Prayers in times of grief

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In sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life
through our Lord Jesus Christ, we commend to Almighty
God our brother N., and we commit his body to the ground; *
earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust. The Lord bless
him and keep him, the Lord make his face to shine upon him
and be gracious to him, the Lord lift up his countenance upon
him and give him peace. Amen. 

Lord/God/Spirit/Jehovah/however you name your god,

I come before you with a heavy heart, overwhelmed by the loss of [loved one's name]. I thank you for the precious gift of his/her/their life, for the love and joy they brought into my life, and for the cherished memories we created together.

Grant me the grace to remember and celebrate the life of [loved one's name], and may their legacy of faith and love continue to inspire and guide me. 

Give me the faith to see beyond the pain and sorrow, and help me find peace in the midst of my grief. May your presence be a source of comfort and healing as I mourn my loss.

Thank you for your precious care during my time of healing. Amen .

Calm me,

quiet me,

settle me...

Steady me,

balance me,

ground me...

Plant me,

root me,

embed me...

Support me,

sustain me,

protect me...

Forgive me,

pardon me,

free me...

Refresh me,

restore me,

heal me...

Enfold me,

embrace me,

hold me...

Thank you. 

  It helps, now and then, to step back and take a long view.

The Kingdom is not only beyond our efforts,

it is even beyond our vision.

We accomplish in our lifetime only a tiny fraction

of the magnificent enterprise that is God's work.

Nothing we do is complete,

which is a way of saying that the Kingdom always lies beyond us.

No statement says all that could be said.

No prayer fully expresses our faith.

No confession brings perfection.

No pastoral visit brings wholeness.

No program accomplishes the Church's mission.

No set of goals and objectives includes everything.

This is what we are about.

We plant the seeds that one day will grow.

We water seeds already planted,

knowing that they hold future promise.

We lay foundations that will need further development.

We provide yeast that produces effects far beyond our capabilities.

We cannot do everything,

and there is a sense of liberation in realizing that.

This enables us to do something,

and to do it very well.

It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way,

an opportunity for the Lord's grace to enter and do the rest.

We may never see the end results,

but that is the difference between the master builder and the worker.

We are workers, not master builders;

ministers, not messiahs.

We are prophets of a future that is not our own.