Franciscan Wake Prayer
(All make the Sign of the Cross)
Leader: The Lord be with you.
All: And with your spirit.
INTRODUCTION
Leader:
Praised be God,
the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Father of mercies,
and the God of all consolation.
He comforts us in all our afflictions
and thus enables us
to comfort those
who are in trouble,
with the same consolation
we have received from him.
All: Blessed be God,
the Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ.
OPENING PRAYER
Leader:
Almighty God,
your love never fails
and you turn the shadow of death
into a new dawn.
May we receive your word
with believing hearts.
May the promises of Scripture
give us hope
and lift us from darkness
into the light and peace
of your Son, Jesus Christ,
our risen Lord.
All: Amen.
SCRIPTURE READING
Leader:
A reading from the holy Gospel
according to John (Jn 12:23-25)
Jesus replied to them:
"Now the hour has come
for the Son of Man to be glorified.
I tell you most solemnly,
unless a grain of wheat
falls on the ground and dies,
it remains only a single grain;
but if it dies, it yields a rich harvest.
Anyone who loves his life loses it,
anyone who hates his life
in this world
will keep it for the eternal life."
Leader: The Gospel of the Lord.
All: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
THE CANTICLE OF BROTHER SUN
Response:
Praised be you, my Lord,
through our Sister Bodily Death;
no living person can escape her.
Response:
Praised be you, my Lord,
through our Sister Bodily Death;
no living person can escape her.
Most high, all powerful, good Lord,
all praise, glory, honour,
and blessing are yours.
They belong to you alone,
Most High,
for no one is worthy
to mention your name.
Response:
Praised be you, my Lord,
through our Sister Bodily Death;
no living person can escape her.
Praised be you, my Lord,
with all your creatures,
especially Sir Brother Sun.
He is the day and through him
you give us light.
He is beautiful and radiant
with great splendour,
and bears your likeness,
Most High One.
Response:
Praised be you, my Lord,
through our Sister Bodily Death;
no living person can escape her.
Praised be you, my Lord,
through Sister Moon and the stars.
You formed them in heaven
clear and precious and beautiful.
Praised be you, my Lord,
through Brother Wind,
through the heavens -
cloudy and serene -
and through every kind of weather.
Through them you give sustenance
to your creatures.
Response:
Praised be you, my Lord,
through our Sister Bodily Death;
no living person can escape her.
Praised be you, my Lord,
through Sister Water.
She is very useful, humble,
precious and chaste.
Praised be you, my Lord,
through Brother Fire.
Through him you light up the night;
he is beautiful, cheerful,
robust and strong.
Response:
Praised be you, my Lord,
through our Sister Bodily Death;
no living person can escape her.
Praised be you, my Lord,
through our Sister Mother Earth.
She sustains and governs us,
and produces various fruits
with coloured flowers and herbs.
Response:
Praised be you, my Lord,
through our Sister Bodily Death;
no living person can escape her.
Praised be you, my Lord,
through those who forgive
out of love for you,
and through those
who bear infirmity and tribulation.
Blessed are those
who endure in peace;
You, Most High, will crown them.
Response:
Praised be you, my Lord,
through our Sister Bodily Death;
no living person can escape her.
Sadness to those
who die in mortal sin;
blessed are those
who die in your most holy will,
for the second death
shall not harm them.
Response:
Praised be you, my Lord,
through our Sister Bodily Death;
no living person can escape her.
Praise and bless my Lord.
Give him thanks
and serve him with great humility.
Response:
Praised be you, my Lord,
through our Sister Bodily Death;
no living person can escape her.
Leader:
A reading from the
Second Life of St Francis
by Thomas of Celano
Francis spent the few days
that remained
before his death in praise,
teaching his companions
whom he loved so much
to praise Christ with him.
He himself, in as far as he was able,
broke forth in this psalm:
"I cried to the Lord
with my voice;
with my voice
I made loud supplication
to the Lord."
He also invited
all creatures to praise God,
and by means of the words
he had composed earlier,
he exhorted them
to love God.
He exhorted death itself,
terrible and hateful to all,
to give praise,
and going joyfully to meet it,
he invited it
to make its lodging with him.
"Welcome," he said,
"sister death."
(Celano, Life II, 217)
(Silent moment of reflection)
Pg 45: Litany of the Saints - Optional
INTERCESSIONS
Leader:
Let us pray
for our brother/sister (N...)
To Jesus Christ our Lord, who said:
"I am the Resurrection,
I am the Life;
to believe in me means life,
in spite of death,
and all who believe in me
shall never die."
Lord Jesus Christ,
you raised the dead to life.
Give eternal life
to our brother/sister.
Lord, in your mercy.
Response: Hear our prayer.
Our brother/sister
was washed in the
waters of baptism
and sealed with holy anointing.
Grant him/her a place
with your saints and elect.
Lord, in your mercy.
Response: Hear our prayer.
Our brother/sister was nourished
at the sacred banquet
of your body and blood.
Grant him/her a place
at the table in your kingdom.
Lord, in your mercy.
Response: Hear our prayer.
Leader:
God of life and death,
we come to you believing
that those who have died
with your Son, Jesus,
are buried with Him
in the sure hope of rising again.
We pray in Jesus' name.
All: Amen.
THE LORDS' PRAYER &
THE ANGELIC SALUTATION
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.
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.
CONCLUDING RITE
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 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.
All:
We adore you,
Most Holy Lord Jesus Christ,
here and in all your churches
throughout the world
and we bless you
because by Your Holy Cross,
you have redeemed the world.