The Burial of the Dead: Rite Two
August 7, 2020 - 10:00am
Prelude, Amazing Grace
Maria Thomas, soprano, Ivan Griffin, baritone, Maria Elliott, oboe
All stand. The Celebrant begins
I am Resurrection and I am Life, says the Lord. Whoever has faith in me shall have life, even though he die. And everyone who has life, and has committed himself to me in faith, shall not die for ever.
As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives and that at the last he will stand upon the earth. After my awaking, he will raise me up; and in my body I shall see God.I myself shall see, and my eyes behold him who is my friend and not a stranger.
For none of us has life in himself, and none becomes his own master when he dies.For if we have life, we are alive in the Lord, and if we die, we die in the Lord. So, then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s possession.
Happy from now on are those who die in the Lord! So it is, says the Spirit, for they rest from their labors.
Celebrant The Lord be with you.
People And also with you.
Celebrant Let us pray.
O God, whose mercies cannot be numbered: Accept our prayers on behalf of your servant William and grant him an entrance into the land of light and joy, in the fellowship of your saints; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. People Amen.
The Liturgy of the Word
The First Reading, Isaiah 40:28-31
The People sit. Read by Janet Smith.
Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and strengthens the powerless. Even youths will faint and be weary, and the young will fall exhausted; but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.
Psalm 139:1-11
The Reader and People read the Psalm responsively, by whole verse. Led by The Reverend Andrew R. Thayer.
Lord, you have searched me out and known me; * you know my sitting down and my rising up; you discern my thoughts from afar.
You trace my journeys and my resting-places * and are acquainted with all my ways.
Indeed, there is not a word on my lips, * but you, O Lord, know it altogether.
You press upon me behind and before * and lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; * it is so high that I cannot attain to it.
Where can I go then from your Spirit? * where can I flee from your presence?
If I climb up to heaven, you are there; * if I make the grave my bed, you are there also.
If I take the wings of the morning * and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
Even there your hand will lead me * and your right hand hold me fast.
If I say, "Surely the darkness will cover me, * and the light around me turn to night,"
Darkness is not dark to you; the night is as bright as the day; * darkness and light to you are both alike.
Solo, There's a Balm in Gilead, Ivan Griffin
The Gospel, Matthew 25:31-46
Gospeler The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.
People Glory to you, Lord Christ.
When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?” And the king will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.” Then he will say to those at his left hand, “You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.” Then they also will answer, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?” Then he will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.” And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.’
Gospeler The Gospel of the Lord.
People Praise to you, Lord Christ.
The Sermon, Pastor Greg Manning
Solo, Precious Lord, Take My Hand Maria Thomas
The Lord’s Prayer
Celebrant And now as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to say,
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
The Prayers, led by The Reverend Andrew R. Thayer
Celebrant For our brother, William, let us pray to our Lord Jesus Christ who said, “I am Resurrection and I am Life.” Lord, you consoled Martha and Mary in their distress; draw near to us who mourn for William, and dry the tears of those who weep.
People Hear us, Lord.
You wept at the grave of Lazarus, your friend; comfort us in our sorrow.
People Hear us, Lord.
You raised the dead to life; give to our brother eternal life.
People Hear us, Lord.
You promised paradise to the thief who repented; bring our brother to the joys of heaven.
People Hear us, Lord.
Our brother was washed in Baptism and anointed with the Holy Spirit; give him fellowship with all your saints.
People Hear us, Lord.
He was nourished with your Body and Blood; grant him a place at the table in your heavenly kingdom.
People Hear us, Lord.
Comfort us in our sorrows at the death of our brother; let our faith be our consolation, and eternal life our hope.
Celebrant Father of all, we pray to you for William, and for all those whom we love but see no longer. Grant to them eternal rest. Let light perpetual shine upon them. May his soul and the souls of all the departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. People Amen.
The Commendation
Celebrant Give rest, O Christ, to your servant with your saints, People where sorrow and pain are no more, neither sighing, but life everlasting.
Celebrant You only are immortal, the creator and maker of humankind; and we are mortal, formed of the earth, and to earth shall we return. For so did you ordain when you created me, saying, “You are dust, and to dust you shall return.” All of us go down to the dust; yet even at the grave we make our song: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
People Give rest, O Christ, to your servant with your saints, where sorrow and pain are no more, neither sighing, but life everlasting.
Celebrant Into your hands, O merciful Savior, we commend your servant William. Acknowledge, we humbly beseech you, a sheep of your own fold, a lamb of your own flock, a sinner of your own redeeming. Receive him into the arms of your mercy, into the blessed rest of everlasting peace, and into the glorious company of the saints in light.
People Amen.
The Blessing
The Dismissal
Celebrant Let us go forth in the name of Christ. Alleluia, alleluia.
People Thanks be to God. Alleluia, alleluia.
Postlude, Finale from Symphony No. 2, C-M. Widor
Liturgy Participants:
Presider: The Right Reverend Bishop Morris K. Thompson, Jr (Bishop of Louisiana)
Sermon: Pastor Greg Manning (Broadmoor Community Church)
Readers: Janet Smith, The Reverend Watson Lamb (Chapel of the Holy Spirit), and The Reverend Andrew R. Thayer (Trinity Episcopal Church)
Organist: Paul Weber
Soloists: Ivan Griffin, Maria Thomas, Maria Elliott
