Masses for the Dead - Readings from the New Testament (2024)

From the Lectionary for Mass, no. 1014

Romans 5:5-11

Since we are nowjustified by his Blood,we will be saved throughhim from the wrath.

A reading from the Letter ofSaint Paul to the Romans

Brothers and sisters:
Hope does not disappoint,
because the love of God has beenpoured out into our hearts
through the Holy Spirit who hasbeen given to us.
For Christ, while we were still helpless,
died at the appointed time for theungodly.
Indeed, only with difficulty does one die for a just person,
though perhaps for a good person
one might even find courage to die.
But God proves his love for us
in that while we were still sinnersChrist died for us.
How much more then, since we are now justified by his Blood,
will we be saved through him fromthe wrath.
Indeed, if, while we were enemies,
we were reconciled to God throughthe death of his Son,
how much more, once reconciled,
will we be saved by his life.
Not only that,
but we also boast of God throughour Lord Jesus Christ,
through whom we have now receivedreconciliation.

The word of the Lord.

Romans 5:17-21

Where sin increased, graceoverflowed all the more.

A reading from the Letter ofSaint Paul to the Romans

Brothers and sisters:
If, by the transgression of the one,
death came to reign through thatone,
how much more will those who receivethe abundance of grace
and of the gift of justification
come to reign in life through theone Jesus Christ.
In conclusion, just as through one transgression
condemnation came upon all,
so, through one righteous act,
acquittal and life came to all.
For just as through the disobedience of the one man
the many were made sinners,
so through the obedience of the one
the many will be made righteous.
The law entered in so that transgression might increase
but, where sin increased, graceoverflowed all the more, so that,
as sin reigned in death,
grace also might reign throughjustification for eternal life
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The word of the Lord.

Romans 6:3-9 (short form, 6:3-4, 8-9)

We too mightlive in newness of life.

  • Omit the words in bolded brackets [ ] for the short form of this reading.

A reading from the Letter ofSaint Paul to the Romans

Brothers and sisters:
Are you unaware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus
were baptized into his death?
We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death,
so that, just as Christ was raisedfrom the dead
by the glory of the Father,
we too might live in newness oflife.

[For if we have grown into union with him through a deathlike his,
we shall also be united with him inthe resurrection.
We know that our old self was crucified with him,
so that our sinful body might bedone away with,
that we might no longer be inslavery to sin.
For a dead person has been absolved from sin.]
If, then, we have died with Christ,
we believe that we shall also livewith him.
We know that Christ, raised from the dead, dies no more;
death no longer has power over him.

The word of the Lord.

Romans 8:14-23

We also groan within ourselves as we wait for adoption,the redemption of our bodies.

A reading from the Letter ofSaint Paul to the Romans

Brothers and sisters:
Those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall backinto fear,
but you received a spirit ofadoption,
through which we cry, Abba,"Father!"
The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit
that we are children of God,
and if children, then heirs,
heirs of God and joint heirs withChrist,
if only we suffer with him
so that we may also be glorifiedwith him.

I consider that the sufferings of this present time are asnothing
compared with the glory to berevealed for us.
For creation awaits with eager expectation
the revelation of the children ofGod;
for creation was made subject tofutility,
not of its own accord but becauseof the one who subjected it,
in hope that creation itself
would be set free from slavery tocorruption
and share in the glorious freedomof the children of God.
We know that all creation is groaning in labor pains evenuntil now;
and not only that, but weourselves,
who have the firstfruits of theSpirit,
we also groan within ourselves
as we wait for adoption, theredemption of our bodies.

The word of the Lord.

Romans 8:31b-35, 37-39

What will separate usfrom the love of Christ?

A reading from the Letter ofSaint Paul to the Romans

Brothers and sisters:
If God is for us, who can be against us?
He did not spare his own Son
but handed him over for us all,
will he not also give us everythingelse along with him?
Who will bring a charge against God's chosen ones?
It is God who acquits us.
Who will condemn?
It is Christ Jesus who died, rather, was raised,
who also is at the right hand ofGod,
who indeed intercedes for us.
What will separate us from the love of Christ?
Will anguish, or distress or persecution, or famine,
or nakedness, or peril, or thesword?

No, in all these things, we conquer overwhelmingly
through him who loved us.
For I am convinced that neither death, nor life,
nor angels, nor principalities,
nor present things, nor futurethings,
nor powers, nor height, nor depth,
nor any other creature will be ableto separate us
from the love of God in ChristJesus our Lord.

The word of the Lord.

Romans 14:7-9, 10c-12

Whether we live ordie, we are the Lord's.

A reading from the Letter ofSaint Paul to the Romans

Brothers and sisters:
No one lives for oneself,
and no one dies for oneself.
For if we live, we live for the Lord,
and if we die, we die for the Lord;
so then, whether we live or die, weare the Lord's.
For this is why Christ died and came to life,
that he might be Lord of both thedead and the living.
Why then do you judge your brother?
Or you, why do you look down on your brother?
For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God;
for it is written:

As I live, says the Lord, everyknee
shall bend before me,
and every tongue shall givepraise to God.

So then each of us shall give an accounting of himself toGod.

The word of the Lord.

1 Corinthians 15:20-28 (short form, 15:20-23)

So too in Christshall all be brought to life.

  • Omit the words in bolded brackets [ ] for the short form of this reading.

A reading from the firstLetter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians

Brothers and sisters:
Christ has been raised from the dead,
the firstfruits of those who havefallen asleep.
For since death came through a man,
the resurrection of the dead came also through man.
For just as in Adam all die,
so too in Christ shall all bebrought to life,
but each one in proper order:
Christ the firstfruits;
then, at his coming, those whobelong to Christ;
[then comes the end,
when he hands over the Kingdom tohis God and Father.
For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under hisfeet.
The last enemy to be destroyed is death,
for "he subjected everything underhis feet."
But when it says that everything has been subjected,
it is clear that it excludes theone who subjected everything to him.
When everything is subjected to him,
then the Son himself will also besubjected
to the one who subjected everythingto him,
so that God may be all in all.]

The word of the Lord.

1 Corinthians 15:51-57

Death isswallowed up in victory.

A reading from the firstLetter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians

Brothers and sisters:
Behold, I tell you a mystery.
We shall not all fall asleep, but we will all be changed,
in an instant, in the blink of aneye, at the last trumpet.
For the trumpet will sound,
the dead will be raisedincorruptible,
and we shall be changed.
For that which is corruptible must clothe itself withincorruptibility,
and that which is mortal must clotheitself with immortality.
And when this which is corruptible clothes itself withincorruptibility
and this which is mortal clothesitself with immortality,
then the word that is written shallcome about:

Death is swallowed up invictory.
Where, O death, is yourvictory?
Where, O death, is your sting?

The sting of death is sin,
and the power of sin is the law.
But thanks be to God who gives us the victory
through our Lord Jesus Christ.

The word of the Lord.

2 Corinthians 4:14—5:1

What is seen is transitory, butwhat is unseen is eternal.

A reading from the secondLetter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians

Brothers and sisters:
Knowing that the One who raised the Lord Jesus
will raise us also with Jesus
and place us with you in hispresence.
Everything indeed is for you,
so that the grace bestowed inabundance on more and more people
may cause the thanksgiving tooverflow for the glory of God.
Therefore, we are not discouraged;
rather, although our outer self iswasting away,
our inner self is being renewed dayby day.
For this momentary light affliction
is producing for us an eternalweight of glory beyond all comparison,
as we look not to what is seen butto what is unseen;
for what is seen is transitory, butwhat is unseen is eternal.

For we know that if our earthly dwelling, a tent,
should be destroyed,
we have a building from God,
a dwelling not made with hands,eternal in heaven.

The word of the Lord.

2 Corinthians 5:1, 6-10

We have a building fromGod, eternal in heaven.

A reading from the secondLetter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians

Brothers and sisters:
We know that if our earthly dwelling, a tent,
should be destroyed,
we have a building from God,
a dwelling not made with hands,
eternal in heaven.

We are always courageous,
although we know that while we areat home in the body
we are away from the Lord,
for we walk by faith, not by sight.
Yet we are courageous,
and we would rather leave the bodyand go home to the Lord.
Therefore, we aspire to please him,
whether we are at home or away.
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ,
so that each may receiverecompense,
according to what he did in thebody, whether good or evil.

The word of the Lord.

Philippians 3:20-21

He will change our lowly bodiesto conform to his glory.

A reading from the Letter ofSaint Paul to the Philippians

Brothers and sisters:
Our citizenship is in heaven,
and from it we also await a savior,the Lord Jesus Christ.
He will change our lowly body
to conform with his glorified Body
by the power that enables him also
to bring all things into subjectionto himself.

The word of the Lord.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Thus we shallalways be with the Lord.

A reading from the firstLetter of Saint Paul to the Thessalonians

We do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters,
about those who have fallen asleep,
so that you may not grieve like therest, who have no hope.
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose,
so too will God, through Jesus,
bring with him those who havefallen asleep.
Indeed, we tell you this, on the word of the Lord,
that we who are alive,
who are left until the coming ofthe Lord,
will surely not precede those whohave fallen asleep.
For the Lord himself, with a word of command,
with the voice of an archangel andwith the trumpet of God,
will come down from heaven,
and the dead in Christ will risefirst.
Then we who are alive, who are left,
will be caught up together withthem in the clouds
to meet the Lord in the air.
Thus we shall always be with the Lord.
Therefore, console one another with these words.

The word of the Lord.

2 Timothy 2:8-13

If we have died with him weshall also live with him.

A reading from the secondLetter of Saint Paul to Timothy

Beloved:
Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant ofDavid:
such is my Gospel, for which I amsuffering,
even to the point of chains, like acriminal.
But the word of God is not chained.
Therefore, I bear with everything for the sake of those whoare chosen,
so that they too may obtain thesalvation that is in Christ Jesus,
together with eternal glory.
This saying is trustworthy:
If we have died with him
we shall also live with him;
if we persevere
we shall also reign with him.
But if we deny him
he will deny us.
If we are unfaithful
he remains faithful,
for he cannot deny himself.

The word of the Lord.

1 John 3:1-2

We shallsee him as he is.

A reading from the firstLetter of Saint John

Beloved:
See what love the Father has bestowed on us
that we may be called the childrenof God.
Yet so we are.
The reason the world does not know us
is that it did not know him.
Beloved, we are God's children now;
what we shall be has not yet beenrevealed.
We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him,
for we shall see him as he is.

The word of the Lord.

1 John 3:14-16

We know that we havepassed from death to life because we loveour brothers.

A reading from the firstLetter of Saint John

Beloved:
We know that we have passed from death to life
because we love our brothers.
Whoever does not love remains in death.
Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer,
and you know that no murderer haseternal life remaining in him.
The way we came to know love
was that he laid down his life forus;
so we ought to lay down our livesfor our brothers.

The word of the Lord.

Lectionary for Mass for Use in theDioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998,1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed,performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, withoutpermission in writing from the copyright owner.

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