Planning a Funeral

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Suggested Funeral Readings

The Scriptures appropriate for Catholic Funeral Liturgy are in a booklet entitled “Through Death to Life” by Joseph M. Champlin. You will be offered one of these booklets when you meet with the Bereavement Committee to plan the funeral. From this booklet, you may select the prayers of the Mass.

For your convenience, the list of readings is as follows.

Readings for the Liturgy of the Word for the Rite of Christian Burial are divided into three parts: a selection from the Old Testament, a selection from the New Testament, and a Gospel.

During the Easter Season, the Church offers a separate set of New Testament readings that replace the Old Testament readings used outside of the Easter season.

Click on the reading to review it before making your selection. After you have decided, make one selection from each of the Old Testament, the New Testament, and the Gospel. Note the reading number (found on the upper left corner of the reading) on your worksheet.

Old Testament – 1st Reading

C-1: 2 Maccabees 12:43-46 “He made atonement for the dead”

C-2: Job 19: 1, 23-27a “I know that my vindicator lives”

C-3: Wisdom 3:1-9 “The souls of the just are in the hand of God” (Long)

C-3: Wisdom 3:1-6,9 “The souls of the just are in the hand of God” (Short)

C-4: Wisdom 4:7-14 “An unsullied life, the attainment of old age”

C-5: Isaiah 25:6a, 7-9 “He will destroy death forever”

C-6: Lamentations 3:17-26 “My portion is the Lord, says my soul”

C-7: Daniel 12:1-3 “The wise shall shine brightly”