Mass Readings & Prayers

Introductory Rites

Greeting
V. The Lord be with you
R. And with your spirit

Opening Consolation
PRIEST:
Praise be to God, the father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all consolation.
He comforts us in all afflictions and thus enables us to comfort those who are in trouble,
with same consolation we have received from Him. 2 Cor. 1:3–4.

ALL:
Blessed be to God the father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Sprinkling of the Body
I bless the body of Ezinne Fidelia Nkechinyere Dike with the holy water
that recalls his baptism of which St. Paul writes: All of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus
were baptized into his death. By baptism into his death, we were buried together with him, that just as Christ
was raised from the dead by the glory of Father, we too might live a new life. For if we have been united with him
by likeness to his death, so shall we be united with him by likeness to his resurrection.

Opening Prayer

Let Us Pray
Lord, we humbly ask your mercy, accept the soul of your servant
Ezinne Fidelia Nkechinyere Dike, forgive the sins he has committed through human frailty.
Free him from the bonds of death and admit him into everlasting life. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Entrance Antiphon / Hymn Text
Just as Jesus died and rose again, so will the father bring with him those who have died in Jesus.
Just as in Adam all man died, so in Christ all will be made alive, Alleluia.

Liturgy of the Word

First Reading – Isaiah 25:6–9

A reading from the Prophet Isaiah

On this mountain, the Lord of hosts will prepare for all people a banquet of rich food.
On this mountain he will remove the mourning veil covering all people, and the shroud enwrapping all nations,
he will destroy death forever. The Lord will wipe away the tears from every cheek. He will take away His people’s
shame everywhere on earth, for the Lord has said so. That day it will be said: see, this is our God in whom we
hoped for salvation; the Lord is the one in whom we hoped. We exult and we rejoice that he has saved us.

V. The Word of the Lord
R. Thanks be to God

Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 23
Response: I will live in the house of the Lord forever and ever.

1. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want, He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
he leads me besides the still waters; he restores my soul.

2. He leads me in paths of righteousness, for His name’s sake. Even though I walk through
the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

3. You prepared a table before me, in the presence of my enemies; you anointed my head with oil;
my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me, all the days of my life
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever and ever.

Second Reading – 2 Timothy 4:6–8, 17–18

A reading from the second Letter of Saint Paul to Timothy

Beloved: I am ready on the point of being sacrificed; the time of my departure has come,
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. From now on there is laid up for me
the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day and not only to me
but also to all who have loved his appearing.

But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength to proclaim the word fully, that all the Gentiles might hear it,
So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue you from every evil and save you for his heavenly kingdom.
To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

V. The word of the Lord.
R. Thanks be to God.

Gospel Acclamation
Our treasure is in heaven from where we await the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Gospel – John 14:1–6

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to John

At that time; Jesus said to his disciples, “let not your hearts be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me.
In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?
And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am, you may be also,
and you know the way where I am going.”

Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?”
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father, but through me.”

V. The Gospel of the Lord
R. Praise be to you Lord Jesus Christ

Prayer of the Faithful

PRIEST:
Let us pray with faith and confidence to God our father who lives forever and who can do all things,
as He raised His Son Jesus Christ from the dead, so may He give peace and salvation to both the living and the dead.

Response:
Open the door, the door of Heaven, open the Heavenly door for
Ezinne Fidelia Nkechinyere Dike to enter.

1. For our sister Ezinne Fidelia Nkechinyere Dike that she may share
the light of Christ’s resurrection, come into new life of happiness and peace. We pray O Lord. R.

2. For those who this world is their be-all and end-all, that they may come to
believe in the good news of salvation, renew their lives and have faith in Christ
who is the way, the truth and the life. We pray O Lord. R.

3. For those suffering on account of bereavement that the generosity of their
fellow Christians may give them comfort and help them relief their anxiety. We pray O Lord. R.

Additional intentions for Ezinne

V. Our sister Ezinne Fidelia Nkechinyere Dike was washed clean in baptism
and anointed with the oil of salvation, give her fellowship with all your saints.
We ask this in faith, Lord hear our prayer.

V. Our mother Ezinne Fidelia Nkechinyere Dike was nourished with your Body and Blood,
grant her a place at the table in your heavenly kingdom. We ask this in faith Lord hear our prayer.

V. Comfort us in our sorrow at the death of our sister Ezinne Fidelia Nkechinyere Dike,
let our faith be our consolation, and eternal life our hope. We ask this in faith.

Prayers for the Deceased & the Mourners

Prayer for Ezinne
LET US PRAY
Lord listen to our prayer for our sister Ezinne Fidelia Nkechinyere Dike.
Let her not be punished for wrong doing and as she was intent in true faith with all your faithful people,
let her now by your loving goodness, be united with the Angelic throne. We ask this through Christ our Lord. R. Amen.

V. Eternal rest grant to her O Lord,
R. And let perpetual light shine upon her.
V. May she rest in peace,
R. Amen.
V. May her soul and the soul of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace.
R. Amen.

Prayer for the Mourners
Grant O God, that while we mourn the departure of this your servant
Ezinne Fidelia Nkechinyere Dike that we are most certain to follow her.
Give us grace to prepare for that last hour by a good life, that we may not be surprised by a sudden and unprovided death
but be ever watchful that when you call, we may enter into your eternal glory. Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Prayer After Communion

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
Lord God, your son gave us the sacrament of His Body to support us in our last journey,
grant that our sister Ezinne Fidelia Nkechinyere Dike, may take her seat with Christ
at his eternal banquet; who lives and reigns forever and ever.

Final Commendation

With faith in Jesus Christ we reverently bring the body of our sister,
Ezinne Fidelia Nkechinyere Dike, to be buried in its human imperfection.
Let us pray with confidence to God, who gives life to all things that he will raise up this mortal body
to the perfection and the company of the saints. May God give her a merciful judgement and forgive all her sins.
May Christ the good shepherd lead her safely home to be at peace with God our father, and may she be happy forever
with all the saints in the presence of the eternal king.

(All pray in silence for a little while. The coffin is then sprinkled with Holy water and incensed
while the following is sung.)

V. Saints of God
R. Come to her aid
V. Come to meet her Angels of the Lord.
R. Receive her soul and present her on high.

V. May Christ, who called you take you to himself, may angels lead you to Abraham’s side.
R. Receive her soul and present her to God the most High.

V. Give her eternal rest, O Lord and may your light shine on her forever.
R. Receive her soul and present her to God the Most High.

Committal at the Grave

Since it has pleased Almighty God to call our sister,
Ezinne Fidelia Nkechinyere Dike from this life to himself, accordingly, we commit her body
to the earth where it comes. Since Christ, the first fruit of the dead has risen again and will refashion our frail body
in the pattern of his glorious risen body. We commend our sister to the Lord, May he embrace her in his peace
and bring her body to life again on the last day.

The Body is Lowered to the Grave

V. Lord have mercy
R. Lord have mercy
V. Christ have mercy
R. Christ have mercy
V. Lord have mercy
R. Lord have mercy
V. Our Father…

Prayer at the Graveside
CELEBRANT
Let us pray for Ezinne Fidelia Nkechinyere Dike to our Lord Jesus Christ who said
“I am the resurrection and the life. The man who believes in me will live even if he dies and every living person
who believes in me will never suffer eternal death”.

V. Lord, you wept at the death of Lazarus your friend; comfort us in our sorrow we ask this in faith.

V. You raised the dead to life, give your servant Ezinne Fidelia Nkechinyere Dike eternal rest,
we ask this in faith Lord hear our prayer.

V. You promised paradise to the thief who repented, bring your servant
Ezinne Fidelia Nkechinyere Dike to the joys of Heaven, we ask this in faith, Lord hear our prayer.