So today I'm in a contemplative mood. I have seen friends and family after the death of a parent struggle with the death, but then with the added responsibility of planning the funeral or celebration of life. Part of this has been because I was the church secretary - but I have also seen first hand from some close people that there is this huge stress added when trying to figure out what "so & so" would've wanted.
First off - the funeral or whatever celebration you're holding is not for the person who has passed away. This celebration is to give closure to the family and friends. I wholeheartedly believe that the one who has passed away is already rejoicing in the Lord's arms. We, here on Earth, are the ones who need this celebration to send our goodbyes to Heaven to them.
I look at this situation with wide open eyes. The older I get the more I realize that we are people of procrastination. We all know we will die. I've heard more times than I can count "two things in life are guaranteed, death and taxes." If we know this is a guarantee in our lives, why don't we plan for it. Now I don't mean plan date and time; I mean plan for what we want - funeral with Mass in a Catholic church, memorial ceremony at the church, or celebration of life at the local bar. So many possibilities, yet so many are ignored and family has to sort it all out all while trying to sort out emotions of loosing you as a special person to them.
I'm Catholic; never one who has shied away from sharing my faith with others. I decided to plan my funeral, Mass, and everything so that our children and family doesn't have to worry about it. I started online with resources & thought since they were a little hard to find I would share here for anyone else who maybe interested.
I hope that my children and families will be practicing Catholics at the time of my death so I am planning a full mass. If they don't want that it'll be fine as well. After all, I won't be participating!
Readings from the Old Testament:
Wisdom 4:7-15
Daniel 12:1-3
Lamentations 3:17-26
Wisdom 3:1-9 (short form, 3:1-6, 9)
Job 19:1, 23-27a
2 Maccabees 12:43-46
Isaiah 25:6a, 7-9
If the funeral is to be held during Easter Season the readings to choose from are different and limited: Acts 10:34-43 (short form, 10:34-36, 42-43) - Revelation 14:13 - Revelation 20:11—21:1 - Revelation 21:1-5a, 6b-7
I suppose that since we have no control over our date and time we should have one of these picked out as well if we really want to be thorough and save our families the time and hassle.
Responsorial Psalms
Psalm 23:1-3, 4, 5, 6: with responses "The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want." OR Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me. (I am partial to this!)
Psalm 25:6 and 7b, 17-18, 20-21: with responses "To you, O Lord, I lift my soul." OR "No one who waits for you, O Lord, will ever be put to shame."
Psalm 27:1, 4, 7 and 8b and 9a, 13-14: with responses: "The Lord is my light and my salvation." OR "I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living."
Psalm 42:2, 3, 5cdef; 43:3, 4, 5; with response: "My soul is thirsting for the living God: when shall I see him face to face?"
Psalm 63:2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9; with response: "My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God."
Psalm 103:8 and 10, 13-14, 15-16, 17-18; with responses: "The Lord is kind and merciful." OR "The salvation of the just comes from the Lord."
Psalm 116:5, 6, 10-11, 15-16ac; with responses: "I will walk in the presence of the Lord in the land of the living." OR "Alleluia."
Psalm 122:1-2, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9; with responses: "I rejoiced when I heard them say: let us go to the house of the Lord." OR "Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord."
Psalm 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-6ab, 6c-7, 8; with responses: "Out of the depths, I cry to you, Lord." or "I hope in the Lord, I trust in his word."
Psalm 143:1-2, 5-6, 7ab and 8ab, 10; with response "O Lord, hear my prayer."
Readings from the New Testament:
Romans 5:5-11
Romans 5:17-21
Romans 6:3-9 (short form, 6:3-4, 8-9)
Romans 8:14-23
Romans 8:31b-35, 37-39
Romans 14:7-9, 10c-12
1 Corinthians 15:20-28 (short form, 15:20-23)
1 Corinthians 15:51-57
2 Corinthians 4:14—5:1
2 Corinthians 5:1, 6-10
Philippians 3:20-21
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
2 Timothy 2:8-13
1 John 3:1-2
1 John 3:14-16
Gospel Acclimations: These are chanted/sung
Matthew 11:25 Matthew 25:34 John 3:16 John 6:39 John 6:40 John 6:51 John 11:25a, 26 Philippians 3:20 2 Timothy 2:11-12a Revelation 1:5a, 6b Revelation 14:13
Gospel: Again there are so many options: Matthew 5:1-12a
Matthew 11:25-30
Matthew 25:1-13
Matthew 25:31-46 (This might be my favorite & not just because it references sheep and goats!) Mark 15:33-39; 16:1-6 (short form, 15:33-39)
Luke 7:11-17
Luke 12:35-40
Luke 23:33, 39-43
Luke 23:44-46, 50, 52-53; 24:1-6a (short form, 23:44-46, 50, 52-53)
Luke 24:13-35 (short form, 24:13-16, 28-35)
John 5:24-29
John 6:37-40 (I really like this one as well!)
John 6:51-58
John 11:17-27 (short form, 11:21-27)
John 11:32-45
John 12:23-28 (short form, 12:23-26)
John 14:1-6
John 17:24-26
John 19:17-18, 25-39
Hymn are some of the most important parts - the music that gives words and emotions to the people. All music during the liturgy should be sacred music as opposed to secular music. I stole most of this list from St. Mary's Cathedral in Cheyenne, Wyoming
Entrance Hymns:
Alleluia! Alleluia! Let the Holy Anthem Rise (Holy Anthem) *Easter season
I am the Bread of Life (Toolan)
I am the Resurrection (Anderson; not in Music Issue)
I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say (Kingsford)
I Know That My Redeemer Lives (Duke Street)
Jesus Christ is Risen Today (Easter)
Jerusalem, My Happy Home (Land of the Rest)
Praise My Soul, the King of Heaven (Lauda Anima)
Praise the Lord, Ye Heavens (Hymn to Joy)
O God our Help in Ages Past (St. Anne)
Shall We Gather at the River (Place)
The King Shall Come When Morning Dawns (Morning Song)* Advent and Second Coming Themes
The Strife is O’er (Victory)
Wake, O Wake, and Sleep No Longer (Wachet Auf)*Advent
The Day of Resurrection (Ellacombe)
Be Not Afraid (Dufford) This one is popular.
City of God (Schutte)
Love Has Come (Maher)
From all that Dwell Below the Skies (Duke Street)
Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee (Hymn to Joy)
In the Day of the Lord (M.D. Ridge) verse 4-6
A Rightful Place (Angrisano)
Here I am, Lord (Schutte) - this is one of my favorites!
Presentation of the Gifts: usually a song during this time
Amazing Grace (Newton)
Bread that Was Sown (Priory)
Come, My Way, My Truth, My Life (Vaughan Williams)
Eye Has Not Seen (Haugen)
Give Me Jesus (Traditional Spiritual)
Hail Mary: Gentle Woman (Landry)
Hosea (Priory)
How Great Thou Art (Hine)
Isaiah 49 (Landry)
Jesu, Joy of Our Desiring (Bach)
Pescador des Hombres (Gabarain)
Prayer of St. Francis (Temple)
Precious Lord, Take My Hand (Dorsey) I love this song too!
The King of Love My Shepherd Is (Brother’s James Air)
The Lord is My Hope (Ridge)
This Alone (Manion)
You are Mine (Haas)
Christ in Me Arise (Thomson)
In this Place (Thomson)
Fly Like a Bird (Canedo)
In Christ Alone (Getty and Townend) This is another good song.
You Know Who I am (Maher and Booth)
Communion Hymns:
I am the Bread of Life (Toolan) I will probably use this one!
Be Not Afraid (Dufford)
Behold the Lamb (Willett)
Blest are They (Haas)
Bread of Life (Farrell)
Center of My Life (Inwood)
Eat this Bread (Berthier)
Gift of Finest Wheat (Kreutz)
How Lovely is Your Dwelling Place (DeBruyn)
How Lovely is Your Dwelling Place (Joncas)
Keep in Mind (Deiss)
Like a Shepherd (Walker) This one is a very good possibility too.
Now We Remain (Haas)
Only in God (Talbot)
Pan de Vida (Hurd)
Panis Angelicus (Sacres Solemnis)
Panis Angelicus (Franck; sung as a solo)
Shelter Me, O God (Hurd)
Speak, Lord (Uszler/Schoenbachler)
The Cry of the Poor (Foley)
The Lord is My Light (Walker)
The Supper of the Lord (Rosania)
Unless a Grain of Wheat (Farrell)
We Will Rise Again (Haas)
Yes, I Shall Arise (Alstott)
You are Near (Schutte)
Beautiful Savior (St. Elizabeth)
In the Breaking of the Bread (Timothy Smith)
Bread, Blessed and Broken (Lynch)
Ubi Caritas (Hurd)
Look Beyond (Ducote)
Song of the Body of Christ (No Ke Ano’ Ahi Ahi)
Spirit and Grace (Manalo)
One Bread, One Body (Foley)
Come to Me and Drink (Hurd) verse 5-7
Miracle of Grace (Stephan)
Take and Eat (Joncas)
Psalm 24: Lord, This is the People (Smith)
After communion it is customary to have an Ava Maria soloed.
Commendation: (Farwell to our loved one)
I Know that My Redeemer Lives (Duke Street)
I Know that My Redeemer Lives (Soper)
In Paradisum (chant)
Song of Farewell (Old Hundredth)
Song of Farewell (Sands)
O Loving God (Londonberry Air)
On Eagle's Wings (Joncas) - this was listed in the above list, but I will have it here likely
Sending Forth:
Go Now in Peace (Round; GIA Publications)
God of Day and God of Darknes
s (Beach Spring)
Here I am, Lord (Schutte)
Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee (Beethoven)
Lead Me, Lord (Becker)
Lord of all Hopefulness (Struther)
Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory (Battle Hymn)
Though the Mountains May Fall (Schutte) I have always loved leaving Mass to this song - it is so uplifting and reminding that the Love of the Lord is with us always.
Let all things Now Living (Ash Grove)
Go Forth (Thomson)
Go in Peace (Hart and Liles)