Catholic Scriptural Readings for Funerals
Here is a list of scriptural readings drawn from the Lectionary for Mass. The official selections from the Order of Christian Funerals have been augmented by some additional selections which I believe to be appropriate under special circumstances. I hope this list will be of help for mourners, preachers and liturgy committees. Usually there are three readings. One from the Old Testament, a second from the New Testament (Epistles), and the third, the Gospel reading proclaimed by the presiding priest or deacon. The Old Testament readings are prefaced by "A Reading from the Book of Wisdom, or A Reading From the First Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians etc." The readings should be concluded with the statement: "The Word of the Lord." to which the congregation responds "Thanks be to God."
The suggested texts are linked to the NAB website of the USCCB at:http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/index.htm Albert Judy, O.P.,
Old Testament Readings 1 Job 19:1, 23-27 "...I know that my Vindicator lives..." 2 Ecclesiastes 3:1-11 "...A time to be born, a time to die..." 3 Ecclesiastes 11:9--12:8 "...Before the silver cord is snapped..." 4 Song of Solomon 2:8-14 "...Arise my beloved, my beautiful one, and come!..." 5 Wisdom 1:13-15, 2:23f "...God did not make death, nor does he rejoice..." 6 Wisdom 3:1-9 "...The souls of the just are in the hand of God..." 7 Wisdom 4:7-15 "...The just man, though he die early, shall be at rest..." 8 Sirach 1:1-10 "...All wisdom comes from the LORD..." 9 Sirach 2:1-11 "...in fire gold is tested....Compassionate is the Lord..." 10 Sirach 44:1, 10-15 "...Now will I praise those godly men,... 11 Isaiah 25:6a, 7-9 "...he will destroy death forever..." 12 Isaiah 26:7-19 "...your dead shall live, their corpses shall rise..." 13 Isaiah 35:1-10 "...Here is your God, he comes with vindication..." 14 Isaiah 40:1-11 "Comfort...to my people..." 15 Isaiah 40:25-31 "...Though youths stagger and fall...they will soar..." 16 Jeremiah 17:5-10 "...I, the Lord, alone probe the mind and test the heart..." 17 Lamentations 3:17-26 "...My portion is the Lord, says my soul..." 18 Ezekiel 37:12-14 "O my people, I will open your graves and have you rise..." 19 Daniel 12:1-3 "...the wise shall shine brightly..." 20 Micah 7:7-9 "...though I sit in darkness, the Lord is my light..." 21 Zephaniah 3:14-18 "...Shout for joy...the Lord has removed the judgment..." 22 Malachi 3:13-20 "...And a record book was written before him..." 23 2 Maccabees 12:43-46 "...he made atonement for the dead..." New Testament Readings 1 Romans 5:1-5 "...We know that affliction makes for endurance..." 2 Romans 8:1-11 "...he...will bring your mortal bodies to life..." 3 Romans 8:26-30 "...God makes all things work together for the good..." 4 Romans 10:8-13 " No one who believes in him will be put to shame..." 5 Romans 11:33-36 "...How deep are the riches and the wisdom...of God..." 6 1 Corinthians 1:22-25 "God's folly is wiser than men,...weakness, more powerful" 7 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 "...Let him who would boast, boast in the Lord... 8 1 Corinthians 2:6-10 ...Eye has not seen, ear..heard...what God has prepared.." 9 1 Corinthians 15:12-20 "...if Christ was not raised, your faith is worthless..." 10 2 Corinthians 4:6-10 "...this treasure we possess in earthen vessels..." 11 2 Corinthians 5:14-17 ...The old order has passed away; now all is new!" 12 Ephesians 1:3-10 "...he likewise predestined us...to be his sons..." 13 Ephesians 1:11-14 "...In Christ we were chosen..." 14 Ephesians 2:4-10 "...By this favor you were saved... not your own doing" 15 Philippians 3:8-14 "...I run toward the prize to which God calls me..." 16 Colossians 3:1-4 "...After all, you have died! Your life is hidden now..." 17 Colossians 3:12-24 "...you will receive an inheritance from him..." 18 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 "...We belong neither to darkness nor to night..." 19 2 Timothy 1:8-10 "Bear your share of the hardship...He has robbed death..." 20 2 Timothy 4:6-18 "... I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race.." 21 Titus 2:11-14 "...he who sacrificed himself for us, to redeem us..." 22 Titus 3:4-7 "...he saved us, not because of any righteous deeds..." 23 Hebrews 4:12-16 "...Nothing is concealed from him;...let us hold fast..." 24 Hebrews 5:7-9 "...he learned obedience from what he suffered..." 25 Hebrews 12:18-24 "...you have drawn near to...the heavenly Jerusalem..." 26 James 5:7-10 "Be patient,...until the coming of the Lord..." 27 1 Peter 1:3-9 "...you may for a time have to suffer...faith...fire-tried gold" 28 2 Peter 3:12-17 "...Look for the coming of the day of God..." 29 1 John 5:1-5 "...Who, then, is conqueror of the world?..." 30 Revelation 22:12ff "...I am the Alpha and the Omega....Come, Lord Jesus..." Gospel Readings 1 Matthew 5:1-12a "The Eight Beatitudes" 2 Matthew 11:25-30 "come to me . . . and I will give you rest." 3 Matthew 18:19-20 "For where two or three are gathered together in my name" 4 Matthew 25:1-13 "Look. The bridegroom comes. Go out to meet him" 5 Matthew 25:31-46 "Come, you whom my Father has blessed" 6 Mark 10:13-16 "Let the children come to me" 7 Mark 13:33-37 "...you do not know when the appointed time will come." 9 Mark 15:33-46 "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" 10 Mark 15:33--16:6 "Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last" 11 Luke 7:11-17 "Young man, I say to you, arise." 12 Luke 12:35-40 "Be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect,..." 13 Luke 20:34-38 "They can no longer die, for they are like angels" 14 Luke 23:33-43 "Today you will be with me in paradise." 15 Luke 23:44--24:6a "Father, I put my life in your hands." 16 Luke 24:13-35 "Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer..." 17 Luke 24:13-35 "Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer..." 18 John 5:24-29 "Whoever hears my word and believes has passed from..." 19 John 6:37-40 "All who believe in the Son will have eternal life..." 20 John 6:51-58 "All who eat this bread will live for ever...." 21 John 11:17-27 "I am the resurrection and the life." 22 John 11:32-45 "Lazarus, come out." 23 John 12:23-28 "If a grain of wheat falls on the ground and dies..." 24 John 14:1-6 "There are many rooms in my Father's house." 25 John 17:24-26 "Father, I want those you have given me to be with me..." 26 John 19:17-30 "Jesus bowed his head and gave up his spirit."
- OLD TESTAMENT READINGS
- 1 Isaiah 25:6a, 7-9 "...he will destroy death forever..." 789,4
- 2 Lamentations 3:22-26 "...My portion is the Lord, says my soul..." 789,5
- NEW TESTAMENT READINGS
- 1 Romans 6:3-4,8-9 "...We were indeed buried with him through baptism ..."
- 2 Romans 14:7-9 "...whether we live or die, we are the Lord's..."
- 3 1 Corinthians 15:20-23 "...But now Christ has been raised from the dead..."
- 4 Ephesians 1:3-5"...[He] has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens..."
- 5 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14,18 "...if we believe that Jesus died and rose..."
- 6 Revelation 7:9-10, 15-17 "...They will not hunger or thirst anymore ..."
- 7 Revelation 21:1a, 3-5a "... He will wipe every tear from their eyes ..."
- RESPONSORIAL PSALMS
- 1 Psalm 23
- 2 Psalm 25
- 3 Psalm 42
- 4 Psalm 148
- VERSES BEFORE THE GOSPEL
- 1 See Matthew 11:2
- 2 John 6:39
- 3 2 Corinthians 1:3b-4a
- GOSPEL READING3
- 1 Matthew 11:25-30 "...you have revealed them to the childlike ..."
- 2 Mark 10:13-16 "... Let the children come to me ..."
- 3 John 6:37-40 "... All who believe in the Son will have eternal life ..."
- 4 John 6:51-58 "... All who eat this bread will live for ever ..."
- 5 John 11:32-38,40 "... Lazarus, come out ..."
- 6 John 19:25-30 "... It is finished ..."