A Reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah

On this mountain the LORD of hosts

will provide for all peoples.

On this mountain he will destroy

the veil that veils all peoples,

the web that is woven over all nations.

He will destroy death forever.

The Lord GOD will wipe away

the tears from all faces;

the reproach of his people he will remove

from the whole earth;

for the LORD has spoken.

On that day it will be said:

“Indeed, this is our God;

we looked to him, and he saved us!

This is the LORD to whom we looked;

let us rejoice and be glad that he has saved us!”

The Word of the Lord

A Reading from the First Letter of Paul to the Thessalonians

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters,

about those who have died,

so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.

For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again,

even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have died.

For the Lord himself, with a cry of command,

with the archangel's call and with the sound of God's trumpet,

will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first.

Then we who are alive, who are left,

Will be caught up in the clouds together with them

to meet the Lord in the air;

and so we will be with the Lord forever.

Therefore encourage one another with these words.

The Word of the Lord.

A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to John

Very truly, I tell you,

anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me

has eternal life,

and does not come under judgment, but has passed from death to life.

“Very truly, I tell you, the hour is coming, and is now here,

when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God,

and those who hear will live.

For just as the Father has life in himself,

so has he granted the Son also to have life in himself;

and he has given him authority to execute judgment,

because he is the Son of Man.

Do not be astonished at this;

for the hour is coming

when all who are in their graves will hear his voice

and will come out

-- those who have done good, to the resurrection of life,

and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.

The Gospel of the Lord

The Lord's Prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be they 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.

Amen

Prayer for the Dead

In your hands, O Lord,
we humbly entrust our brothers and sisters.
In this life you embraced them with your tender love;
deliver them now from every evil
and bid them eternal rest.

The old order has passed away:
welcome them into paradise,
where there will be no sorrow, no weeping or pain,
but fullness of peace and joy
with your Son and the Holy Spirit
forever and ever.

Amen.

Dear Heavenly Father,

You said that wherever two or more are gathered in your name, there you are also. So we invite you to send your Holy Spirit to dwell among us today. Your word says that "blessed are those that mourn, for they will be comforted." Lord, we ask that you comfort every grieving individual here and heal their hearts. Embrace them in your gentle touch and bless them in this new chapter of life. Give them a peace that surpasses all understanding and fill them with hope as they hold on to your promises of eternity.

Jesus, thank you for the lives of all of our loved ones that have gone to be with you. Thank you for the memories we were able to create with them and for all of the love we shared. As we mourn the lives of these special individuals, we thank you for them. Thank you for the life they lived, the wisdom they passed on, the light they radiated to those around them, and for the knowledge that they have imparted onto me and my classmates in their passing. May their selfless act remind us of your selfless nature, Father, and how we should be more like You in all of the areas of our lives. Thank you for the gift of life, the beauty of love, and people to share them with.

In your holy and precious name we pray, Amen.

The light of life is a finite flame. Like sabbath candles, life is kindled, it burns, it glows. It is radiant with warmth and beauty. But soon it fades, its substance is consumed, and it is no more. Yet we do not despair, for we are more than a memory slowly fading into the darkness. With our lives we give life. Something of us can never die: we move in the eternal cycle of darkness and death, of light and life. -- Source: Mishkan T'fillah siddur

The traditional Mourner's Kaddish concludes:

Y'hei sh'lama rabba min sh'maya

v'chayim aleinu v'al kol yisrael v'imru amen.

Oseh shalom bimromav

hu ya'aseh shalom aleinu

v'al kol yisrael

v'al kol yoshvei tevel

v'imru amen.

May the one who creates harmony on high bring peace to us, to all beings, and to all who mourn. And let us say, amen.

Zichronam livrachah. May their memories be a blessing

Prayer 1:
Om Sahana Vavatu Sahanau Bhunaktu Sahaveeryam Karavavahai Tejas Vinavati Tamastuma vidhwishavahai Om Shanti Shanti Shantihi.

Translation:

May we all be protected. May we all be nourished. May we work together with great energy. May our intellect be sharpened (may our study not be affected). Let there be no animosity amongst us. Om peace (in me), peace (in nature), peace (in divine forces).

Prayer 2:

oṃ dyauḥ śāntir antarikṣaṃ śāntiḥ

pṛthivī śāntir āpaḥ śāntir oṣadhayaḥ śāntiḥ

vanaspatayaḥ śāntir viśvedevāḥ śāntir brahma śāntiḥ

sarvaṃ śāntiḥ śāntir eva śāntiḥ sā mā śāntir edhi

oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ

— Yajurveda 36:17

Translation:

May peace radiate there in the whole sky

as well as in the vast ethereal space beyond.

May peace reign all over this earth, in water and in all herbs, trees and vines.

May peace flow over the whole universe.

May peace be in the Whole Universe.

And may there always exist in all peace and peace alone.

Om peace, peace and peace to us and all beings!

Prayer 3:

Aum Namo Vah Pitrah Saumyah Svaha

Translation:

Oh Dear Ancestors, I offer you my deep respect. Please accept this offering.

Prayer 4:

Aum Tryambakam yajaamahe sugandhim pushtivardhanam |

Urvaarukamiva bandhanaan-mrityormuksheeya maamritaat ||

Translation:

We worship the three-eyed One (Shiva), who provides for and nourishes all. Like the fruit falls off from the bondage of the stem, may we be liberated from death, from mortality.

Prayer 5:

Sarasvati Namastubhyam Varade Kaama-Ruupinni |

Vidya[a-A]arambham Karissyaami Siddhir-Bhavatu Me Sadaa ||

Translation:

1: Salutations to Devi Saraswati,

Who is the giver of Boons and fulfiller of Wishes,

2: O Devi, when I begin my Studies,

Please bestow on me the capacity of Right Understanding, always.

وَشَاهِدِنَا وَغَائِبِنَا، ‏‏‏‏‏‏اللَّهُمَّ مَنْ أَحْيَيْتَهُ مِنَّا فَأَحْيِهِ عَلَى الْإِيمَانِ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏وَمَنْ تَوَفَّيْتَهُ مِنَّا

فَتَوَفَّهُ عَلَى الْإِسْلَامِ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏اللَّهُمَّ لَا تَحْرِمْنَا أَجْرَهُ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏وَلَا تُضِلَّنَا بَعْدَهُ

O Allah, forgive those of us who are living and those of us who are dead, our young and our old, our men and our women, and those of us who are present and those of us who are absent. O Allah, to whomever You give life, grant him life as a believer, and whomever You take in death, take him in death as a follower of Islam. O Allah, do not withhold from us the reward (of faith) and do not lead us astray after their departure.

اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِنا فِيمَنْ هَدَيْتَ وَعَافِنا فِيمَنْ عَافَيْتَ وَتَوَلَّنا فِيمَنْ تَوَلَّيْتَ وَبَارِكْ لَنا فِيمَا

أَعْطَيْتَ وَقِنِا شَرَّ مَا قَضَيْتَ إِنَّكَ تَقْضِي وَلاَ يُقْضَى عَلَيْكَ وَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَذِلُّ مَنْ وَالَيْتَ

وَالَيْتَ وَلاَ يَعِزُّ مَنْ عَادَيْتَ تَبَارَكْتَ رَبَّنَا وَتَعَالَيْتَ

O Allah guide us among those You have guided, pardon us among those You have pardoned, befriend us among those You have befriended, bless us in what You have granted, and save us from the evil that You decreed. Indeed, You decree, and none can pass decree, and none can pass decree upon You. Indeed, he is not humiliated whom You have befriended, blessed are You, our Lord and Exalted.

إِنَّا لِلّهِ وَإِنَّـا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ

To Allah we belong and to Him we will return.

Members of the Class of 2025

Music: "On Eagles Wings" by Michael Joncas

Amazing Grace how sweet the sound, That saved a wretch like me!

I once was lost but now I’m found, was blind, but now I see.

T’was grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears relieved;

How precious did that grace appear the hour I first believed!

Through many dangers, toils and snares I have already come

‘Tis grace has brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home.