The Funeral Readings Blog

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This is collection of excellent funeral readings and poems. I hope you will like them. I think they are all truly beautiful.

 

Funeral Blues
W. H. Auden

(This poem was made popular by its reading in the movie “Four Weddings and a Funeral.”)

Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,
Silence the pianos and with muffled drum
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.

Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead
Scribbling on the sky the message He Is Dead.
Put crepe bows round the white necks of public doves,
Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.

He was my North, my South, my East and West.
My working week and my Sunday rest,
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;
I thought that love would last forever; I was wrong.

The stars are not wanted now: put out every one;
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun;
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood;
For nothing now can ever come to any good.

 

Do Not Stand At My Grave and Weep

Do not stand at my grave and weep
I am not there; I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow,
I am the diamond glints on snow,
I am the sun on ripened grain,
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning’s hush,
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there; I did not die.

 

Prayer of Faith

We trust that beyond absence there is a presence.
That beyond the pain there can be healing.
That beyond the brokenness there can be wholeness.
That beyond the anger there may be peace.
That beyond the hurting there may be forgiveness.
That beyond the silence there may be the word.
That beyond the word there may be understanding.
That through understanding there is love.
Author Unknown

 

Crossing the Bar
Sunset and evening star, And one clear call for me!
And may there be no moaning of the bar, When I put out to sea,
But such a tide as moving seems asleep, Too full for sound and foam,
When that which drew from out the boundless deep Turns again home.
Twilight and evening bell, And after that the dark!
And may there be no sadness or farewell, When I embark;
For tho’ from out our bourne of Time and Place The flood may bear me far,
I hope to see my Pilot face to face When I have crossed the bar.
-Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Click here to find other excellent funeral readings

 

Many Winters - by Nancy Wood

All my life is a dance.
When I was young and feeling the earth,
My steps were quick and easy.

The beat of the earth was so loud
That my drum was silent beside it.

All of my life rolled out from my feet
Like my land which had no end as far as I could see.
The rhythm of my life was pure and free.

As I grew older my feet kept dancing so hard
That I wore a spot in the earth.
At the same time I made a hole in the sky.
I danced to the sun and the rain and the moon lifted me up
So that I could dance to the stars.
My head touched the clouds sometimes
And my feet danced deep in the earth
So that I became the music I danced to everywhere
It was the music I dance to everywhere
It was the music of life.

Now my steps are slow and hard
And my body fails my spirit,
Yet my dance is still within me and
My song is the air I breathe.
My song insists that I keep dancing forever.
My song insists that I keep rhythm
With all of the earth and the sky.

My song insists that I will never die.

 

Death Is Nothing At All

Canon Henry Scott-Holland

Death is nothing at all
I have only slipped away into the next room
I am I and you are you
Whatever we were to each other
That we are still
Call me by my old familiar name
Speak to me in the easy way you always used
Put no difference into your tone
Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow
Laugh as we always laughed
At the little jokes we always enjoyed together
Play, smile, think of me, pray for me
Let my name be ever the household word that it always was
Let it be spoken without effort
Without the ghost of a shadow in it
Life means all that it ever meant
It is the same as it ever was
There is absolute unbroken continuity
What is death but a negligible accident?
Why should I be out of mind
Because I am out of sight?
I am waiting for you for an interval
Somewhere very near
Just around the corner
All is well.
Nothing is past; nothing is lost
One brief moment and all will be as it was before
How we shall laugh at the trouble of parting when we meet again!

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Tags: readings for funerals

Christian funeral readings are very significant, because the word of God is of great importance in the funeral ceremony. The funeral readings proclaim the meaning that Christ himself gave to death, teach us to remember the dead, nourish our hope of being gathered together again in God’s kingdom, and encourage us to live the Christian life. Above all, the readings tell of God’s design for a world in which suffering and death will be destroyed. In the Christian funeral readings all present have an opportunity to hear God speak to them in their needs, sorrows, fears and hopes.

At the funeral liturgy the biblical readings may not be replaced by non-biblical ones. But during prayer services with the family non-biblical readings may be used in addition to the Christian funeral readings from Scripture (see below). Members of the family may be invited to read the scripture readings.

Many people nowadays wish to include in the funeral readings or poems which are not from the bible. Please bear the following points in mind. In the celebration of the word of God at the funeral liturgy, the christian funeral readings from the bible may not be replaced. However, an additional funeral readings, inspired by faith, could be appropriate as a meditation after the homily. Alternatively, a non-biblical reading may be incorporated into the words of remembrance spoken by a member of the family or a friend later in the funeral liturgy. In a service at home or in hospital, non-biblical readings or poems can be used effectively, as these services are less formal than the funeral liturgy in church, though the Scriptures should not be entirely displaced.

 

Click here to find the best Christian Funeral Readings

 

Christian Funeral Readings / Prayer Soul of Christ, sanctify me.
Body of Christ, save me.
Blood of Christ, refresh me.
Water from the side of Christ, wash me.
Passion of Christ, strengthen me.
O good Jesus, hear me.
Within your wounds hide me.
Let me never be separated from you.
From the power of darkness defend me.
In the hour of my death, call me
and bid me come to you,
that with your saints I may praise you
for ever and ever.
Amen.

 

What Christian Funeral Readings Do You Need at a Catholic Funeral?

Most masses have three readings. The first reading is generally one from the Old Testament of the Bible. The second reading is from the New Testament of the Bible. The family of the person who passed away may choose someone to read these readings, or the church can appoint someone to read if the family may have a hard time making it through the readings.

The purpose of these Christian funeral readings is to provide comfort and consolation to the people mourning the loss of a loved one.

The third reading is typically read by the Priest and is one of the Gospels of the New Testament. This is usually selected by the Priest, but you may be able to suggest one if you have a special preference that is important to you and the family, or the Priest may give you a choice between a few Christian funeral readings.

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