funeral

²⁵Jesus said to her: “I am the Resurrection and the Life. Whoever believes in me, even though he has died, he shall live. ²⁶And everyone who lives and believes in me shall not die for eternity. Do you believe this?”

¹A Psalm of David. The Lord directs me, and nothing will be lacking to me. ²He has settled me here, in a place of pasture. He has led me out to the water of refreshment. ³He has converted my soul. He has led me away on the paths of justice, for the sake of his name. ⁴For, even if I should walk in the midst of the shadow of death, I will fear no evils. For you are with me. Your rod and your staff, they have given me consolation. ⁵You have prepared a table in my sight, opposite those who trouble me. You have anointed my head with oil, and my cup, which inebriates me, how brilliant it is! ⁶And your mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and so may I dwell in the house of the Lord for length of days.

⁴And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. And death shall be no more. And neither mourning, nor crying out, nor grief shall be anymore. For the first things have passed away.”

⁵For thus says the Lord: “You shall not enter the house of feasting, and you shall not go to mourn or to console them. For I have taken away from this people, says the Lord, my peace, my mercy, and my pity.

⁷and the dust returns to its earth, from which it was, and the spirit returns to God, who granted it.

¹³And we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, concerning those who are sleeping, so as not to be sorrowful, like these others who do not have hope.

⁸For if we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.

²⁵Jesus said to her: “I am the Resurrection and the Life. Whoever believes in me, even though he has died, he shall live.

¹⁶For God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that all who believe in him may not perish, but may have eternal life.

²⁸You shall not cut your flesh for the dead, and you shall not make other figures or marks on yourself. I am the Lord.

²⁸And do not be afraid of those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul. But instead fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Hell.

⁴His spirit will depart, and he will return to his earth. In that day, all their thoughts will perish.

¹⁹The Lord is near to those who are troubled in heart, and he will save the humble in spirit.

¹⁰Do not be afraid, for I am with you. Do not turn away, for I am your God. I have strengthened you, and I have assisted you, and the right hand of my just one has upheld you.

¹³And we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, concerning those who are sleeping, so as not to be sorrowful, like these others who do not have hope. ¹⁴For if we believe that Jesus has died and risen again, so also will God bring back with Jesus those who sleep in him.

⁴Blessed are the meek, for they shall possess the earth.

⁸So we are confident, and we have the good will to be on a pilgrimage in the body, so as to be present to the Lord.