Perhaps you are planning a funeral. It might be in the next day or two for a loved one. It may be in advance for yourself. I designed this page to lay out all the Bible choices for the Catholic funeral.
Over the years, I’ve also picked up a few extra readings. I’ve included those for your consideration, especially if you are outside the Roman Catholic tradition. Feel free to join the discussion on any of the links below. If you are interested in some friendly consultation, I recommend contacting me at my parish’s office, where I have more resources on hand to assist you.
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
Reading I from the NT
during the Season of Easter
1) Acts 10:34-43 or 10:34-36, 42-43
2) Revelation 14:13
3) Revelation 20:11—21:1
4) Revelation 21:1-5a, 6b-7
Responsorial Psalm
1) Psalm 23:1-3, 4, 5, 6
2) Psalm 25:6+7bc, 17-18, 20-21
3) Psalm 27:1, 4, 7+8b+9a, 13-14
4) Psalm 42:2, 3, 5cdef; Psalm 43:3, 4, 5
5) Psalm 63:2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9
6) Psalm 103:8+10, 13-14, 15-16, 17-18
7) Psalm 116:5, 6, 10-11, 15-16ac
8) Psalm 122
9) Psalm 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-6ab, 6c-7, 8
10) Psalm 143:1-2, 5-6, 7ab+8ab, 10
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) Philippians 3:20-21
12) 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
13) 2 Timothy 2:8-13
14) 1 John 3:1-2
15) 1 John 3:14-16
Gospel
1) Matthew 5:1-12a
2) Matthew 11:25-30
3) Matthew 25:1-13
4) Matthew 25:31-46
5) Mark 15:33-39; 16:1-6 or 15:33-39
6) Luke 7:11-17
7) Luke 12:35-40
8) Luke 23:33, 39-43
9) Luke 23:44-46, 50, 52-53; 24:1-6a
or 23:44-46, 50, 52-53
10) Luke 24:13-35 or 24:13-16, 28-35
11) John 5:24-29
12) John 6:37-40
13) John 6:51-58
14) John 11:17-27 or 11:21-27
15) John 11:32-45
16) John 12:23-28 or 12:23-26
17) John 14:1-6
18) John 17:24-26
19) John 19:17-18, 25-29
12 July 2011 at 12:17 pm
[...] Bible Readings for a Funeral [...]
13 June 2012 at 10:35 am
thank you,for the funeral readings,can any psalm go with the first readings
13 June 2012 at 11:46 am
I think some psalms fit some readings better than others, but the choice of psalm and reading are not technically dependent on eachother.
15 July 2011 at 10:45 am
[...] Bible Readings for a Funeral [...]
20 February 2012 at 9:34 am
[...] Bible Readings for a Funeral [...]
26 May 2012 at 6:51 am
[...] Bible Readings for a Funeral [...]
21 April 2013 at 7:55 pm
thank you. this helped a lot: trying to match my favorite readings with the Church’s requirements was stressful for me. but you had the readings I wanted, you answered my questions and as a bonus, you prevented me from telling the priest which gospel I wanted (oops!). I really have enough stress right now and this was making me nervous. I appreciate your help.