Vigil Prayer

GREETING

Leader: 

The grace and peace of 

God our Father, 

who raised Jesus 

from the dead, 

be always with you.

All: And with your spirit. 


OPENING HYMN

INVITATION TO PRAYER

Leader: 

My brothers and sisters, 

we believe that 

all the ties of 

friendship and affection, 

which knit us as one 

throughout our lives, 

do not unravel with death. 

Confident that God 

always remembers 

the good we have done 

and forgives our sins, 

let us pray, 

asking God to gather 

our brother/sister (N...) to himself.

(Pause for silent prayer)


OPENING PRAYER

Leader: 

O God, glory of believers 

and life of the just, 

by the death and 

resurrection of your Son, 

we are redeemed. 

Have mercy on your servant (N...) 

and make him/her worthy 

to share the joys of paradise, 

for he/she believed 

in the resurrection of the dead. 

We ask this 

through Christ our Lord. 

All: Amen.


READING

Reader: 

A reading from the 

second letter of St Paul 

to the Corinthians 

(2 Cor 5:1,6-10)


For we know that when the tent 

that we live in on earth 

is folded up, 

there is a house 

built by God for us, 

an everlasting home 

not made by human hands, 

in the heavens. 

We are always 

full of confidence, then, 

when we remember that 

to live in the body 

means to be exiled 

from the Lord, 

going as we do by faith 

and not by sight - 

we are full of confidence, I say, 

and actually want to be 

exiled from the body 

and make our home 

with the Lord.

Whether we are living 

in the body 

or exiled from it, 

we are intent on pleasing him. 

For all the truth about us 

will be brought out 

in the law-court of Christ, 

and each of us will get 

what he deserves 

for the things he did in the body, 

good or bad.


Reader: The Word of the Lord.

All: Thanks be to God.


RESPONSORIAL PSALM (Ps 130)

Response: 

The Lord is my light 

and my salvation.

Response: 

The Lord is my light 

and my salvation.


and my help; 

whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the 

stronghold of my life;

before whom shall I shrink? 

Response: 

The Lord is my light 

and my salvation.


I ask of the Lord, 

for this I long, 

to live in the 

house of the Lord, 

all the days of my life, 

to savour the 

sweetness of the Lord,

to behold his temple.

Response: 

The Lord is my light 

and my salvation.


when I call; 

have mercy and answer.

It is your face, O Lord, 

that I seek, 

hide not your face.

Response: 

The Lord is my light 

and my salvation.


the Lord's goodness 

in the land of the living.

Hope in him, hold firm 

and take heart. 

Hope in the Lord!

Response: 

The Lord is my light 

and my salvation.


GOSPEL

Leader: 

A reading from the holy Gospel 

according to Luke (Lk 12:35-40)


Jesus said to his disciples: 

"See that you are dressed for action 

and have your lamps lit. 

Be like men 

waiting for their master 

to return from the wedding feast, 

ready to open the door 

as soon as he comes and knocks.

Happy those servants 

whom the master finds awake 

when he comes. 

I tell you solemnly, 

he will put on an apron, 

sit himself down at table 

and wait on them. 

It may be in the 

second watch he comes, 

or in the third, 

but happy those servants 

if he finds them ready. 

You may be quite sure of this, 

that if the householder 

had known at what hour 

the burglar would come, 

he would not have let anyone 

break through the 

wall of his house. 

You too must stand ready, 

because the Son of Man 

is coming at an hour 

you do not expect."


Leader: The Gospel of the Lord.

All: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ


(HYMN)

INTERCESSIONS

Leader: 

Let us turn to Christ Jesus 

with confidence and faith 

in the power of his cross 

and resurrection.

Risen Lord, 

pattern of our life for ever: 

Lord, have mercy.

All: Lord, have mercy.


of what we shall be: 

Lord, have mercy.

All: Lord, have mercy.


to destroy sin and death: 

Lord, have mercy.

All: Lord, have mercy.


from the fear of death: 

Lord, have mercy.

All: Lord, have mercy.


forsaken in death, 

raised in glory: 

Lord, have mercy.

All: Lord, have mercy.


you who bring rest to our souls, 

give peace to (N...) forever: 

Lord, have mercy.

All: Lord, have mercy.


you bless those who mourn 

and are in pain. 

Bless (N...'s) family and friends 

who gather around 

him/her today: 

Lord, have mercy.

All: Lord, have mercy.


THE LORDS' PRAYER 

At the Saviour's command 

and formed by divine teaching, 

we dare to say:

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.


CONCLUDING PRAYER

Lord Jesus, our Redeemer, 

you willingly gave yourself 

up to death, 

so that all might be saved 

and pass from death to life.

We humbly ask you 

to comfort your servants 

in their grief and to receive (N...) 

into the arms of your mercy.

You alone are the Holy One, 

you are mercy itself; 

by dying you unlocked 

the gates of life 

for those who believe in you.

Forgive (N...) his/her sins, 

and grant him/her 

a place of happiness, 

light, and peace 

in the kingdom 

of your glory for ever and ever.

All: Amen.


CONCLUDING RITE

Leader:

Blessed are those 

who have died in the Lord; 

let them rest from their labours 

for their good deeds go with them.

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 his /her soul 

and the souls of 

all the faithful departed, 

through the mercy of God, 

rest in peace.

All: Amen.


Leader: 

May the love of God 

and the peace of 

our Lord Jesus Christ 

bless and console us 

and gently wipe 

every tear from our eyes: 

in the name of the Father, 

and of the Son, 

and of the Holy Spirit.

All: Amen.


CLOSING HYMN