GREETING
Priest:
In the name of the Father (+)
and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit.
All : Amen.
Priest:
Remember Your word
to Your servant,
in which You have
made me hope.
All :
This is my comfort
in my distress, t
hat Your promise
gives me life.
Priest:
My dear friends,
we are gathered here today
to remember our child (N...),
who departed from this earth
(Months/Years) ago.
Let us raise our voices
to God in prayer.
All :
For the Lord God has said
"I will dwell among
the children of Israel,
and will not
forsake my people Israel."
Priest:
God of peace,
God of all tranquillity,
Be for us
light in all our darkness.
Be for us
calm in every storm.
Be for us
stillness in our turmoil.
Let us rest in You,
as a child
in a mother's arms;
a nested bird.
And let Your grace
now rest upon us,
as moonlight
rests upon the water;
as soft rain
falls to rest
on thirsty ground.
Let Your grace
now rest like
gentle rain upon us.
In Jesus' name we pray.
All : Amen.
WORD OF GOD
A reading from
the prophet Isaiah
(Is 66:12-14)
For thus says the Lord:
I will extend prosperity
to her like a river
and the wealth
of the nations
like an overflowing stream;
and you shall nurse
and be carried on her arm
and dandled on her knees.
As a mother
comforts her child,
so l will comfort you;
you shall be
comforted in Jerusalem.
You shall see,
and your heart
shall rejoice;
your bodies
shall flourish like the grass.
The word of the Lord.
All : Thanks be to God.
PSALM 69/
MATTHEW 9:14
Priest:
Let the little children
come to me,
for the kingdom of heaven
belongs to them
My prayer is to You,
O Lord.
At an acceptable time,
O God,
in the abundance
of Your steadfast love,
answer me.
With Your faithful help
rescue me
from sinking in the mud.
Answer me, O Lord,
for Your steadfast love
is good;
according to Your
abundant mercy,
turn to me.
Do not hide Your face
from your servant,
for I am in distress-
make haste to answer me.
But I am lowly and in pain;
let Your salvation, O God,
protect me.
I will praise
the name of God
with a song;
I will magnify Him
with thanksgiving.
Let heaven and earth
praise Him,
the seas and everything
that moves in them.
For God will save Sion
and rebuild the cities of Judah.
His servants shall
live there and possess it;
the children of His servants
shall inherit it,
and those who
love His name
shall live in it.
PRAYERS OF THE FAITHFUL
INTERCESSIONS
The Lord Jesus
is the lover of His people
and our only sure hope.
Let us ask Him
to deepen our faith
and sustain us
in our sorrow
as we respond:
We place our trust in You.
All:
We place our trust in You.
Priest:
Let the little children
come to me,
for the kingdom of heaven
belongs to them
You became a little child
for our sake,
and learned obedience
through suffering.
We praise You, O Lord...
All:
We place our trust in You.
You welcome children,
promising them
Your kingdom.
We praise You, O Lord...
All:
We place our trust in You.
You comforted those
who mourn
the loss of children
and friends.
We praise You, O Lord
All:
We place our trust in You.
You took upon Yourself
the suffering and
death of us all.
We praise You, O Lord...
All:
We place our trust in You.
You promised to
raise up those
who believe in You
just as You were
raised up in glory
by the Father.
We praise You, O Lord...
All:
We place our trust in You.
Priest:
Lord God,
You entrusted (N...)
to our care and now
You embrace (N...)
in Your love.
Take (N...)
into Your keeping
together with
all children
who have died.
Comfort us,
Your sorrowing family,
who seek You
in our time of need
and who trust
in Your saving peace.
We ask this through
Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
THE LORD'S PRAYER &
THE ANGELIC SALUTATION
Priest:
As God's children,
let us now
pray together
in Jesus' words.
All:
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done on earth
as it is in heaven.
Give us this day
our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those
who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Amen.
Hail Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with you.
Blessed are you amongst women
and blessed is the
fruit of your womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now,
and at the hour of our death.
Amen.
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
CONCLUSION
Priest:
Creator God,
heavenly Father,
teach us to be patient —
with life, with people,
and with ourselves.
All :
At times, we try
to hurry things along too much
and we push for answers
before the time is right.
Teach us
to trust Your sense of timing
rather than our own
and to surrender our will
to Your greater
and wiser plan.
Priest:
Help us let life unfold slowly,
like a tiny flower,
whose petals
unravel bit by bit.
All :
Remind us that
each moment
and state of growth
contains a loveliness.
Teach us
to appreciate life
and all it holds.
Priest:
Teach us to be
grateful for memories,
for the people
who have entered our lives,
for the joys
and sorrows
we have experienced.
All :
For they are not gone,
who live in the
hearts they left behind.
Priest:
May Your love be upon us, O Lord.
All:
As we place all our trust in You.
BLESSING
Priest:
May the Lord
bless you and keep you.
All : Amen.
Priest:
May He show his face to you
and have mercy on you.
All : Amen.
Priest:
May He turn His countenance
to you and give you peace.
All : Amen.
Priest:
May Almighty God bless you,
the Father (+) and the Son
and the Holy Spirit.
All : Amen.