The Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia

Hymn Refrain:          
“We Remember” (Marty Haugen)

 

We remember how you loved us to your death, and still we celebrate, for you are with us here; and we believe that we will see you when you come in your glory, Lord. We remember, we celebrate, we believe.

© 1980, G.I.A. Publications, Inc.  All rights reserved.  Used with permission.

 

We remember _______. We remember that he/she loved as Jesus loves and that love never dies.

 

We remember how she/he died, ordinary, tragic, final. We remember the initial loss, the sadness, the emptiness.

 

We remember that we believe in the resurrection, in life after death. And so we celebrated _______’s death into life, life eternal.

 

We remember to remember, to celebrate the memory of one whom we loved and whom we still love.

 

 

We celebrate the life that never dies and the love that lives forever.

 

We celebrate that ______’s life in God is one without suffering or pain. It is a life of joy and bliss.

 

We celebrate our memory of one who has gone before us and who will greet us again.

 

 

We believe in life in the resurrected Jesus.

 

We believe that ______ will die no more but has the fullness of life in God.

 

We believe in God, the giver of all life who sustains life and who loves life. We believe in God’s Son, Jesus, with the Holy Spirit, one God in whom we live and move and have our being.

 

Refrain: 

Psalm 16: 1-2, 5-11  Pray slowly together. 

 

            Protect me, God, because I come to you for safety.

            I say, “You are my God;

            all the good things I have come from you.”

 

            You, Yahweh, are all I have,

            and you give me all I need:

            my life is in your hands.

 

            How wonderful are your gifts to me;

            how good they are!

            I praise Yahweh, who guides me,

            and in the night my conscience warns me.

 

            I am always aware of your presence;

            You are near,

            and nothing can shake me.

 

            And so I am full of happiness and joy,

            and I always feel secure;

            because you will not allow me

            to go to the world of the dead,

            you will not abandon to the depths below

            the one you love.

 

            You will show me the path that leads to life;

            your presence fills me with joy,

            and your help brings pleasure forever.

 

 

Reading:         Jeremiah 29: 11-14

 

For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you. When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart, I will let you find me, says the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile. NRSV

 

 

Response:      “We Remember” refrain

 

Our Father:    We gather these thoughts and memories in the prayer Jesus gave us, remembering all who live in God.

 

Closing:          Sign of Peace