Mass in Remembrance of Our Dead

Mass in Remembrance of our Dead

November Mass

Welcome

Reflection - Life

Life is but a stopping place,
A pause in what' s to be,
A resting place along the road,
to sweet eternity.

We all have different journeys,
Different paths along the way,
We all were meant to learn some things,
but never meant to stay...

Our destination is a place,
Far greater than we know.
For some the journey's quicker,
For some the journey's slow.

And when the journey finally ends,
We'll claim a great reward,
And find an everlasting peace,
Together with the Lord

Church in darkness

Reflection is read, with gentle appropriate background music, as candlelight procession takes place. The candlelight procession can be done in a way that suits the church and the congregation. For example it may be appropriate to have the entire congregation process to the altar, or a just a certain number of the congregation. The candles stay lighting during the mass.

Reading the names of the deceased

The names are read in alternates of 10 by a man and a woman

Entrance Hymn - Shepherd Song

RefrainJesus, good Shepherd, call us by name

Jesus, good Shepherd, call us by name

Jesus will shepherd us, lead us to pastures green,

Show us the Tree of life, give us repost. O ...

Dark though my valley were,

covered by night of death;

No evil need I fear: Jesus is near. O …

Strong is the shepherd’s staff;

Safe now the Saviour’s flock,

Led by the Cross of Christ:

Comfort and strength. O …

Goodness and mercy, Lord

Follow me all my days;

Here let me ever dwell,

Safe in God’s house. O ….

Altar servers and Celebrantprocess to Sanctuary as Entrance Hymn is being sung

(Ministers of the Eucharist and of the Word may also join the procession)

Welcome and Penitential Rite

Liturgy of the Word

A reading from the book of Lamentations (3:17-18, 20-28)

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’.

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 all exhausted;

every morning they are renewed,

great is your 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.

It is good to wait in silence for the Lord to save.

The Word of the Lord

Responsorial Psalm: Keep in Mind (sung)

Response:Keep in mind that Jesus Christ has died for us and is risen from the dead. He is our saving Lord; he is joy for all ages.

A reading from the 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 the appointed moment Christ died for sinful people. It is not easy to die even for a good person—though of course for someone really worthy, someone 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 Gods 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 reconciled 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

Alleluia, Alleluia!

It is my Father’s will, says the Lord,

that whoever believes in the Son shall have eternal life,

and that I shall raise him up on the last day.

Alleluia!

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew11:25-30

Jesus exclaimed, ‘I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of 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 soul. Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden light.’

The Gospel of the Lord

Prayer of the Faithful(said by two people man and woman)

Presider:Now that we have been comforted by God’s holy word, let us pray for all the faithful departed, that they may be found worthy of the promises of Christ.

Reader:That the Christian message of consolation and hope may strengthen us all, as we experience death among us. Lord hear us.

Reader:That the crucified Saviour’s consoling words to the repentant thief may be a reality for all those we prayerfully remember today, especially the family members of all here present. Lord hear us.

Reader:That the departed of our own families, especially those whose loss we feel deeply, may all be reunited in the communion of saints. Lord hear us.

Reader:That those who have died through acts of violence and war, (particularly those who died in the recent tsunami and earthquakes in Indonesia, Samoa and the Philippines), may find a place of justice and peace in God’s kingdom. Lord hear us.

Reader:That those who have died alone, unwanted and unmourned, may be welcomed by the heavenly community and share in the light and joy of Christ. Lord hear us.

Reader:That Christians may have faith to see God’s love in our world, in spite of pain and suffering, separation and loss. Lord hear us.

Presider:Almighty, loving and caring Father, grant that those whose memory we recall today may find that fullness of peace that you alone can give. We make this prayer through Christ our Lord.

All:Amen

Liturgy of the Eucharist

Communion Hymn

Only A Shadow

The love I have for you, my Lord,

is only a shadow of your love for me;

only a shadow of your love for me, your deep abiding love.

My own belief in you, my Lord,

is only a shadow of your faith in me;

only a shadow of your faith in me, your deep and lasting faith.

My life is in your hands, my life is in your hands,

my love for you will grow, my God; your light in me will shine.

The dream I have to-day, my Lord,

is only a shadow of your dreams for me,

only a shadow of all that will be, if I but follow you.

The joy I feel today, my God

is only a shadow of your joys for me

only a shadow of your joys for me, when we meet face to face.

Communion Reflection - On The Death of The Beloved

Though we need to weep your loss,

You dwell in that safe place in our hearts,

Where no storm or night or pain can reach you.

Let us not look for you only in memory,

Where we would grow lonely without you.

You would want us to find you in presence,

Beside us when beauty brightens,

When kindness glows

And music echoes eternal tones.

May you continue to inspire us

To enter each day with a generous heart,

To serve the call of courage and love,

Until we see your beautiful face again

In that land where there in no more separation,

Where all tears will be wiped from our mind,

And where we will never lose you again.

Taken from Benedictus by John O’Donoghue.

Final Blessing

Recessional Hymn - Strong and Constant

I will be Yahweh who walks with you.

You will be always within my hand.

Take your heart and give it all to me.

Strong and constant is my love.

Strong and constant is my love.

Should you wander far away from me

I will search for you in every land.

Should you call, then you will truly know:

Strong and constant is my love.

Strong and constant is my love.

When you know sorrow within you life,

I will come! I will embrace your heart.

Through your pain you will discover me.

Strong and constant is my love.

Strong and constant is my love.

Candles for families to take home

A candle for each family to take home with a prayer attached can be available after the Mass.

Prayer in time of Bereavement

Lord, you are close to the broken-hearted.

Be with me now in my grief and loneliness.

Give me the courage to face my loss

and not to grieve in silence.

Be with me as I struggle

with many different and painful feelings.

Ease the hurt in my heart.

Encircle me in your love.

Help me to believe that one day

I will no longer have this deep sorrow.

May I find comfort in sharing my grief with

those who understand the strong bonds of love.

Stay with me, Lord, support me.

Help me to know that your power is at work

within me as I deal with my grief.Amen.