Memorial Liturgy

Welcome –
This is a holy place
This is a place of gratitude
This is a place to say goodbye
This is a place to return and remember
This is a place of rest
But, this is not the final place. We offer ____________________ body to rest that his/her spirit might run free in God’s playground.

_____________________ is now more present to us in spirit than he/she was in his/her body. He/she now knows God’s heart in a way that gives us hope.

Invocation and Prayers
Gracious God, Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer of life. Have mercy on us. Reveal yourself in all things, to all things and through all things. Grant us the gift of becoming a community of Christ-like desire, that we might see and celebrate you in all things, especially the hard places, even here…even now.

___________________You are Immanuel—the God who is with us. There is nowhere we can flee from your presence, and nothing can separate us from your love. We accept your invitation to relax into this miracle—to notice and to welcome your presence in all things everywhere—even here, even now.

__________________Open our hearts Lord, as we gather at this sacred place. Give us the eyes to see your transforming presence, calling forth life from death, hovering among us, dancing with delight.

__________________Come, Holy Spirit and be our guide and comfort. Our heart’s are filled to the brim with gratitude for Francis’ life. We return to your loving care, our dear friend, father, grandfather and great grandfather, great, great grandfather, Francis.

Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures; 
he leads me beside still waters;

he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil;
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff—
they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies; 
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
 all the days of my life, 
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
 my whole life long.

Poems by Rumi
Every object, every being, every person, is a jar full of delight. Be a connoisseur and taste with caution…

…It is sad to leave the people you travel with. How much more so those who remind you of God. Hurry back to the ones protecting you.

On every trip, have only one objective, to meet those who are friends inside the Presence. If you stay home, keep the same purpose – to meet the innermost Presence as it lives in people.
Be a pilgrim to the Presence inside a human being and heaven will rise into view on its own.

So…

Start the drumbeat! Everything we have said about the Friend is true. The beauty of that peacefulness makes the whole world restless. Spread your love-robe out to catch what sifts down from heaven. You, heart, closed up in a chest, open! For the Friend is entering you. You, feet, it is time to dance. Don’t talk about the old man for he is young again. And don’t get stuck in the past. Do you understand? The Beloved is here!

Eulogy – Good Words:
Write a word that comes to mind when you think of _______________

Litany of Peace
Jesus, you said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.”

Lord, make us instruments of your peace.
Where there is hatred… let us sow love;
Where there is injury… pardon;
Where there is doubt… faith;
Where there is despair… hope;
Where there is darkness… light;
And where there is sadness… joy.
Grant that we may not so much seek to be consoled… as to console;
To be understood… as to understand;
To be loved… as to love.
For it is in giving… that we receive;
It is in pardoning… that we are pardoned;
And it is in dying… that we are born to eternal life.

Share the sign of Peace

Lord’s Prayer
Our Father who art in heaven. Holy is thy name. Thy kingdom come and thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day, our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who have sinned against us and lead us, not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Committal Words –
In sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life, through Jesus Christ, we commend to God _________________. We thank you for his/her life. We now commit his/her body and return it to the elements, ashes to ashes, dust to dust. And we return________________ spirit to You, along with our blessings. Merciful One, we trust you now to be the God of all life everywhere and receive and awaken_______________________into your presence.

In silence: Burn blessings and place ashes in the Urn or place blessings on coffin as it is being lowered. A sign that we return our loved one with our blessings.

Final Blessing
All: (Raise hand in sign of blessing to each other)

Christ be with you, Christ within you,
Christ behind you, Christ before you,
Christ beside you, Christ to win you,
Christ to comfort and restore you.
Christ beneath you, Christ above you,
Christ in quiet and in danger,
Christ in hearts of those who love you,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

We pray this in the name of the Father who is for us, the Son who is with us and the Spirit who unites us all in the never-ending dance of love.

Now to Him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory, to the earth be peace, our family be hope and to our heart’s be courage.

Notes:
– This is a participatory liturgy where all who are comfortable are invited to participate.

– Bold print indicates that ALL will read in unison.

– Readers are encouraged to read slowly… intentionally.