REMMBERING THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED Death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? Thanks be to God Who has given them the victory through our Lord Jesus the Christ. We remember all the faithful departed, our family, friends, benefactors, former students and these our Brothers who have died in the past year: BROTHER JAMES SAIZ DE LA MORA BROTHER TIMOTHY MCNARY BROTHER JUSTIN LUCIAN BROTHER URBAN LUCKEN BROTHER ANTHONY GAJEWSKI BROTHER BERTRAND JUETTNER BROTHER EDWARD MASON BROTHER JOHN JOHNSTON (former Superior General 1986 2000) BROTHER CHRISTOPHER KAVANAUGH They let their life shine before all and let their good works inspire others to give glory to God. We pause and remember that the God Who created us is also the God Who calls us to our eternal reward. Our God is always and everywhere with us. Holy is God, holy and mighty, holy and living forever! HYMN: PSALM 100: ARISE, COME TO YOUR Arise, come to your God, sing Him your songs of rejoicing. Cry out with joy to the Lord all the earth. Serve the Lord with gladness. Come before God singing for joy. Know that the Lord is God Our Maker to Whom we belong. We are God s people, sheep of the flock. Enter the gates with thanksgiving, God s courts with songs of praise. Give thanks to God and bless His name.
Indeed, how good is the Lord Whose merciful love is eternal; Whose faithfulness lasts forever. Give glory to the Father Almighty To His Son, Jesus Christ the Lord To the Spirit Who dwells in our hearts. As we remember today all of our faithful departed, we pray for the presence of Christ, Who has gone this way before us. Lord Jesus, you have shown us the way to the Father: Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord Jesus, Your Word is a light to our path: Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord Jesus, You are the Good Shepherd, leading us into everlasting life: Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. PRAYER Grant, Lord, that we who are baptized into the death of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ may continually put to death our evil desires and be buried with Him; and that through the grave and gate of death we may pass to our joyful resurrection; through His merits, Who died and was buried and rose again for us, Your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. LAMENTATIONS 3.22-26,31-33 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. The Lord is my portion,' says my soul, therefore I will hope in Him. The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul that seeks Him.
It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. For the Lord will not reject for ever. Although He causes grief, He will have compassion according to the abundance of His steadfast love; for He does not willingly afflict or grieve anyone. SCRIPTURE: MATTHEW 5: 13-16 You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lamp stand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Heavenly Father. REFLECTION You are the salt of the earth. You who believe in Me have been selected by a special grace to be My followers, disciples and apostles. I call you salt because you share the properties of salt. Food without salt does not taste the same. Salt has healing properties that kill bacteria and promote the curing of wounds. In other times when there were not refrigerators, salt was used to preserve foods. To believe in Me gives you the great power of faith, capable of touching My will and obtaining better results in your prayers and actions. He who believes My words and accepts them as the Word of God will be able to pray for miracles. I stopped the storm and walked on water, therefore demonstrating my power over the elements; I cured the sick and raised the dead, showing that nothing is impossible for God. Pray with faith. I am the Light of the world; if you follow Me you will not walk in darkness; if you love Me you will be filled with My light and become the light of the world. My light is My own holiness, which I want to share with everyone. Be holy, as I am holy; be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect. I invite you to become My heart, full of love and compassion for all those who need Me. I invite you to become My hands; to stretch out around the world and give it the comfort it needs. I invite you to become My feet so that you may walk with Me in search of souls. I invite you to become My eyes, always looking for those in need in order to bring them My infinite mercy. Become like Me, become another Christ, be transfigured by My light so that you too can do My work of salvation. There is no time to lose. You can be a miracle worker if you are willing to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Open your heart and tell Me that you want to accept My offering,
believe in My words and let them make a new creation in you, a new being filled with My light, who will be very happy to spread My kingdom. Is this not what these Brothers have done with their lives? And you, how are you salt and light for others? INTERCESSIONS Response: LORD OF LIFE, HEAR US. That you, Almighty God, will bless all who have died believing in You, we pray: That each of us will lead a life worthy of our Baptismal commitment, we pray: That while we journey on this earth we will attempt to be salt and light for others, we pray: That those who mourn the life of a dear one will find consolation and peace in the promise of the Resurrection, we pray: That while we do not know the day nor the hour of Your coming Lord, we will be always ready to greet You, we pray: That others who were touched by the lives of these Brothers will consider the possibility of following the dream of Saint John Baptist de La Salle, we pray: That the souls of all the faithful departed will encounter the fullness of God, we pray: Our Father THANKSGIVING FOR THE LIFE OF THE DEPARTED Merciful Father and Lord of all life, we praise You that we are made in Your image and reflect Your truth and light. We thank You for the lives of our Brothers, for the love they received from You and showed among us. Above all, we rejoice at Your gracious promise to all Your servants, living and departed, that we shall rise again at the coming of Christ. And we ask that in due time we may share with our Brothers that clearer vision, when we shall see Your face in the same Christ our Lord. Amen
NUNC DIMITTIS (THE SONG OF SIMEON) LUKE 2.29-32 Awake may we watch with Christ: asleep may we rest in His peace. Now, Lord, you let Your servant go in peace: Your word has been fulfilled. My own eyes have seen the salvation which You have prepared in the sight of every people; A light to reveal You to the nations and the glory of Your people Israel. Glory to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning is now and shall be forever. Amen. HYMN: AND I WILL RAISE THEM UP I am the Bread of Life; they who come to Me shall not hunger; they who believe in Me shall not thirst. No one can come to Me unless the Father draw them. Refrain: And I will raise them up, and I will raise them up, and I will raise them up on the last day. I am the Resurrection, I am the Life. They who believe in Me, even if they die, they shall live for ever. Yes, Lord we believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God Who has come into the world DISMISSAL The Lord God almighty is our Father: May He love us and tenderly care for us. The Lord Jesus Christ is our Savior: He has redeemed us and will defend us to the end. The Lord, the Holy Spirit is among us: May He lead us in God's holy way. To God almighty, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Be praise and glory today and for ever. Amen. Saint John Baptist de La Salle and all you holy Brothers who have gone before us, assist us on our journey to the Lord. Live Jesus in our hearts. Forever!