Usually, an eulogy is said at funeral services as a part of the funeral rite. An eulogy is a text or a speech to honor the departed, helping us mourn. In Christian practice, the funeral rite is frequently accompanied by funeral prayers to entrust the soul of the departed to God.
Funeral prayer is not the same as the universal prayer for funerals, which is a set of intercessions calling for the response of the assembly during Mass. Funeral prayers can take different forms, just like mourning takes different forms: you can pray as a community or meditate with a contemplative prayer. Here are a few examples of prayers for the departed to be said during Christian funerals.
“If you love me, do not cry. If you knew the gift of God and what Heaven is. If you could hear the angels singing and see me among them! If, only for an instant, you could contemplate, just like me, the Beauty before which all beauties turn pale. Trust me. When the day, which god has stated and knows, arrives and your soul, which has been preceded by mine, enters this Heaven, That day you will see me again, you will feel that I still love you, that I have always loved you and you will find my heart with all its love purified. You will see me in transfiguration, in an ecstasy of happiness. No longer waiting for death, but walking with you and holding your hand along new paths of light and life. So, wipe your tears away and do not cry if you love me.”
“In sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life through Our Lord Jesus Christ, we commend to Almighty God (Name of the departed), and we commit his/her body to the ground: earth to earth,ashes to ashes, dust to dust. The Lord bless (them) and keep (them), the Lord make His Face to shine upon (them) and be gracious to (them), the Lord lift up His countenance upon (them) and give (them) peace. Amen.”
“Out of the depths I have cried unto Thee, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice.
Let Thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication.
If Thou, O Lord, shalt mark our iniquities: O Lord, who can abide it?
For with Thee there is mercy: and by reason of Thy law I have waited on Thee, O Lord.
My soul hath waited on His word: my soul hath hoped in the Lord.
From the morning watch even unto night: let Israel hope in the Lord.
For with the Lord there is mercy: and with Him is plenteous redemption.
And He shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.”
“O sweet mother Mary, who knew the sadness of mourning those your heart loved most,
Jesus, your Son, and Joseph, your devoted spouse, pray for us in our time of loss.
Amen.”
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Join them in prayer and say a novena to the Holy Souls in purgatory, or pray for the forgotten souls in purgatory. Join a community to dedicate 17 days of prayer with Our Lady of Montligeon, and entrust Her with your prayers for the departed.