(official text)
In the last issue of our magazine, I painstakingly translated and analyzed the prayer for a dying brother or sister in faith in a lengthy article. Only afterward did I discover in the new edition of the book The Rites of Anointing the Sick1 the official version of these prayers in chapter six of this book, as now approved by church authority. I was very pleased with the encouragement in article 142 of these rites: “It is therefore necessary that laypeople have such texts at hand.” For I wrote my article with the same conviction. On the other hand, I want to emphasize once again today that it is only the practice of accompanying the dying that will show each of us what from the proposed prayers and advice will truly be usable for us and how. The text below is taken from the book The Rites of Anointing the Sick with one modification: we do not reproduce the biblical texts in full (you will need to look them up in your Bibles yourselves), but we only provide the references, and I have tried to briefly express the main idea of the passage so that it is apparent to everyone before they begin searching for the relevant text in the Scripture.
May the merciful God guide each of us in the situations that these prayers prepare us for, with a special strengthening of the Holy Spirit!
Fr. Gorazd, O.Carm.
Commendation of the Dying to God
- The love of neighbor leads Christians to express communion with the dying brother or sister. Together with them and for them, they invoke God's mercy for communion with Christ.
- If the dying person is still conscious, the prayers, litanies, brief invocations, psalms, and readings from the Word of God listed here should help them to strive to resemble the suffering and dying Christ, to accept the inherent anxiety before death with hope for life in heaven and to overcome it with the power of the resurrection of the one who overcame our death by his own.
- The other attendees, even if the dying person may no longer be conscious, should draw comfort from these texts and learn to understand the Easter meaning of a Christian's death. It is also recommended that they often express this through their behavior and mark the dying person with the sign of the cross on the forehead, where they were marked with the cross at baptism.
- Requests and readings can be freely chosen from those that follow, or others can be added. They should always correspond to the mental and physical state of the dying person and other circumstances. They should be said slowly, not too loudly, and pauses of silence should be inserted between them. It is often appropriate to select one of the following short prayers and repeat it slowly to the dying person two or three times.
- When death has occurred, it is appropriate for all present to kneel, and someone among them (if a priest or deacon is present, it should be him) should pray the prayer given in no. 148.
- Priests and deacons should strive, if possible, to be at the bedside of the dying and to pray together with the relatives for the dying and commend them to God. Their presence makes it clearer that a Christian dies in communion with the Church of Christ. However, if they cannot be present due to other pastoral duties, they should remind laypeople to pray with the dying. They may use the texts provided here or other prayers. It is therefore necessary for laypeople also to have such texts at hand.
- Brief invocations:
- Who could separate us from the love of Christ? (Rom 8:35)
- Whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. (Rom 14:8)
- We have an eternal home in heaven. (Cf. 2 Cor 5:1)
- We will be with the Lord forever. (1 Thess 4:17)
- We shall see God as He is. (1 John 3:2)
- We have passed from death to life because we love our brothers. (1 John 3:14)
- To you, Lord, I lift up my soul. (Ps 25:1)
- The Lord is my light and my salvation. (Ps 27:1)
- I believe that I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! (Ps 27:13)
- My soul thirsts for the living God. (Ps 42:3)
- Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. (Ps 23:4)
- The Lord Jesus said: “Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you.” (Mt 25:34)
- The Lord Jesus said: “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Lk 23:43)
- The Lord Jesus said: “In my Father's house, there are many mansions.” (John 14:2)
- The Lord Jesus said: “I go to prepare a place for you, and will take you to myself.” (Cf. John 14:2-3)
- The Lord Jesus said: “I desire that they also whom you gave me may be with me where I am.” (John 17:24)
- Everyone who believes in the Son has eternal life. (John 6:40)
- Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. (Ps 31:6a)
- Lord Jesus, receive my spirit! (Acts 7:59)
- Holy Mary, pray for me!
- Saint Joseph, pray for me!
- Jesus, Mary, Joseph, stand by me in my final battle!
- Readings from the Holy Scripture:
One can choose from the pericopes designated for the services for the sick or read some of the following:
READINGS FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT Isa 35:3-4.6c-7.10 Call to trust in the Lord’s salvation Job 19:23-27a Job believes he will ultimately see God PSALMS Ps 23 (22) The Lord is my shepherd... Ps 25 (24),1.4-11 Request to the Lord and declaration of trust in Him Ps 91 (90) The Lord is protector and liberator Ps 115 (113B),1-8 Appeal to the Lord, the futility of idols Ps 116 (114),3-5 Calling in distress with a declaration of trust Ps 121 (120),1-4 Help comes from the Lord Ps 123 (122) Humble request for mercy READINGS FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT 1 Cor 15:1-4 Christ died for our sins 1 John 4:16 We have known love: God is love Rev 21:1-5a.6-7 New heavens and new earth: God’s victory GOSPELS Mt 25:1-13 Parable of the ten virgins Mark 15:33-37 The death of the Lord Jesus on the cross Mark 16:1-8 The women at the tomb receive the message of resurrection Lk 22:39-46 The prayer of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane Lk 23:42-43 Promise to the repentant thief: “Today you will be with me in paradise.” Lk 24:1-8 The women at the tomb hear from angels that Jesus has been raised John 6:37-40 The Lord Jesus promises resurrection to those who believe in Him John 14:1-6.23.27 The Lord Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life - If the dying person can withstand long prayers, it is recommended that those present pray the litany of all saints (or some requests from it) with the response “Pray for him (her).” It is also possible to add the names of the patrons of the dying and their family. They may also say some of their usual prayers.
- When it seems the time of departure is near, and the dying person is prepared for death as a Christian, someone present may pray one of the following prayers:
1
Christian soul,
set forth on the journey from this world
in the name of God, almighty Father,
who created you,
in the name of Jesus Christ, Son of God,
who suffered for you,
in the name of the Holy Spirit,
who was poured out upon you;
may you find peace
today in the abode of God on holy Zion
in communion
with the Holy Mother of God, the Virgin Mary,
with Saint Joseph
and with all angels and saints.
2
I commend you (dear brother/sister) to Almighty God,
I entrust you (dear brother/sister) to him who created you.
Return then to your creator,
who fashioned you from the clay of the earth.
May the holy Virgin Mary, angels, and all saints meet you as you depart from this life.
May Christ, who was crucified for you, free you;
may Christ, who gave His life for you, free you.
May Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, welcome you into His paradise.
He is the true shepherd;
may He recognize in you His sheep.
May He cleanse you from all sin
and unite you with His chosen ones.
May you see face to face your Redeemer
and may you enjoy the blessed vision of God forever. Amen.
3
God, receive your servant (your servant),
for he (she) hoped in your mercy and your salvation. Amen.
God, deliver your servant (your servant)
from all suffering.
Amen.
God, deliver your servant (your servant),
as you saved Noah from the flood.
Amen.
God, deliver your servant (your servant),
as you brought Abraham from the Chaldean city of Ur.
Amen.
God, deliver your servant (your servant),
as you freed Moses from Pharaoh’s power.
Amen.
God, deliver your servant (your servant),
as you rescued Daniel from the lion’s den.
Amen.
God, deliver your servant (your servant),
as you saved the three youths from the fiery furnace and from the hands of a cruel king.
Amen.
God, deliver your servant (your servant),
as you cleansed Susanna from false accusation.
Amen.
God, deliver your servant (your servant),
as you saved David from the hands of Goliath and king Saul.
Amen.
God, deliver your servant (your servant),
as you freed Peter and Paul from prison.
Amen.
God, deliver your servant (your servant)
through our Savior Jesus Christ,
who underwent bitter death for us and obtained eternal life for us.
Amen.
4
Lord Jesus Christ, Savior of the world,
we commend to you your servant (your servant) N
and we ask you:
receive him (her) graciously into the joy of your kingdom,
for you descended to this earth for him (her).
Although from human weakness he (she) sinned,
he (she) did not deny the Triune God, Creator of heaven and earth,
but believed in Him and worshipped Him. - It is also possible to sing or pray the antiphon “Hail, Holy Queen...”
- When the dying person dies, the following is said:
Holy friends of God may accompany you.
Angels of the Lord may meet you
and receive you among themselves.
And may they present you before the throne of the Most High.
May Christ receive you,
who called you.
* May the angels lead you to Him.
And may they present you before the throne of the Most High. *
May the Lord grant you eternal rest
and let eternal light shine upon you.
* May the angels lead you to Him.
And may they present you before the throne of the Most High. *
Let us pray.
Into your hands, God, we commend our brother (sister) N,
for we believe he (she) lives, even though he (she) has died;
and we ask you:
may your merciful love forgive him (her) all that in human weakness he (she) has committed.
Through Christ, our Lord.
Amen.
Or other texts from the funeral rites.
