21st ANNUAL SERVICE OR REMEMBRANCE
Monastery of St. Alphonsus
9 November 2006
AND THEY REMEMBERED HIS WORDS….
Gathering Song Bless the Lord My Soul (Taizé)
All sing: Bless the Lord my soul and bless God’s holy name
Bless the Lord my soul who leads me into life.
Welcome and Introduction
Reflection I believe in death ….
It is putting out the lamp because dawn has come.
Ceremony of Light Benedictus (Karl Jenkins)
Opening Prayer
All say: Loving God
We come here tonight struggling for words to express our feelings,
Lost for words to express our thanks for all that they,
who have died have meant to us.
We come with sorrow as we think of our loss,
with gratitude as we recall the persons they were,
with praise as we remember, all that you have done through them.
with faith as we recommit them to your eternal care.
Loving God,
Draw near to us as we draw near to you
Speak to us
Through words of scripture,
Through our prayers
Through our music
Through all that we share,
So that believing in the Gospel and trusting in Christ,
We may receive the comfort, peace, and strength you long to give us and find hope in this life and in the life to come.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Kyrie Mozart
Song The Lord Is My Shepherd (Liam Lawton)
All sing: The Lord is my shepherd there is nothing I want, nothing I want.
Fresh and green are God’s green pastures.
The Lord is my shepherd there is nothing I want, nothing I want.
For guides me to living water.
Reflection There is no Death
Instrumental The Three Sisters
Reading Luke 24:1-8
On the first day of the week, at the first sign of dawn, they went to the tomb with the spices they had prepared. They found that the stone had been rolled away from the tomb, but on entering discovered that the body of the Lord Jesus was not there. As they stood there not knowing what to think two men in brilliant clothes suddenly appeared at their side. Terrified, the women lowered their eyes. But the two men said to them ‘Why look among the dead for someone who is alive? He is not her; he has risen. Remember what he told you when he was still in Galilee: that the Son of Man had to be handed over into the power of sinful men and be crucified, and rise again on the third day.’ And they remembered his words.
Song of Resurrection Rescucito
Communion Reflection We can look on death in many ways…
Song Ag Críost an Síol (Seán Ó Riada)
Ag Críost and síol Christ’s is the seed,
Ag Críost an fómhar Christ’s is the harvest,
In iothlainn Dé to the barn of Christ
Go dtugtar sinn. may we be brought.
Ag Críost an mhuir Christ’s is the sea,
Ag Críost an t-iasc, Christ’s is the fish,
I Iionta De in the nets of Christ
Go gcastar sinn. may we be caught.
Ó fhás go haois, From the growth to age,
Ó aois go bás, from age to death,
Do dhá lámh, a Chríost, your two arms, Christ,
Anall tharainn. around about us.
Ó bhás go críoch, From death to the end,
Ní críoch ach athfhás, not end but re-growth,
I bParthas na nGrás in the heaven of graces
Go rabhaimid. may we be.
Gathering of Names Isaiah 43:1
Do not be afraid, for I have redeemed you. I have called you by name, you are mine
Song You Are Mine (David Haas)
All sing: Do not be afraid I am with you, I have called you each by name Come and follow me I will bring you home, I love you and you are mine
Shared Reflection
Song Far Beyond (Liam Lawton)
Intercessions
Response: Lord Hear Our Prayer
Reflection Father
The Lord’s Prayer (Ronan McDonagh)
Song Pie Jesu (Andrew Lloyd Webber)
Song Lead Kindly Light
Reflection: Ready for the Journey (Rabindranath Tagore)
Song Soon and Very Soon (Spiritual)
Concluding Prayer
All say: Lord someone we love has been taken from us, someone precious and irreplaceable,
And we know that there are no words that we can say at this moment to express what we are feeling, no words can alleviate our sorrow or take away our pain.
So we have come here tonight simply the grief, the pain, the angst, the emptiness, the loneliness, the fear, the uncertainty
that still at times threatens to overwhelm us.
We come bringing these feelings honestly before you and ask for strength in times of darkness. Hold on to us even when we
find it hard to hold on to you.
Be very near… even when we feel you to be very far away.
Support us in the weeks, months and yes even the years ahead.
Grant us the comfort you have promised, until the time finally
comes when we can look back
Not just with pain
But with thanksgiving.
Not just with sorrow but with joy.
Blessing
Recessional Song: May The Road Rise (Lori True)
All sing: May the road rise to meet you
May the wind be at your back
May the sun shine warm upon your face
May the rain fall softly on your fields
And until we meet again
May you keep safe in the gentle loving arms of God