Eternal Rest Sample

WORDS FAiTH

OUR PRAYERS: Eternal Rest Deep in n every human heart is a desire for the living God that expresses itself in prayer. In the Catholic tradition, some prayers have becomee classic expressions of what the human heart seeks. Words of Faith: Our Prayers explores prayers for centuries have ayers that th t revealed d a faith that fosters a deep, personal, growing, and loving relationship with Jesus Christ. rist.. These prayers prayer teach tea us much about who we are and about the God to whom we belong. —Keith J. Egan, Series Editor E

We Pray This prayer is often prayed edd iin n a call and an nd re response es nssee format. ffor o ma or mat. t t.

Leader: der:

Eternal Ete tern r a rest, rn r t, grant grant raan unto unt n o them, them th eem m, O Lord.

All: Al l::

them. And n le let et p perpetual pet al light ligh li gh shine shi sh hi e upon u up th

Leader: Lead Le adeer ad er

M May ay ttheir heir he ir souls, ir ou uls and nd the souls of all the faithful departed, through of God rest in peace. thro h the th th he mercy mer m

All: Al l::

A Amen Am

We Practice

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of

hen someone dies,, the Church steps fordear and unflinchward. Christians hold olld dea old human ingly thee sacredness acredness of h hum life and that through to the solprofound respect esp sp ct and love foll follow w th thro emn mn bu burial of of eevery individual. individual al. Wh Whe When e ssomeone dies, we gather g ga ther th e together er tog og the h r at the he home, pray in vigil, vig and accompav funeral rites and days ny family n mil i y and nd friends fr through ro oug ugh h the th funer fun fu uner n close every of mou of m mourning—holding ou ur g— g—ho hold ho ldin ld ing in g th them hem h em clos cll ever step along the bringing food and way. Neighbors w bo orss arrive, arr rriv i iv an comfort. Work bury a loved one. is putt on hold. hol Time stands still as we b contains all the liturThe Order of Christian Funerals cont gical prayers and rituals of the Catholic Church that we heart of these soluse when one of our own dies. At the h emn rites are prayers for those who aare left to mourn We pray for and prayers for the person who has died. d ourselves, that we might find find comfort and healing; we ourselves pray for the deceased, in gratitude for their lives and in steadfast hope that their sins will be forgiven and they well find eternal rest with God in heaven.

DID D YOU KNOW? W Manyy Catholic parishes invite members and guests ts to write the names of loved ones who have died in a special book, sometimes called d the “Book of the Dead” or the “Bookk of Names,” November. ames,” during the month of Novem N Nov ovem ov vem embe berr. This simple ritual reminds remin inds d everyone ds eve ev ryyone in n the the parish those h to pr pray ay ffor o thos or tho se w who ho h o h have avve di died ied aand nd d for those mourn. hos ose se e who who mo wh mour ourn.

The Church calls each member of Christ’s ’ss Body— Body—p Body—pri Body—priest, deacon, layperson—to erson—to p participate in the ministry off consolation: to care are for the d dying, to pray for the dea dead, de to comfort those ose w wh who mourn. —Order of Chris Christian Funerals, #8

By Dr. Je Jean an n Donovan, theologian and lay p person, widow and per d mother m of five. Dr. Donovan’s career includes univer university teaching, and parish, ca campus, ampus, pus, and hospice h ice min minist ministry. Series Editor, Carmelite of Notre Dame; and Ed ditor, r, Keith J. Ega Egan, P PhD, is President of the Carmel melite Institute; Adjunct Professor of Theology, University o Aquinas Chair ir Eme Emeritus, E St. Mary’s College.

We Believe

A BIT OF HISTORY

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atholic Christians ns believe in eternal life. We are born into that life at baptism and at the end of our earthly life we movee through death into the fullness of God’s glory in heaven. We believe, as our funeral rites and our prayer show, that death ath is not the end. Made in the image of God and born anew in n the waters of baptism, we are linked forever to the holy oness both in heaven and on earth. th. This communion of saints surrounds rrounds us always.. They hey pray p for us and we for them. When a Christian dies, s, we w understand that he or she is held accountable b blee for the way they lived. Judgment comes to all off us, yet we trust in God’s mercy and forgiveness. And so we pray for those journeying through death. th. We pray at the hour hou of their death, in the days immediately y following, lowing, owing and we continue to do so for many days and weeks and years to come. The one, holy, catholic Church crosses time and eternity. The living and the dead are united in faith and love. We pray for those who have gone before us and they pray for us. We draw strength and courage from our faith, trusting that in the end all sins fe is stronger than death, and that can be forgiven, that life brant peace and dynamic beauty of perpetual light—the vibrant God’s glory—awaits us in heaven.

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The journey of Christianity is a long and winding windi road, crossing centuries, continents, and cultures. Our urr ancestors ancesto in faith left a rich heridreams and beliefs. When tage chronicling their lives ves and struggles, dr drea we learn their stories, es, we find people just like li us trying to be faithful followers erss of Christ C Christ. Sai Ambrose, the Bisho Saint Bishop of Milan, died in AAD 397. In him we find an excellent dead excelllle example examp e off how w to honor honor the th he dea d e with profound gratitude and deep resolve to make the gift of life. We know ke goo good use of th he mourned Satyrus, because rned ned the tth death of his brother, bro Ambrose’s sermons on the topic still remain for our Ambr inspiration.

Nothing among things of earth, deare dearest brethren, was more precious to me, nothing more worthy of love, brother . . . to this it nothing more dear than such a broth must be added that I cannot be ungrateful ung to God; for I must rather rejoice that I had such a brother to grieve than that I had lost a brother, for the former is a gift, the latter a debt to be paid. And so, as long as I might, I enjoyed the loan entrusted to me, now he who deposited the pledge has taken it back. —St. Ambrose (d. 397) —St —

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We Live

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he Church (or liturgical) urgical) year wraps up p during duri November. We asts of All A Saints (November 1) and begin the month with the feasts mber berr 2) when w we call to mind our place within All Souls (November ntts and remember all those who have gone be bethe communion of saints acee of the Lord. The last Sundays of the yea year fore us to rest in the peace point us toward the end d times mes and the full flowering of th the reign of God, culminating with ourr celebration of the Feast Fea of Christ the King on the last Sunday of the he Church year, year just before Advent begins. In yea the northern hemisphere, this hi waning i off the h year coincides i id with i h the h end of the growing season, with shorter days and longer nights. This is no random alignment, but a purposeful commemoration of the harvesting of the faithful into our heavenly home even as we harvest the fruits of the earth. As autumn deepens, s, we sometimes feel the heaviness of life. Loneliness can set in as we remember with heightened sorrow what we once shared with loved ved ones who have died. And so the Church, in ancient wisdom, nudges dges us to pray for our beloved dead, to keep them close in prayer and d memory. Doing so can strengthen us to rededicate ourselves to thee life of faith, continued in the loving presence esence ce of those who have gone before us. We are not alone; we come together in the holy communion n of saints to share each ach other’s oth burdens and find our way in life.

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lunches or another • Offer to help with funeral al lunch lunche anoth ministry of consolation ion in your parish. rish. • Reach h out to others who are grieving and sshare your own burdens with them. wi • Pray for and to your deceased loved ones, aand know that they pray for you.

With Children • Light a candle in church and say together the Eternal Rest prayer. The symbol of light and constancy is easy for children to grasp and they will draw comfort knowing that someone they love is still close to them. • For the feasts of All Saints and All Souls, create a simple home shrine honoring loved ones who havee died. Tell stories of these people, help children learn to pray to them in heaven, think of activimemories alive. For example: ties you can do together ogether to help he kee keep memo mem a small garden like preparee a grandparent’s ndparent’s favorite recipe or plant p a deceased de neighbor used to do. Halloween • Research together the origins of Hallowe n and various other cusand All Souls. Incorporate toms surrounding the feasts of All ll Saints Saint an life. some of what you learn n into your y family lif

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© 2009 by ave ve e maria press , inc inc. • Notre Dame, Indiana a • www.avemariapress.com www • Ph: 1-800-282-1865 • A Ministry of the Indiana Indi Province of Holy Cross. Scripture texts in this t series are taken from the New w Ameri American Ame Bible with Revised New Testament and Psalms © 1991, 1986, 1970, con confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C. All rights reserved. erve ved. ed. Nihil Obstat: Reverend Michael el He Heintz, eintz, PhD, Censor nsor liborum lib Imprimatur: Most Reverend John hn M.. D’Arcy D’Arcy, B Bishop of Fort Wayne–South Bend, May 29, 2009 WOFØ1.12 ®