God creates us in His image
God creates us in His image
GREETING
Leader:
In the name of the Father (+)
and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit.
All : Amen.
Leader:
The Lord created man
out of earth and
turned him back to it again.
All:
He endowed them
with strength like his own
and made them in his own image.
Leader:
Their eyes saw
his glorious majesty
and their ears heard
the glory of his voice.
All:
How great is the
mercy of the Lord
and his forgiveness
for those who turn to him!
Leader:
Blessed are they
who shall die in penitence,
for they shall be
in the kingdom of heaven.
All :
Beware and abstain
from all evil,
and persevere in good
until the end.
OPENING PRAYER
Leader:
Let us pray.
Merciful Father
and Lord of all life,
we praise you that
we are made in your image
and reflect your truth and light.
We thank you
for the life of
your child (N...)
for the love he/ she
received from you
and showed among us.
Above all,
we rejoice
at your gracious promise
to all your servants,
living and departed,
that we shall rise again
at the coming of Christ.
We ask that in due time
we may share
with our brother/sister
that clearer vision,
when we shall see your face,
in the same Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
OLD TESTAMENT READING
A reading from
the book of Genesis.
(Gen 1:26-28, 31)
Then God said,
"Let us make man
in our image,
after our likeness;
and let them have dominion
over the fish of the sea,
and over the birds of the air,
and over the cattle,
and over all the earth,
and over every creeping thing
that creeps upon the earth."
So God created man
in his own image,
in the image of God
he created him;
male and female
he created them.
And God blessed them,
and God said to them,
"Be fruitful and multiply,
and fill the earth
and subdue it;
and have dominion
over the fish of the sea
and over the birds of the air
and over every living thing
that moves upon the earth."
And God saw everything
that he had made,
and behold,
it was very good.
The word of the Lord.
All : Thanks be to God.
PSALM (67)
May God be
gracious to us
and bless us;
may God's face
shine upon us.
So shall your rule
be known upon the earth,
your saving power
among all the nations.
Response:
May the peoples
praise you, God;
may all the peoples
praise you!
May the nations be glad
and shout for joy;
for you govern
the peoples justly,
you guide the nations
upon the earth.
Response:
May the peoples
praise you, God;
may all the peoples
praise you!
The earth has
yielded its harvest;
God, our God, blesses us.
May God bless us still;
that the ends of the earth
may revere our God.
Response:
May the peoples
praise you, God;
may all the peoples
praise you!
REFLECTION
Leader:
We might feel guilty
that we did not sufficiently
express our love
to that person.
We might think,
"I did not show him
enough love.
I scolded him too much.
I complained too much.
I was negative
and unpleasant.
I never told him
how much I loved,
respected and
appreciated him.
I was unpleasant
and nagging."
We may feel loneliness.
We may think,
"It is difficult to connect
with other people.
They are not open,
not friendly.
I have no one to talk to,
to share with,
to be myself with."
It would be natural
to feel anger toward
those who were
in some way
connected with
or responsible
for our loved one's death.
All these feelings are natural
and may be a part
of our grieving process.
When we are aware of them,
we learn from them
and view them
as steps towards
eventually achieving balance
and wholeness
as we move on in our lives.
(Pause for personal, silent reflection)
INTERCESSIONS
Leader:
Let us pray to
God the Father,
who has given us new life
through the resurrection
of Christ, as we respond:
Make us radiant with Christ's glory.
Response:
Make us radiant
with Christ's glory.
Almighty God,
Creator of the world,
you revealed the old covenant
by your mighty deeds
and were faithful
to your people
down through the ages;
loving Father,
hear the prayer
of your children.
Response:
Make us radiant
with Christ's glory.
Cleanse our hearts
by your truth and
guide our lives
by your holiness;
may we do
what is right
and pleasing to you.
Response:
Make us radiant
with Christ's glory.
Let the light of your face
shine upon us;
free us from sin
and fill us
with your goodness.
Response:
Make us radiant
with Christ's glory.
Peace was your Son's
parting gift to the apostles;
grant your peace to us
and to people everywhere.
Response:
Make us radiant
with Christ's glory.
You descended to the
realm of the dead
and opened wide its gates;
receive (N...) and
all the faithful departed
into your Father's house.
Response:
Make us radiant
with Christ's glory.
THE LORD'S PRAYER
Leader:
Let us now pray
the prayer that
Jesus taught us.
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.
CLOSING PRAYER
Risen Lord Jesus,
draw near to us
as we walk this lonely road.
Pierce our weary sorrow
and gladden our heavy hearts
as you go with us,
and bring us in the end
to your heavenly table.
Hear us,
for you live and reign
with your Father,
in the love of the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever.
All : Amen.
Leader:
Eternal rest grant unto (N...)
O Lord.
All :
And let perpetual light
shine upon him/her.
Leader:
May he/ she rest in peace.
All : Amen.
Leader:
May the soul of (N...)
and the souls of all
the faithful departed,
through the mercy of God,
rest in peace.
All :
Amen.
Let us all,
everywhere,
in every place,
at every hour,
and at all times,
daily and continually believe,
truly and humbly,
and let us hold
in our hearts, and love,
honour, adore, serve,
praise and bless,
glorify and exalt,
magnify and give thanks
to the most
High and Supreme,
Eternal God.
Leader:
In the name of the Father (+)
and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit.
All : Amen.