. 19-23
When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.’ When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.
REFLECTION FOR PENTECOST
The imagery is powerful:
the overpowering noise of a mighty rushing wind all about them, tongue shaped fire descending and resting on their heads.
and just as mysterious the sudden ability to speak in different languages,
the reversal of the Babel experience.
Four verses and it’s all over!
Luke is more concerned to tell what they did with this baptism in the Spirit,
than dwelling on how it happened.
We are not even told how the Apostles reacted,
only that they started witnessing immediately. The Holy Spirit is not given to us so we can experience similar visible mind blowing wonders, or to give us a holy feeling, as if it were a divine psychological state.
nor is it a means of topping up our faith so that we will never need to raise another question: with truth and wisdom in a bottle, safely contained. Nor should we expect to become wonderful preachers, ready to convert any unsuspecting crowd with the power of our rhetoric.
The Holy Spirit is promised and given to us, so that we do not feel all alone and far from God,
and so that we can become Christ’s witnesses, to the ends of the earth and until the end of the ages Peter proclaims that the Spirit is to be given to all, and that should be our longing as well.
A longing that inspires and guides our daily actions,
and sets no limits on what God wants to do through us.
For the Spirit of God is a free Spirit, blowing wherever it wills in our lives, and firing up our hearts: fanning our Baptismal flame!
The Spirit of God both deals with us as individuals, using a whole range of ‘gifts,’
but at the same time biding us together, gathering us together, for vigilant prayer and courageous action, even in the face of apathy or opposition. Only the Spirit can bring a deep unity out of the diversity of our different gifts. The unity in the faith that unites us with each other, and unites us with God.
We need to recognise and use to the full, the gifts given to ourselves. (Anyone who says they have none are failing to see what has been given.)
At the same time to fully recognise the gifts given to others and to rejoice and welcome them. And to be willing to look in unexpected places. God alone can favour everyone!
We are like a huge tapestry - God alone can see the whole picture
all we can do is offer our small part, that is our treasure, our calling.
So it’s Pentecost Sunday, and no dramatic tongues of fire, or mighty rushing wind,
or spiritual Esperanto! Instead we are given the incredible Divine gifts of healing, joy, peace and the love that binds us to each other and to God and yes:
BLESSES US AND SENDS US OUT TO BE CHRIST’S FAITHFUL WITNESSES TODAY AND EVERY DAY! Father Colin
New Testament Reading Acts 2. 1-21
When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.
Please read on in your bible………
Gospel for today John 20. 19-23
When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.’ When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.
REFLECTION FOR PENTECOST
The imagery is powerful:
the overpowering noise of a mighty rushing wind all about them, tongue shaped fire descending and resting on their heads.
and just as mysterious the sudden ability to speak in different languages,
the reversal of the Babel experience.
Four verses and it’s all over!
Luke is more concerned to tell what they did with this baptism in the Spirit,
than dwelling on how it happened.
We are not even told how the Apostles reacted,
only that they started witnessing immediately. The Holy Spirit is not given to us so we can experience similar visible mind blowing wonders, or to give us a holy feeling, as if it were a divine psychological state.
nor is it a means of topping up our faith so that we will never need to raise another question: with truth and wisdom in a bottle, safely contained. Nor should we expect to become wonderful preachers, ready to convert any unsuspecting crowd with the power of our rhetoric.
The Holy Spirit is promised and given to us, so that we do not feel all alone and far from God,
and so that we can become Christ’s witnesses, to the ends of the earth and until the end of the ages Peter proclaims that the Spirit is to be given to all, and that should be our longing as well.
A longing that inspires and guides our daily actions,
and sets no limits on what God wants to do through us.
For the Spirit of God is a free Spirit, blowing wherever it wills in our lives, and firing up our hearts: fanning our Baptismal flame!
The Spirit of God both deals with us as individuals, using a whole range of ‘gifts,’
but at the same time biding us together, gathering us together, for vigilant prayer and courageous action, even in the face of apathy or opposition. Only the Spirit can bring a deep unity out of the diversity of our different gifts. The unity in the faith that unites us with each other, and unites us with God.
We need to recognise and use to the full, the gifts given to ourselves. (Anyone who says they have none are failing to see what has been given.)
At the same time to fully recognise the gifts given to others and to rejoice and welcome them. And to be willing to look in unexpected places. God alone can favour everyone!
We are like a huge tapestry - God alone can see the whole picture
all we can do is offer our small part, that is our treasure, our calling.
So it’s Pentecost Sunday, and no dramatic tongues of fire, or mighty rushing wind,
or spiritual Esperanto! Instead we are given the incredible Divine gifts of healing, joy, peace and the love that binds us to each other and to God and yes:
BLESSES US AND SENDS US OUT TO BE CHRIST’S FAITHFUL WITNESSES TODAY AND EVERY DAY! Father Colin
A Reflection on Pentecost – by Benedict Yates
I heard a story once, that I am reminded of every Pentecost. There was a wise old hermit who lived in the desert, and many earnest young Christians would come to him to ask him for counsel, advice and the benefits of his wisdom. One day he was sitting with a small group of these faithful youths and the sun was shining down brightly upon ground. One of the young men said, “Father, what does it mean to be on fire with the Holy Spirit?”
The old man thought awhile and then held out his hand and said “what do you see here?
“I see nothing but your hand, Father.”
Then the old man lifted up his hand and held it before the bright rays of the sun.
“Now what do you see?” he asked.
The young man squinted and said, “I can see nothing but the brightness of the sun, and a shadowy outline of your hand.”
The old man said, “So it is to be on fire with the Holy Spirit. Your own self is but a shadow, and the Holy Spirit shines through you.”
This story says something of the great mystery that is the Holy Spirit. It speaks of our place in the world; and what a right relationship with God should be like. As Christians we speak often of the importance of selfless giving, of unconditional love, of a sacrificial life and other truths of faithful living. Much of it can be boiled down to the message of this story: being a good person means letting the world see through you to the God who made you.
This is, perhaps, quite a hard message for us to come to terms with in the modern world. We live in an intensely individualist society in which our individual personhood is of the utmost value. We, as a person, are unique, valuable and important. We have rights and entitlements because, as the advert puts it, we are “worth it”. And, of course we are all unique and valuable and important – but not because we are who we are; but because we are each loved and valued by the God who made us. A world view that primarily sees ourselves as the one who is worth it inevitably leads to the thought that those who are not like us are worth less. It becomes a selfish inward looking pride in one’s own value. The Christian worldview that each one of us is made in the image of God, should lead to the thought there is a genuine equality in humanity because it is others who are worth it. Rights and entitlements become bound by responsibilities and duties.
Not one of us is perfect. We each have good points and bad points. We each show in ourselves the image of God, and in each one of us that image has been obscured by our own mistakes, selfishness and greed. All of us are “worth it”, and yet none of us is truly “worth it”. It is the Christian truth that we were created good, and then it all went wrong.
That is the problem, and Jesus is the solution. God came down to earth as Jesus Christ; was born for us, lived for us, suffered for us, died for us, and rose again for us. By his cross and passion we are healed, and in his resurrection each one of us is given the grace to become what God intended us to be: perfect people. Perfect images of his own glory.
That is where burning with the Holy Spirit comes in. After Jesus’s Ascension, the disciples had been partakers of Christ’s life, ministry sacrifice and resurrection – yet they still had to wait. At Pentecost their waiting was over. The Holy Spirit descended upon them with fire, and that fire burned within them, and the Holy spirit shone through them. We, too, need the Holy Spirit. We can believe as much as we like, but it is the holy Spirit that empowers us to act upon that belief. It is the fire of the Holy Spirit that gives us faith. Without the Holy Spirit, we remain the outer shell – the individual person with good points and bad points, who at best can only be well respected and liked individuals. If we call upon the Holy Spirit, accept him into our lives and allow him to burn within us we can become so much more. Our goodness is made greater, and our weaknesses diminish. In this life we cannot be perfect, there will always be some imperfection in the image, like the hand in front of the sun. But the more we allow the Holy Spirit to guide us and the more we resist our own desires the more indistinct those imperfections will become and the brighter and more shiningly lovely we will be. God loves each and every one of us. The Holy Spirit can make us more worthy of that love, and we can become better carriers of God’s love and grace to the world.
The Holy Spirit calls to us all the time. The Holy Spirit is always there to show us the way. The Holy Spirit is a flame waiting for us to fan it. Pentecost is a time to remind ourselves more fully, that we are called to be the working hands through which the sun of the Holy Spirit shines upon the world.
I heard a story once, that I am reminded of every Pentecost. There was a wise old hermit who lived in the desert, and many earnest young Christians would come to him to ask him for counsel, advice and the benefits of his wisdom. One day he was sitting with a small group of these faithful youths and the sun was shining down brightly upon ground. One of the young men said, “Father, what does it mean to be on fire with the Holy Spirit?”
The old man thought awhile and then held out his hand and said “what do you see here?
“I see nothing but your hand, Father.”
Then the old man lifted up his hand and held it before the bright rays of the sun.
“Now what do you see?” he asked.
The young man squinted and said, “I can see nothing but the brightness of the sun, and a shadowy outline of your hand.”
The old man said, “So it is to be on fire with the Holy Spirit. Your own self is but a shadow, and the Holy Spirit shines through you.”
This story says something of the great mystery that is the Holy Spirit. It speaks of our place in the world; and what a right relationship with God should be like. As Christians we speak often of the importance of selfless giving, of unconditional love, of a sacrificial life and other truths of faithful living. Much of it can be boiled down to the message of this story: being a good person means letting the world see through you to the God who made you.
This is, perhaps, quite a hard message for us to come to terms with in the modern world. We live in an intensely individualist society in which our individual personhood is of the utmost value. We, as a person, are unique, valuable and important. We have rights and entitlements because, as the advert puts it, we are “worth it”. And, of course we are all unique and valuable and important – but not because we are who we are; but because we are each loved and valued by the God who made us. A world view that primarily sees ourselves as the one who is worth it inevitably leads to the thought that those who are not like us are worth less. It becomes a selfish inward looking pride in one’s own value. The Christian worldview that each one of us is made in the image of God, should lead to the thought there is a genuine equality in humanity because it is others who are worth it. Rights and entitlements become bound by responsibilities and duties.
Not one of us is perfect. We each have good points and bad points. We each show in ourselves the image of God, and in each one of us that image has been obscured by our own mistakes, selfishness and greed. All of us are “worth it”, and yet none of us is truly “worth it”. It is the Christian truth that we were created good, and then it all went wrong.
That is the problem, and Jesus is the solution. God came down to earth as Jesus Christ; was born for us, lived for us, suffered for us, died for us, and rose again for us. By his cross and passion we are healed, and in his resurrection each one of us is given the grace to become what God intended us to be: perfect people. Perfect images of his own glory.
That is where burning with the Holy Spirit comes in. After Jesus’s Ascension, the disciples had been partakers of Christ’s life, ministry sacrifice and resurrection – yet they still had to wait. At Pentecost their waiting was over. The Holy Spirit descended upon them with fire, and that fire burned within them, and the Holy spirit shone through them. We, too, need the Holy Spirit. We can believe as much as we like, but it is the holy Spirit that empowers us to act upon that belief. It is the fire of the Holy Spirit that gives us faith. Without the Holy Spirit, we remain the outer shell – the individual person with good points and bad points, who at best can only be well respected and liked individuals. If we call upon the Holy Spirit, accept him into our lives and allow him to burn within us we can become so much more. Our goodness is made greater, and our weaknesses diminish. In this life we cannot be perfect, there will always be some imperfection in the image, like the hand in front of the sun. But the more we allow the Holy Spirit to guide us and the more we resist our own desires the more indistinct those imperfections will become and the brighter and more shiningly lovely we will be. God loves each and every one of us. The Holy Spirit can make us more worthy of that love, and we can become better carriers of God’s love and grace to the world.
The Holy Spirit calls to us all the time. The Holy Spirit is always there to show us the way. The Holy Spirit is a flame waiting for us to fan it. Pentecost is a time to remind ourselves more fully, that we are called to be the working hands through which the sun of the Holy Spirit shines upon the world.
PRAYERS FOR PENTECOST
LORD it is our duty and our joy,
always and everywhere to give you thanks,
holy Father, almighty and everlasting God,
through Jesus Christ, your only Son our Lord.
This day we give you thanks
because in fulfilment of your promise
you pour out your Spirit upon us,
filling us with your gifts, leading us into all truth,
and uniting peoples of many tongues in the confession of one faith.
Your Spirit gives us grace to call you Father,
to proclaim your gospel to all nations
and to serve you as a royal priesthood.
Therefore we join our voices with angels and archangels,
and with all those in whom the Spirit dwells,
to proclaim the glory of your name this day and forever.
We pray for God to fill us with his Spirit.
Generous God,
we thank you for the power of your Holy Spirit.
We ask that we may be strengthened to serve you better.
Lord, come to bless us
All and fill us with your Spirit.
We thank you for the wisdom of your Holy Spirit.
We ask you to make us wise to understand your will.
Lord, come to bless us
All and fill us with your Spirit.
We thank you for the peace of your Holy Spirit.
We ask you to keep us confident of your love wherever you call us.
Lord, come to bless us
All and fill us with your Spirit.
We thank you for the healing of your Holy Spirit.
We ask you to bring reconciliation and wholeness
where there is division, sickness and sorrow.
We pray for all who are suffering in mind, body or spirit,
remembering especially Josie Thompson, Myra Jones, Chris Bruno,
Val Spiller, Steve McConnachie, Fr Gerwyn Dean of Llandaff,
David Watkins, Heather Oliver, Jeanette Daley
Lord, come to bless us
All and fill us with your Spirit.
We thank you for the gifts of your Holy Spirit.
We ask you to equip us for the work which you have given us.
Lord, come to bless us
All and fill us with your Spirit.
We thank you for the fruit of your Holy Spirit.
We ask you to reveal in our lives the love of Jesus.
Lord, come to bless us
All and fill us with your Spirit.
We thank you for the breath of your Holy Spirit,
given us by the risen Lord.
We ask you to keep the whole Church, living and departed,
in the joy of eternal life.
We pray for those who have recently died, and for the many families who mourn
the loss of loved ones. We remember those whose anniversaries of death fall
this week: Enid Brown, Ernest Arthur Hulin, Helen Kennedy, Ron Storer,
William Boggis, Muriel Phillips, Chrystal Davies, Beatrice Sinclair, William Henry Jones,
Meaureen Moffat, Verina Doris Charles
Lord, come to bless us
All and fill us with your Spirit.
Generous God,
you sent your Holy Spirit upon your Messiah at the river Jordan,
and upon the disciples in the upper room:
in your mercy fill us with your Spirit,
All hear our prayer,
and make us one in heart and mind
to serve you with joy for ever. Amen.
LORD it is our duty and our joy,
always and everywhere to give you thanks,
holy Father, almighty and everlasting God,
through Jesus Christ, your only Son our Lord.
This day we give you thanks
because in fulfilment of your promise
you pour out your Spirit upon us,
filling us with your gifts, leading us into all truth,
and uniting peoples of many tongues in the confession of one faith.
Your Spirit gives us grace to call you Father,
to proclaim your gospel to all nations
and to serve you as a royal priesthood.
Therefore we join our voices with angels and archangels,
and with all those in whom the Spirit dwells,
to proclaim the glory of your name this day and forever.
We pray for God to fill us with his Spirit.
Generous God,
we thank you for the power of your Holy Spirit.
We ask that we may be strengthened to serve you better.
Lord, come to bless us
All and fill us with your Spirit.
We thank you for the wisdom of your Holy Spirit.
We ask you to make us wise to understand your will.
Lord, come to bless us
All and fill us with your Spirit.
We thank you for the peace of your Holy Spirit.
We ask you to keep us confident of your love wherever you call us.
Lord, come to bless us
All and fill us with your Spirit.
We thank you for the healing of your Holy Spirit.
We ask you to bring reconciliation and wholeness
where there is division, sickness and sorrow.
We pray for all who are suffering in mind, body or spirit,
remembering especially Josie Thompson, Myra Jones, Chris Bruno,
Val Spiller, Steve McConnachie, Fr Gerwyn Dean of Llandaff,
David Watkins, Heather Oliver, Jeanette Daley
Lord, come to bless us
All and fill us with your Spirit.
We thank you for the gifts of your Holy Spirit.
We ask you to equip us for the work which you have given us.
Lord, come to bless us
All and fill us with your Spirit.
We thank you for the fruit of your Holy Spirit.
We ask you to reveal in our lives the love of Jesus.
Lord, come to bless us
All and fill us with your Spirit.
We thank you for the breath of your Holy Spirit,
given us by the risen Lord.
We ask you to keep the whole Church, living and departed,
in the joy of eternal life.
We pray for those who have recently died, and for the many families who mourn
the loss of loved ones. We remember those whose anniversaries of death fall
this week: Enid Brown, Ernest Arthur Hulin, Helen Kennedy, Ron Storer,
William Boggis, Muriel Phillips, Chrystal Davies, Beatrice Sinclair, William Henry Jones,
Meaureen Moffat, Verina Doris Charles
Lord, come to bless us
All and fill us with your Spirit.
Generous God,
you sent your Holy Spirit upon your Messiah at the river Jordan,
and upon the disciples in the upper room:
in your mercy fill us with your Spirit,
All hear our prayer,
and make us one in heart and mind
to serve you with joy for ever. Amen.
A time of prayer and reflection for those who are unable to attend a funeral.
When someone we know and love dies, it is important to say ‘farewell’, to remember them and to honour a life that has meant a lot to us. The current circumstances mean that some people who would have wished to attend the funeral may be prevented from doing so. This short guide will help you to say your formal goodbyes at home.
As you read through this short act of worship and remembrance, mention the name of the person who has died where you see N…. You may like to light a candle, to place it near a photograph of the person you are thinking of and perhaps play a piece of music that meant a lot to them. Take a few moments to sit quietly. Think about those who are attending the funeral and hold them before God in the stillness of the moment.
Lighting the candle
You may say these words as you light a candle:
Jesus is the Light of the World. May his light, rising in glory, banish all darkness from our hearts and minds.
Some words of comfort from the Bible
The eternal God is your refuge: and underneath are the everlasting arms. (Deuteronomy 33:27)
Jesus said, ‘Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid’. (John 14:27)
Opening Prayer
Loving Jesus, you promised your disciples that you would be with them for ever. Help us to know that you are with us now in our sadness and our grief. When you faced the cross you told your disciples not to be anxious or afraid, because you were going before them. Trusting that N…. is safe in your love, help us to have faith and peace of mind. Be with us in these moments of reflection and surround us with your love and your peace, now and always. Amen.
Read Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul.
He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me;
your rod and your staff - they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long.
You might also like to read the following Bible passage Matthew 5:1-12
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
John 11:21-27
Martha said to Jesus, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother will rise again.’ Martha said to him, ‘I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?’ She said to him, ‘Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world.’
Time to reflect
Now spend a few moments thinking about the readings and any words that particularly speak to you. Take a few moments to think about the person who has died. If you are with other people you may like to share your memories together. Think about what made that person special to you, the things you did with and for them – things they did for you. Think about what you might like to say to them if they were here now. There will be things that you will want to thank God for and things you might regret or feel sorry about. There is also the sadness of not being able to attend the funeral. You can offer all these thoughts to God. After some moments of stillness continue with these prayers:
God our Father, we thank you that you have made each of us in your own image and given us gifts and talents with which to serve you. We thank you for N…, the years we shared with him/her, the good we saw in him/her, the love we received from him/her.
Now give us strength and courage to leave him/her in your care, confident in your promise of eternal life
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
In this prayer at “A. and B.” mention the names of those you know who may be attending the funeral.
O God, you brought us to birth, and in your arms we die. In your gentle compassion, look with tenderness on A. and B. as they gather today to mourn N., to give thanks for his/her life and entrust him/her to you. In our shared grief and shock contain and comfort us; embrace us with your love, give us hope in our confusion and grace to let go into new life; through Jesus Christ. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father,
The following prayer is used at the end of the funeral service to commend the person who has died to God’s love and care for ever. We conclude this short time of reflection with this special prayer:
God our creator and redeemer, by your power Christ conquered death and entered into glory. Confident of his victory and claiming his promises, we entrust N… to your mercy in the name of Jesus our Lord, who died and is alive and reigns with you, now and for ever. Amen.
Closing prayers
Support us, O Lord, all the day long of this troublous life, until the shadows lengthen and the evening comes,
the busy world is hushed, the fever of life is over, and our work is done. Then, Lord, in your mercy grant us a safe lodging, a holy rest, and peace at the last; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
May God’s love and help remain with us always and
may N… and all the faithful departed rest for ever in peace. Amen.
When someone we know and love dies, it is important to say ‘farewell’, to remember them and to honour a life that has meant a lot to us. The current circumstances mean that some people who would have wished to attend the funeral may be prevented from doing so. This short guide will help you to say your formal goodbyes at home.
As you read through this short act of worship and remembrance, mention the name of the person who has died where you see N…. You may like to light a candle, to place it near a photograph of the person you are thinking of and perhaps play a piece of music that meant a lot to them. Take a few moments to sit quietly. Think about those who are attending the funeral and hold them before God in the stillness of the moment.
Lighting the candle
You may say these words as you light a candle:
Jesus is the Light of the World. May his light, rising in glory, banish all darkness from our hearts and minds.
Some words of comfort from the Bible
The eternal God is your refuge: and underneath are the everlasting arms. (Deuteronomy 33:27)
Jesus said, ‘Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid’. (John 14:27)
Opening Prayer
Loving Jesus, you promised your disciples that you would be with them for ever. Help us to know that you are with us now in our sadness and our grief. When you faced the cross you told your disciples not to be anxious or afraid, because you were going before them. Trusting that N…. is safe in your love, help us to have faith and peace of mind. Be with us in these moments of reflection and surround us with your love and your peace, now and always. Amen.
Read Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul.
He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me;
your rod and your staff - they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long.
You might also like to read the following Bible passage Matthew 5:1-12
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
John 11:21-27
Martha said to Jesus, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother will rise again.’ Martha said to him, ‘I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?’ She said to him, ‘Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world.’
Time to reflect
Now spend a few moments thinking about the readings and any words that particularly speak to you. Take a few moments to think about the person who has died. If you are with other people you may like to share your memories together. Think about what made that person special to you, the things you did with and for them – things they did for you. Think about what you might like to say to them if they were here now. There will be things that you will want to thank God for and things you might regret or feel sorry about. There is also the sadness of not being able to attend the funeral. You can offer all these thoughts to God. After some moments of stillness continue with these prayers:
God our Father, we thank you that you have made each of us in your own image and given us gifts and talents with which to serve you. We thank you for N…, the years we shared with him/her, the good we saw in him/her, the love we received from him/her.
Now give us strength and courage to leave him/her in your care, confident in your promise of eternal life
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
In this prayer at “A. and B.” mention the names of those you know who may be attending the funeral.
O God, you brought us to birth, and in your arms we die. In your gentle compassion, look with tenderness on A. and B. as they gather today to mourn N., to give thanks for his/her life and entrust him/her to you. In our shared grief and shock contain and comfort us; embrace us with your love, give us hope in our confusion and grace to let go into new life; through Jesus Christ. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father,
The following prayer is used at the end of the funeral service to commend the person who has died to God’s love and care for ever. We conclude this short time of reflection with this special prayer:
God our creator and redeemer, by your power Christ conquered death and entered into glory. Confident of his victory and claiming his promises, we entrust N… to your mercy in the name of Jesus our Lord, who died and is alive and reigns with you, now and for ever. Amen.
Closing prayers
Support us, O Lord, all the day long of this troublous life, until the shadows lengthen and the evening comes,
the busy world is hushed, the fever of life is over, and our work is done. Then, Lord, in your mercy grant us a safe lodging, a holy rest, and peace at the last; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
May God’s love and help remain with us always and
may N… and all the faithful departed rest for ever in peace. Amen.
