There is no greater tragedy in any person’s life than the death of a loved one. We feel saddened by different circumstances, but grief overwhelms our hearts when a life is lost. This is why we want to do what ever we can if only to bring back the person we lost to death. But can our prayers really raise them to life?
We know that there is a sovereign God who knows all things and He has power even over death itself. This was displayed when Jesus rose from the dead after three days. So there really is no question to God’s ability to overcome death. But the truth remains that we are finite beings and our life here on earth is temporary. So let us mourn over our losses and pour out our hearts to God in prayer. But it is also wise to remember that our days are numbered and we have to maximise the time we spend on this earth.
Here is a collection of prayers that we can take inspiration from as we trust God during these difficult moments in life.
Prayer for deceased relatives and friends
Almighty Father, source of forgiveness and salvation, grant that our relatives and friends who have passed from this life may, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and of all the saints, come to share your Eternal happiness through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Prayer for a deceased friend
I commend you, my dear [name] to almighty God, and entrust you to your Creator.
May you rest in the arms of the Lord who formed you from the dust of the earth.
May holy Mary, the angels, and all the saints welcome you now that you have gone forth from this life.
May Christ who was crucified for you, bring you freedom and peace.
May Christ who died for you admit you into his garden of paradise.
May Christ, the true Shepherd, embrace you as one of his flock.
May he forgive all your sins and set you among those he has chosen.
May you see your Redeemer face to face and enjoy the vision of God, forever.
Prayers at graveside
Lord Jesus Christ,
by your own three days in the tomb,
you hallowed the graves of all who believe in you
and so made the grave a sign of hope
that promises resurrection
even as it claims our mortal bodies.
Grant that our brother/sister, N., may sleep here in peace
until you awaken him/her to glory,
for you are the resurrection and the life.
Then he/she will see you face to face
and in your light will see light
and know the splendour of God,
for you live and reign forever and ever.
R/. Amen.
O God,
by whose mercy the faithful departed find rest,
send your holy Angel to watch over this grave.
Through Christ our Lord.
R/. Amen.
For the recently deceased
In your hands, O Lord,
we humbly entrust our brothers and sisters.
In this life you embraced them with your tender love;
deliver them now from every evil
and bid them eternal rest.
The old order has passed away:
welcome them into paradise,
where there will be no sorrow, no weeping or pain,
but fullness of peace and joy
with your Son and the Holy Spirit
forever and ever.
Amen.
Prayers for the deceased for forgiveness and peace and for mourners
Lord Jesus, our Redeemer, You willingly gave Yourself up to death so that all people might be saved and pass from death into a new life. Listen to our prayers; look with love on Your people who mourn and pray for their dead brother/sister.
Lord Jesus, You alone are holy and compassionate; forgive our brother/sister his/her sins.
By dying You opened the gates of life for those who believe in You; do not let Your brother/sister be parted from You, but by Your glorious power give him/her light, joy, and peace in heaven where You live for ever and ever. Amen.
Prayer of God’s promise
May you be held by the God of compassion
as you remember your loved ones today.
May God be with you in your sorrow,
and comfort you in your loss.
May your God, your family and your friends,
give you strength and confidence.
May your spirit be lifted, may your heart be filled with peace,
and may the light of God’s promise fill you with joy and hope.
Amen.
Prayer to find peace after loss
Lord Jesus, our Redeemer,
You willingly gave Yourself up to death so that all people might be saved and pass from death into a new life.
Listen to our prayers;
look with love on Your people who mourn and pray for their dead brother/sister. Lord Jesus, You alone are holy and compassionate; forgive our brother/sister his/her sins. By dying You opened the gates of life for those who believe in You;
do not let Your brother/sister be parted from You,
but by Your glorious power give him/her light, joy,
and peace in heaven where You live for ever and ever.
Amen.
Gathering in the presence of the body
When the family first gathers around the body, before or after it is prepared for burial, all or some of the following prayers may be used. It is most fitting that, where possible, family members take part in preparing the body for burial.
All make the Sign of the Cross. Then one member of the family reads:
My brothers and sisters, Jesus says:
“Come to me, all you who labor and are overburdened,
and I will give you rest.
Shoulder my yoke and learn from me,
for I am gentle and humble in heart,
and you will find rest for your souls.
Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden light.”
The body may then be sprinkled with holy water:
The Lord God lives in his holy temple yet abides in our midst.
Since in Baptism, N. became God’s temple
and the Spirit of God lived in him/her,
with reverence we bless his/her mortal body.
Then one member of the family may say:
With God there is mercy and fullness of redemption;
let us pray as Jesus taught us:
Our Father…
Then this prayer is said:
Into your hands, O Lord,
we humbly entrust our brother/sister N.
In this life you embraced him/her with your tender love;
deliver him/her now from every evil
and bid him/her enter eternal rest.
The old order has passed away:
welcome him/her then into paradise,
where there will be no sorrow, no weeping nor pain,
but the fullness of peace and joy
with your Son and the Holy Spirit
forever and ever.
R/. Amen.
All may sign the forehead of the deceased with the Sign of the Cross. One member of the family says:
Blessed are those who have died in the Lord;
let them rest from their labours
for their good deeds go with them.
V/. Eternal rest grant unto him/her, O Lord.
R/. And let perpetual light shine upon him/her.
V/. May he/she rest in peace.
R/. Amen.
V/. May his/her soul and the souls of all the faithful departed,
through the mercy of God,
rest in peace.
R/. Amen.
All make the Sign of the Cross as one member of the family says:
May the love of God and the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ
bless and console us
and gently wipe every tear from our eyes:
in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
R/. Amen.
Prayers for mourners
Lord God,
you are attentive to the voice of our pleading.
Let us find in your Son
comfort in our sadness,
certainty in our doubt,
and courage to live through this hour.
Make our faith strong
through Christ our Lord.
R/. Amen.
Lord,
N. is gone now from this earthly dwelling,
and has left behind those who mourn his/her absence.
Grant that we may hold his/her memory dear,
never bitter for what we have lost
nor in regret for the past,
but always in hope of the eternal Kingdom
where you will bring us together again.
Through Christ our Lord.
R/. Amen.
May the love of God and the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ
bless and console us
and gently wipe every tear from our eyes:
in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
R/. Amen.
For those who mourn the death of a child
O Lord, whose ways are beyond understanding,
listen to the prayers of your faithful people:
that those weighed down by grief
at the loss of this little child
may find reassurance in your infinite goodness.
Through Christ our Lord.
R/. Amen.
Prayer of commendation
As the time of death approaches, this prayer may be said.
Go forth, Christian soul, from this world
in the name of God the almighty Father,
who created you,
in the name of Jesus Christ, Son of the living God,
who suffered for you,
in the name of the Holy Spirit,
who was poured out upon you,
go forth, faithful Christian.
May you live in peace this day,
may your home be with God in Zion,
with Mary, the Virgin Mother of God,
with Joseph, and all the Angels and Saints.
Prayer for the soul to rest in peace
We thank You Lord for the passing of our brother/sister. We exalt Your name for the good life he/she lived. We pray oh Lord, that everlasting life be given unto him or her. And as he or she abides in Your garden, let Your angels touch what he/she cannot touch again. Father, be with his/her soul and may he/she rest in perfect eternal peace. Amen.
Prayer for grieving
Lord God above, we, Your humble children kneel before you today in reverence. We know You’re the greatest and You’re the king of all kings. So, we pray You uplift our heart and soul so that we may cast away our sorrows oh Lord. Give us the strength to surpass this situation. No one dies without Your say-so and thus, we rejoice over this triumph and we pray You be with our deceased brother/sister. We thank you for the answered prayer and in Jesus name, Amen.
Christian prayer for the dead
Our heavenly father, our family prays that You will find mercy on the soul of our brother and friend. We pray that with his unexpected death, his soul may find peace that he has lived a good life and did his best serving his family, workplace and loved ones while he was on earth. We also earnestly seek for the forgiveness of all his sins and all of his shortcomings. May he find assurance that his family will remain strong and steadfast in serving the Lord as he moves forward in his journey to eternal life with Christ, his Lord and Saviour. Dear Father, take His soul into Your kingdom and let perpetual light shine upon him, may he rest in peace. Amen.
Prayer for the dying
Oh Lord, You are the ADONAI and the one everlasting God. You made the lands and the seas and You have complete dominion over life and death. It is also by Your will that we live and die and we pray for this dying soul. If it’s Your will today for him/her to stay in this world, we rejoice in the miracle You allowed us to witness. But if You need Your beloved son/daughter with you, we pray You welcome him/her into Your bountiful bosom where he/she will rejoice for all eternity. We exalt Your name oh Lord and we glorify Your deeds in our lives. Amen.
Prayer for the death of a father
May the light of Jesus and the angels bring peace and salvation to my father. May he rest in peace knowing that his soul belongs to God and God only. No demon, no devil, no principality, no evil spirit has access to his light and salvation. All is well with us dad, go home and rest. We love you and one day soon we will see you in heaven.
Prayer for the soul of a mother/father
Dear Father, I thank You for taking care of my father/mother during their life on Earth. I thank You for giving them the opportunity to bring me into this world and I likewise thank You for the opportunity to have this prayer. I rejoice over the life that he/she led while alive and for the good deeds he/she accomplished. Lord God, I thusly pray for the soul of my deceased mother/father and that You take care of him/her on his/her way to Your holy Kingdom. I thank you for listening to my prayers oh Lord, Amen.
Prayer for a brother/sister
As far as I remember, my brother/sister has been with me through all the ups and downs of life. We ate and played together, gave advice to each other and kept no secret from one another. Now, seeing as he/she is gone, I pray that he/she finds everlasting life and eternal happiness in Your powerful embrace. I pray You watch over his/her wife/husband/children/investments on Earth and let Your gaze shift not oh Lord. I thank You for this prayer session and in Jesus name, I pray. Amen.
Prayer for the Departed Soul(s)
As said in 1st John chapter 5—verse 15, You’re the omniscient God who we know hears all prayers. So, we pray for the soul(s) of our departed brother(s)/sister(s) that You, oh Lord may nourish and take care of him/her/them in Heaven. You encourage us to ask and that it shall be given to us and so, we’ve asked and we know our request has been given. We thank You for providing for the deceased when he/she was alive and for sheltering us—also to be present in this prayer. Amen.
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