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#also 14 members of the congregation AND 14 between source+ reflections
the-evil-pizza · 3 years
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@kuipernebula OH! Oh. Oh that makes more sense about what you said. Okay. Sorry!
Totally understandable that you didn’t get it though because the source and the stars are named Like That. Alas they keep saying “There was a 14th member” so I just called them like that since I know not the name yet
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pamphletstoinspire · 6 years
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Death, Where Is Your Sting? - Part 7
A Catholic Approach to Death: by Regis J. Flaherty
________
A Road Map for the Journey
If you want to understand how we remain connected to the deceased, the Catechism of the Catholic Church is an invaluable tool, which I’ve quoted a number of times in the preceding sections of this booklet. The Catechism opens the Scripture and Tradition in an orderly and logical way. It’s a tool for the left-brainers (1)  among us. Yet the Catechism also points to another excellent source that helps us appreciate the truth of the Catholic faith. The liturgical ceremonies of the Church that surround death and burial speak to right side of the brain.
What the Liturgy Reveals
If you’re going to take a trip to a place you’ve never before visited, it is very helpful to have a map. A good road map or a GPS device will show the best route for arriving at the desired destination. Information on road hazards, possible alternate routes, and places to stop for a rest make the travel easier. There is no doubt; a map can make all the difference between a successful trip and one fraught with confusion and frustration.
A Catholic funeral is a type of journey. The Order of Christian Funerals (hereafter OCF) gives us an opportunity to walk as a community of faith with the deceased and the surviving family and friends. In fact, the Catholic Church in the “General Introduction” to the OCF identifies the Christian funeral as the “last journey” for the body of the deceased. There are three major divisions of the OCF, each of which relates to a major stop along that journey.
You are probably familiar with parts of that final journey. You may have visited a funeral home, attended a funeral Mass, or witnessed a committal at a cemetery—the major stops on the road. However, at some point in your life you will likely experience the death of someone who is very close to you: a spouse, a parent, a child. In these situations you will be the person primarily responsible for the funeral and burial. You won’t merely be making the trip; you will be the “driver.” The Catholic “map” gives not only direction but also consolation.
The Church has provided a great help in the prayers and liturgies for a Christian funeral. The OCF provides encouragement, support, a godly focus, and the perspective of a “hope [that] does not disappoint” (Rom. 5:5).
Accompanying the body of a departed love one on that final journey provides great benefits for the surviving family members. It gives them another opportunity to express their love and to honor the person who has died.
There are three “stages” or “stations” to the Catholic Funeral Rite (see OCF 42):
1. The Vigil for the Deceased, the time immediately after death until the Funeral Liturgy
2.The Funeral Liturgy, usually a Mass
3. The Rite of Committal, the conclusion of the Funeral Rite which normally occurs at the cemetery
The Vigil and Related Prayers
The first rite, or stage, which the Church offers is the prayers that follow after the death but before the Funeral Mass. These rites include prayers that can be said immediately after the death, when family first gathers in the presence of the body, when the body is transferred to the Church, and at the vigil for the deceased.
Prayers after Death
In the OCF, prayers are offered not only for the deceased but also for the family. The initial prayer encourages those gathered with the Scripture “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” (Mt. 5:4). From where does this comfort come? Because of His love, it is from “God himself who will always be with them” (Rev. 21:3, nab).
Indeed, God can give peace to those who grieve. It is a peace that the world cannot give — one that is beyond understanding. In truth, God “can wipe away every tear from their eyes” (Rev. 21:4).
There are three Scripture readings suggested for these initial prayers after a death (in fact all of the prayers and rites from the OCF are scripturally based). One is from the eleventh chapter of the Gospel of John (vv. 17–44), where Jesus comforts Mary and Martha at the death of their brother Lazarus. Jesus tells the sisters that He is Lord over death and that in Him the faithful never really die. Instead, they are born into a new life. Jesus then shows the power behind His words as He brings Lazarus back to life. The promise is the same for those who gather after the death of someone close to them. Jesus does bring life, and in that the mourners can find comfort.
Gathering in the Presence of the Body
The timing of the rite of “Gathering in the Presence of the Body” can vary based on the needs of the family. It may occur before the body is prepared for the viewing or the burial, or after that preparation. It may also occur when the family first gathers at the funeral home for the wake.
These prayers start with the making of the Sign of the Cross. How fitting to begin with a prayer that harkens back to Baptism, the sacrament that brings us into the Family of God. This sacrament gives the one who receives it an “indelible mark” that identifies the baptized person as a son or daughter of God. In death it is that relationship that is the source of our hope. The Father is waiting to welcome His children. During this rite the minister also sprinkles the body of the deceased with holy water. This action too brings to mind the Sacrament of Baptism that cleansed us of sin. The Church recommends two psalms for reflection during this gathering at the body of the deceased. Psalm 130 is the prayer of one who calls from the “depths” asking God to hear his prayers. It is a prayer of trust in God “for with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is plenteous redemption” (v. 7). The perspective of Psalm 116 also consoles: indeed, “precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his servants (v. 15).”
Transfer of the Body
The concept that physical death is part of a larger journey to our eternal home is emphasized in the prayers for the “Transfer of the Body to the Church or to the Place of Burial.” Psalm 122 is most fitting for this rite. This psalm is one of the “Psalms of Ascent,” which were prayed as pilgrims processed to the Temple in Jerusalem.
I rejoiced when they said to me: “Let us go to the house of the Lord.” And now our feet are standing within your gates, Jerusalem. (Ps. 122:1–2, nab)
In a Catholic funeral the deceased is on a journey to the heavenly Jerusalem, of which the earthly Temple was but a sign. There is sorrow in this journey, but those who grieve should not lose sight of the inherent joy for those who are in Christ. The concluding prayer for the “Transfer of the Body” acknowledges that the deceased has left this “earthly dwelling,” but with the hope of entrance into the heavenly kingdom where we can join him or her in the future.
The Vigil for the Deceased
The “Vigil for the Deceased” is a time when the Christian community and the friends and family of the deceased pray and keep watch together. It is a time to support one another and reflect on the mercy of God and the strength that He gives us. The vigil consists of four parts: the introductory rites; the Liturgy of the Word, which can include a homily; prayers of intercession; and a concluding rite and blessing.
A priest or deacon will often lead the vigil, but a layperson, with slight modification of the rite, can also preside. (2)  The Church community is also encouraged to join the family in the celebration.
The opening prayer first acknowledges that it is because of the death and Resurrection of Jesus that both the deceased and the living have access to the blessedness of heaven. The prayer then seeks the mercy of God upon the deceased, asking that he or she would be worthy of heaven. Two profound truths are presented in this prayer.
First, all is grace! We don’t get to heaven because we were good, attended Mass regularly, kept the commandments better than our next-door neighbor, or gave more in the parish collection that fifty percent of the parishioners. All of these are important and are signs of a life given to Christ. However, on our own we cannot merit heaven. Heaven is a free gift. So those at the vigil commend the deceased to the mercy of God.
The opening prayer also serves as a reminder to the living. We have free will. We can refuse or reject the salvation given by Christ. Mourning the death of someone we love brings our own mortality into focus. We must choose Christ so as to partake of the mercy and grace that He offers.
The readings in the Liturgy of the Word are on the theme of eternal life (for example, 1 Cor. 5:1, 6–10 and Lk. 12:35–40). The responsorial between the readings is taken from Psalm 27. It is a prayer of praise that both consoles and challenges those in attendance to focus on God’s protection and mercy.
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
When evildoers assail me, uttering slanders against me, my adversaries and foes, they shall stumble and fall.
Though a host encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident.
One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple.
For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent, he will set me high upon a rock. …
I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; yea, wait for the Lord! (Ps. 27:1–5, 13–14)
The intercessions, which follow the readings, ask the Lord for grace and comfort. The response of the congregation is “Lord, have mercy.”
The concluding prayer summarizes the entire focus of the vigil. Jesus is the Redeemer, who willingly gave Himself over to death so that all of us could receive salvation and eternal life with His and our Father. The prayer then asks that the grieving be comforted and the deceased be received “into the arms of mercy.” Jesus, who has opened the doors of heaven and offered forgiveness through His life, death, and Resurrection, is asked to bring the deceased to “a place of happiness, light, and peace” to dwell there forever.
Funeral Mass
The next major stop on the journey is the Funeral Mass. The Mass is the most fitting and powerful of prayers, and can be offered for the intention of the deceased person. It is also a sign of the unity of the living and the deceased, for in the Mass we enter into something that is eternal. The Mass, which we celebrate in our churches, is a re-presentation of the sacrifice of Calvary. The suffering, death, and Resurrection of Christ are the means of salvation — both for us and for the deceased. Indeed, “there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
Many sacramentals are used within the Funeral Liturgy to remind us of various aspects of the journey to eternal life.
A large candle is set at the head of the casket. That candle was first blessed and lit at the Easter Vigil as a symbol of the risen Christ who is the light of the world. At the beginning of the Easter Vigil Mass the Church had been in darkness as it awaited the risen Lord. The Easter candle had brought light to the darkness. In Christ, darkness is banished, and new life is seen in His light. That Paschal light, on display at the Funeral Mass, reminds everyone in attendance that our sorrow must always be tempered by the joy and hope we have in Christ.
The Easter candle is also another reminder of Baptism, for a similar Paschal candle was present at the individual’s baptism. The family life of the Trinity, entered at Baptism, comes to a new level of intimacy in death. During the “Final Commendation,” which normally occurs subsequent to the prayer after Communion (3), holy water is used. (4)  It too is a sign of Baptism — the waters of salvation. The sprinkling is a form of farewell, while also an acknowledgement of the unity of all the baptized in the Body of Christ.
Incense is used in blessing the coffin. The rising aromatic smoke is a reminder that our prayers effectively reach our Lord Jesus, who is enthroned at the right hand of the Father. “The smoke of the incense along with the prayers of the holy ones went up before God” (Rev. 8:4, nab). Our intercessions are joined with those of our Savior (see Rom. 8:34) in a united prayer to the Father.
As we smell the incense we are again reminded of Christ’s victory over sin that He shares with the faithful. It gives us a moment also to praise Him — to echo the words of the author of the Book of Sirach:
Send forth fragrance like frankincense, and put forth blossoms like a lily. Scatter the fragrance, and sing a hymn of praise; bless the Lord for all his works; ascribe majesty to his name and give thanks to him with praise, with songs on your lips, and with lyres; and this you shall say in thanksgiving: “All things are the works of the Lord, for they are very good, and whatever he commands will be done in his time.” (Sir. 39:14–16)
Committal
The final phase of a Catholic funeral is the “Rite of Committal.” This usually takes place at the cemetery where the body of the faithful departed will be laid to rest. This is the final farewell to the body, but not to the relationship with the person if he or she is destined for purgatory or heaven.
At the beginning of the committal the minister invites all in attendance to assist the departed loved one with their prayers.
The service includes the committal prayer, which can take several forms. One prayer focuses particular attention on hope. We commend the deceased to Jesus, who is our sure and certain hope.
This prayer follows Scripture, in which we are “strongly encouraged to hold fast to the hope that lies before us. This we have as an anchor of the soul, sure and firm, which reaches into the interior behind the veil, where Jesus has entered on our behalf as forerunner” (Heb. 6:18–19).
The intercessions follow, concluding with the Our Father and a final prayer for the deceased. The service ends with the minister offering a prayer for the surviving friends and family, that they would have strength, hope, and comfort in Christ.
Ongoing Prayer
The committal ends the Funeral Rite, but it is not the end of what we can do for the deceased and the family. We can continue to intercede for the living and the dead. We can also have the most powerful prayer, the Mass, offered for the departed.
________
(1) The left side of the brain is associated with an analytical approach. The right side is associated with aesthetics and a holistic approach.
(2) For the rites in the OCF the pastor or associate pastor is viewed as the normal minister. However, with the exception of the Funeral Mass, a deacon or a layperson can preside when necessary with appropriate modifications to the rite.
(3) The Final Commendation may also occur at the place of committal.
(4) Holy water is also used at the vigil service and later at the committal.
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