Office for the Dead : The Office of Readings
OFFICE FOR THE DEAD
Invitatory
Ant. Come, let us worship the Lord, all things live for him
Invitatory psalm (Psalm 95)
Office of Readings
HYMN: Keep in Mind (Lucien Deiss, C.S.Sp., 1965)
PSALMODY
Ant. From the earth you formed me, with flesh you clothed me; Lord, my Redeemer, raise me up again at the last day.
Psalm 40:2-14, 17-18
I
I waited, waited for the LORD;
who bent down
and heard my cry,
Drew me out of the pit of destruction,
out of the mud of the swamp,
Set my feet upon rock,
steadied my steps,
And put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn to our God.
Many shall look on in awe
and they shall trust in the LORD.
Happy those
whose trust is the LORD,
who turn not to idolatry
or to those who stray after falsehood.
How numerous, O LORD, my God,
you have made your wondrous deeds!
And in your plans for us
there is none to equal you.
Should I wish to declare or tell them,
too many are they to recount.
Sacrifice and offering you do not want;
but ears open to obedience you gave me.
Holocausts and sin-offerings you do not require;
so I said, "Here I am;
Your commands for me are written in the scroll.
To do your will is my delight;
my God, your law is in my heart!"
Glory to the Father…
Ant. From the earth you formed me, with flesh you clothed me; Lord, my Redeemer, raise me up again at the last day.
Ant. 2 Lord, may it please you to rescue me; look upon me and help me.
II
I announced your deed
to a great assembly;
I did not restrain my lips;
you, LORD, are my witness.
Your deed I did not hide within my heart;
your loyal deliverance I have proclaimed.
I made no secret of your enduring kindness
to a great assembly.
LORD, do not withhold
your compassion from me;
may your enduring kindness
ever preserve me.
For all about me are evils
beyond count;
my sins so overcome me
I cannot see.
They are more than the hairs of my head;
my courage fails me.
LORD, graciously rescue me!
Come quickly to help me, LORD!
But may all who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you.
May those who long for your help
always say, "The LORD be glorified."
Though I am afflicted and poor,
the Lord keeps me in mind.
You are my help and deliverer;
my God, do not delay!
Ant. 2 Lord, may it please you to rescue me; look upon me and help me.
Ant. 3 My soul is thirsting for the living God; when shall I see him face to face?
Psalm 42
As the deer longs
for streams of water,
so my soul longs
for you, O God.
My being thirsts for God,
the living God.
When can I go and see
the face of God?
My tears have been my food
day and night,
as they ask daily,
"Where is your God?"
Those times I recall
as I pour out my soul,
When I went in procession with the crowd,
I went with them to the house of God,
Amid loud cries of thanksgiving,
with the multitude keeping festival.
Why are you downcast, my soul;
why do you groan within me?
Wait for God, whom I shall praise again,
my savior and my God.
My soul is downcast within me;
therefore I will remember you
From the land of the Jordan and Hermon,
from the land of Mount Mizar.
Here deep calls to deep
in the roar of your torrents.
All your waves and breakers
sweep over me.
At dawn may the LORD bestow
faithful love
that I may sing praise through the night,
praise to the God of my life.
I say to God, "My rock,
why do you forget me?
Why must I go about mourning
with the enemy oppressing me?"
It shatters my bones,
when my adversaries reproach me.
They say to me daily:
"Where is your God?"
Why are you downcast, my soul,
why do you groan within me?
Wait for God, whom I shall praise again,
my savior and my God.
Glory to the Father…
Ant. 3 My soul is thirsting for the living God; when shall I see him face to face?
Lord, countless are your mercies
– Give me life according to your word
First Reading
From the first letter of the apostle Paul to the Corinthians 15:12-34
The Resurrection of Christ is the hope of the faithful
But if Christ is preached as raised from the dead, how can some among you say there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then neither has Christ been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then empty (too) is our preaching; empty, too, your faith. Then we are also false witnesses to God, because we testified against God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, neither has Christ been raised, and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain; you are still in your sins. Then those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are the most pitiable people of all.
But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a human being, the resurrection of the dead came also through a human being. For just as in Adam all die, so too in Christ shall all be brought to life, but each one in proper order: Christ the firstfruits; then, at his coming, those who belong to Christ; then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to his God and Father, when he has destroyed every sovereignty and every authority and power.
For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death, for "he subjected everything under his feet." But when it says that everything has been subjected, it is clear that it excludes the one who subjected everything to him. When everything is subjected to him, then the Son himself will (also) be subjected to the one who subjected everything to him, so that God may be all in all. Otherwise, what will people accomplish by having themselves baptized for the dead?
If the dead are not raised at all, then why are they having themselves baptized for them? Moreover, why are we endangering ourselves all the time? Every day I face death; I swear it by the pride in you (brothers) that I have in Christ Jesus our Lord. If at Ephesus I fought with beasts, so to speak, what benefit was it to me? If the dead are not raised: "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die." Do not be led astray: "Bad company corrupts good morals." Become sober as you ought and stop sinning. For some have no knowledge of God; I say this to your shame.
RESPONSORY 1 Cor:15:25-26; see Rv 20:13,14
Christ must reign until God has brought all enemies under his feet
– And the last enemy to be destroyed is death.
Then death and Sheol will give up their dead, death and Sheol will be cast into the fiery lake.
– And the last enemy to be destroyed is death.
Second Reading
From a sermon by Saint Anastasius of Antioch, bishop
Christ will change our lowly body
To this end Christ died and rose to life that he might be Lord both of the dead and the living. But God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. That is why the dead, now under the dominion of one who has risen to life, are no longer dead but alive. Therefore life has dominion over them and, just as Christ, having been raised from the dead, will never die again, so too they will live and never fear death again. When they have been thus raised from the dead and freed from decay, they shall never again see death, for they will share in Christ’s resurrection just as he himself shared in their death.
This is why Christ descended into the underworld, with its imperishable prison-bars: to shatter the doors of bronze and break the bars of iron and, from decay to raise our life to himself by giving us freedom in place of servitude.
But if this plan does not yet appear to be perfectly realized – for men still die and bodies still decay in death – this should not occasion any loss of faith. For, in receiving the first-fruits, we have already received the pledge of all the blessings we have mentioned; with them we have reached the heights of heaven, and we have taken our place beside him who has raised us up with himself, as Paul says: In Christ God has raised us up with him, and has made us sit with him in the heavenly places.
And the fulfillment will be ours on the day predetermined by the Father, when we shall put off our childish ways and come to perfect manhood. For this is the decree of the Father of the ages: the gift, once given, is to be secure and no more to be rejected by a return to childish attitudes.
There is no need to recall that the Lord rose from the dead with a spiritual body, since Paul, in speaking of our bodies bears witness that they are sown as animal bodies and raised as spiritual bodies: that is, they are transformed in accordance with the glorious transfiguration of Christ who goes before us as our leader.
The Apostle, affirming something he clearly knew also said that this would happen to all mankind through Christ, who will change our lowly body to make it like his glorious body.
If this transformation is a change into a spiritual body and one, furthermore, like the glorious boy of Christ, the Christ rose with a spiritual body, a body that was sown in dishonor, but the very body that was transformed in glory.
Having brought this body to the Father as the firs-fruits of our nature, he will also bring the whole body to fulfillment. Fore he promised this when he said: I, when I am lifted up, will draw all men to myself.
RESPONSORY John 5:28-29; 1 Corinthians 15:52
All who are in their graves shall hear the voice of the Son of God;
– those who have done good deeds will go forth to the resurrection of life; those who have done evil will go forth to the resurrection of judgment.
In an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, at the final trumpet blast, the dead shall rise.
– those who have done good…
Lord, hear our prayers.
Prayer
Lord, hear our prayers.
By raising your Son from the dead, you have given us faith.
Strengthen our hope that N., our brother (sister), will share in his resurrection.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Invitatory
Ant. Come, let us worship the Lord, all things live for him
Invitatory psalm (Psalm 95)
Office of Readings
HYMN: Keep in Mind (Lucien Deiss, C.S.Sp., 1965)
PSALMODY
Ant. From the earth you formed me, with flesh you clothed me; Lord, my Redeemer, raise me up again at the last day.
Psalm 40:2-14, 17-18
I
I waited, waited for the LORD;
who bent down
and heard my cry,
Drew me out of the pit of destruction,
out of the mud of the swamp,
Set my feet upon rock,
steadied my steps,
And put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn to our God.
Many shall look on in awe
and they shall trust in the LORD.
Happy those
whose trust is the LORD,
who turn not to idolatry
or to those who stray after falsehood.
How numerous, O LORD, my God,
you have made your wondrous deeds!
And in your plans for us
there is none to equal you.
Should I wish to declare or tell them,
too many are they to recount.
Sacrifice and offering you do not want;
but ears open to obedience you gave me.
Holocausts and sin-offerings you do not require;
so I said, "Here I am;
Your commands for me are written in the scroll.
To do your will is my delight;
my God, your law is in my heart!"
Glory to the Father…
Ant. From the earth you formed me, with flesh you clothed me; Lord, my Redeemer, raise me up again at the last day.
Ant. 2 Lord, may it please you to rescue me; look upon me and help me.
II
I announced your deed
to a great assembly;
I did not restrain my lips;
you, LORD, are my witness.
Your deed I did not hide within my heart;
your loyal deliverance I have proclaimed.
I made no secret of your enduring kindness
to a great assembly.
LORD, do not withhold
your compassion from me;
may your enduring kindness
ever preserve me.
For all about me are evils
beyond count;
my sins so overcome me
I cannot see.
They are more than the hairs of my head;
my courage fails me.
LORD, graciously rescue me!
Come quickly to help me, LORD!
But may all who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you.
May those who long for your help
always say, "The LORD be glorified."
Though I am afflicted and poor,
the Lord keeps me in mind.
You are my help and deliverer;
my God, do not delay!
Ant. 2 Lord, may it please you to rescue me; look upon me and help me.
Ant. 3 My soul is thirsting for the living God; when shall I see him face to face?
Psalm 42
As the deer longs
for streams of water,
so my soul longs
for you, O God.
My being thirsts for God,
the living God.
When can I go and see
the face of God?
My tears have been my food
day and night,
as they ask daily,
"Where is your God?"
Those times I recall
as I pour out my soul,
When I went in procession with the crowd,
I went with them to the house of God,
Amid loud cries of thanksgiving,
with the multitude keeping festival.
Why are you downcast, my soul;
why do you groan within me?
Wait for God, whom I shall praise again,
my savior and my God.
My soul is downcast within me;
therefore I will remember you
From the land of the Jordan and Hermon,
from the land of Mount Mizar.
Here deep calls to deep
in the roar of your torrents.
All your waves and breakers
sweep over me.
At dawn may the LORD bestow
faithful love
that I may sing praise through the night,
praise to the God of my life.
I say to God, "My rock,
why do you forget me?
Why must I go about mourning
with the enemy oppressing me?"
It shatters my bones,
when my adversaries reproach me.
They say to me daily:
"Where is your God?"
Why are you downcast, my soul,
why do you groan within me?
Wait for God, whom I shall praise again,
my savior and my God.
Glory to the Father…
Ant. 3 My soul is thirsting for the living God; when shall I see him face to face?
Lord, countless are your mercies
– Give me life according to your word
First Reading
From the first letter of the apostle Paul to the Corinthians 15:12-34
The Resurrection of Christ is the hope of the faithful
But if Christ is preached as raised from the dead, how can some among you say there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then neither has Christ been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then empty (too) is our preaching; empty, too, your faith. Then we are also false witnesses to God, because we testified against God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, neither has Christ been raised, and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain; you are still in your sins. Then those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are the most pitiable people of all.
But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a human being, the resurrection of the dead came also through a human being. For just as in Adam all die, so too in Christ shall all be brought to life, but each one in proper order: Christ the firstfruits; then, at his coming, those who belong to Christ; then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to his God and Father, when he has destroyed every sovereignty and every authority and power.
For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death, for "he subjected everything under his feet." But when it says that everything has been subjected, it is clear that it excludes the one who subjected everything to him. When everything is subjected to him, then the Son himself will (also) be subjected to the one who subjected everything to him, so that God may be all in all. Otherwise, what will people accomplish by having themselves baptized for the dead?
If the dead are not raised at all, then why are they having themselves baptized for them? Moreover, why are we endangering ourselves all the time? Every day I face death; I swear it by the pride in you (brothers) that I have in Christ Jesus our Lord. If at Ephesus I fought with beasts, so to speak, what benefit was it to me? If the dead are not raised: "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die." Do not be led astray: "Bad company corrupts good morals." Become sober as you ought and stop sinning. For some have no knowledge of God; I say this to your shame.
RESPONSORY 1 Cor:15:25-26; see Rv 20:13,14
Christ must reign until God has brought all enemies under his feet
– And the last enemy to be destroyed is death.
Then death and Sheol will give up their dead, death and Sheol will be cast into the fiery lake.
– And the last enemy to be destroyed is death.
Second Reading
From a sermon by Saint Anastasius of Antioch, bishop
Christ will change our lowly body
To this end Christ died and rose to life that he might be Lord both of the dead and the living. But God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. That is why the dead, now under the dominion of one who has risen to life, are no longer dead but alive. Therefore life has dominion over them and, just as Christ, having been raised from the dead, will never die again, so too they will live and never fear death again. When they have been thus raised from the dead and freed from decay, they shall never again see death, for they will share in Christ’s resurrection just as he himself shared in their death.
This is why Christ descended into the underworld, with its imperishable prison-bars: to shatter the doors of bronze and break the bars of iron and, from decay to raise our life to himself by giving us freedom in place of servitude.
But if this plan does not yet appear to be perfectly realized – for men still die and bodies still decay in death – this should not occasion any loss of faith. For, in receiving the first-fruits, we have already received the pledge of all the blessings we have mentioned; with them we have reached the heights of heaven, and we have taken our place beside him who has raised us up with himself, as Paul says: In Christ God has raised us up with him, and has made us sit with him in the heavenly places.
And the fulfillment will be ours on the day predetermined by the Father, when we shall put off our childish ways and come to perfect manhood. For this is the decree of the Father of the ages: the gift, once given, is to be secure and no more to be rejected by a return to childish attitudes.
There is no need to recall that the Lord rose from the dead with a spiritual body, since Paul, in speaking of our bodies bears witness that they are sown as animal bodies and raised as spiritual bodies: that is, they are transformed in accordance with the glorious transfiguration of Christ who goes before us as our leader.
The Apostle, affirming something he clearly knew also said that this would happen to all mankind through Christ, who will change our lowly body to make it like his glorious body.
If this transformation is a change into a spiritual body and one, furthermore, like the glorious boy of Christ, the Christ rose with a spiritual body, a body that was sown in dishonor, but the very body that was transformed in glory.
Having brought this body to the Father as the firs-fruits of our nature, he will also bring the whole body to fulfillment. Fore he promised this when he said: I, when I am lifted up, will draw all men to myself.
RESPONSORY John 5:28-29; 1 Corinthians 15:52
All who are in their graves shall hear the voice of the Son of God;
– those who have done good deeds will go forth to the resurrection of life; those who have done evil will go forth to the resurrection of judgment.
In an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, at the final trumpet blast, the dead shall rise.
– those who have done good…
Lord, hear our prayers.
Prayer
Lord, hear our prayers.
By raising your Son from the dead, you have given us faith.
Strengthen our hope that N., our brother (sister), will share in his resurrection.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
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