Suggested Readings For A Funeral

When planning funeral readings in high church traditions, it is customary to choose one passage from the Old Testament, one Psalm to follow, then a reading from one of the letters of the New Testament, and a Gospel reading usually proclaimed by the clergy.

Reading I from the OT

1) 2 Maccabees 12:43-46

2) Job 19:1, 23-27a

3) Wisdom 3:1-9 or 3:1-6, 9

4) Wisdom 4:7-14

5) Isaiah 25:6a, 7-9

6) Lamentations 3:17-26

7) Daniel 12:1-3

More Reading I selections outside the Catholic Lectionary

The selection of Old Testament readings is often rather sparse in the funeral Lectionary. Here are some that you might find appropriate for a Mass, or for a memorial service.

• Genesis 9:12-17

• Genesis 48:21; 49:29-33

• Proverbs 31: 10-12, 25-26, 28-31

• Ecclesiastes 3:1-11

• Wisdom 1:13-15, 2:23

• Wisdom 5:15-16

• Sirach 6:14-17

• Sirach 18:9-12

• Sirach 41:1-4a

• Sirach 41:11-13

• Sirach 44:1a, 10b-15

• Isaiah 43:1-3a

• Isaiah 46:3-4

• Isaiah 65:17-19

Reading I from the NT
during the Season of Easter

1) Acts 10:34-43 or 10:34-36, 42-43
2) Revelation 7:9-10, 15-17
3) Revelation 14:13

4) Revelation 20:11—21:1
5) Revelation 21:1-5a, 6b-7

Responsorial Psalm
1) Psalm 16:1-2, 7-11
2) Psalm 23:1-3, 4, 5, 6
3) Psalm 25:6+7bc, 17-18, 20-21
4) Psalm 27:1, 4, 7+8b+9a, 13-14
5) Psalm 42:2, 3, 5cdef; Psalm 43:3, 4, 5
6) Psalm 63:2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9
7) Psalm 93
8) Psalm 103:8+10, 13-14, 15-16, 17-18
9) Psalm 116:5, 6, 10-11, 15-16ac
10) Psalm 122
11) Psalm 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-6ab, 6c-7, 8
12) Psalm 143:1-2, 5-6, 7ab+8ab, 10
13) Psalm 148

Reading II from the NT
1) Romans 5:5-11
2) Romans 5:17-21
3) Romans 6:3-9 or 6:3-4, 8-9
4) Romans 8:14-23
5) Romans 8:31b-35, 37-39
6) Romans 14:7-9, 10c-12
7) 1 Corinthians 15:20-24a, 25-28 or 15:20-23
8) 1 Corinthians 15:51-57
9) 2 Corinthians 4:14—5:1
10) 2 Corinthians 5:1, 6-10
11) Ephesians 1:3-10
12) Philippians 3:20-2113) 1 Thessalonians 4:13-1814) 2 Timothy 2:8-13
15) 1 John 3:1-2
16) 1 John 3:14-16

Some reading selections outside the Catholic Lectionary

• 1 Corinthians 2:6-9

• 1 Corinthians 9:24-25

• 1 Corinthians 13:1-7

• 1 Corinthians 13:8-13

• 2 Corinthians 1:3-7

• 2 Timothy 1:9-10

• 2 Timothy 4:6-8

• Titus 2:11-14

Gospel
1) Matthew 5:1-12a
2) Matthew 11:25-30
3) Matthew 25:1-13
4) Matthew 25:31-46
5) Mark 10:13-16
6) Mark 15:33-39; 16:1-6 or 15:33-39
7) Luke 7:11-17
8) Luke 12:35-40
9) Luke 23:33, 39-43
10) Luke 23:44-46, 50, 52-53; 24:1-6a
    or 23:44-46, 50, 52-53
11) Luke 24:13-35 or 24:13-16, 28-35
12) John 5:24-29
13) John 6:37-40
14) John 6:51-58
15) John 11:17-27 or 11:21-27
16) John 11:32-45
17) John 12:23-28 or 12:23-26

18) John 14:1-6

19) John 17:24-26

20) John 19:17-18, 25-29