Incensing of the body of Pope St. John Paul II at his funeral, April 2005.
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But we are confident, and have a good will to be absent rather from the body, and to be present with the Lord. (2 Corinthians 5: 8) Death is a great mystery to each of us, but we must remember that only by entering into that mystery of death do can our hope in the Resurrection of Our Lord be fulfilled. In fact, the only way death can begin to make sense in before the Lord, who Himself died to rise on the third day. When we celebrate the funeral rites for a loved one, we remember their life on earth, and pray that the Lord would receive them in His Mercy.
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The Catholic funeral rites acknowledge two coexisting realities of death. First, we hear on earth mourn the loss of our loved one. They are not with us here, and we have sorrow in longing for them. Second, we implore God's mercy, and having faith in God which leads to real hope, we pray that our loved one is close to Our Lord because of his promise to raise those that die with Him. The Funeral Rites themselves say this: "...indeed for your faithful, lord, life is changed not ended..." (Preface I for the Dead, Third Edition of the Roman Missal).
I hope that this set of resources aids you in understanding and planning your loved one's funeral, and trust that the Mercy of God beckons all to the Resurrection into eternal life.
I hope that this set of resources aids you in understanding and planning your loved one's funeral, and trust that the Mercy of God beckons all to the Resurrection into eternal life.
