If all the gifts of heaven and earth,
Were ours to have, they'd have no worth.
The greatest gift in time and space,
Would be to feel your warm embrace.
To have once more the peace we knew,
In the blessed gift of knowing you.

We know that love can't turn back time,
And life again will never be fine.
Time will pass, but you'll still be here,
In memory, held and loved so dear.

We barely got to know you
But we love you just the same.
In life on earth we'll miss you,
And our hearts will be in pain.

There is a place in heaven above
Where all God's children go,
A place of joy, of peace and love
But you already know.

At last when all our days are done
When we lay down to die,
Together with you precious one
Then tears of joy we'll cry.

God looked around his garden
and found an empty space.
He looked down upon the earth
and saw your tired face.
He put his arms around you
and lifted you to rest.
God’s garden must be beautiful
for he only takes the best.
He knows that you were in pain.
He knew that you would never
be well on earth again.
He saw the road was getting rough,
and the hills were hard to climb;
so he closed your weary eyelids
and whispered, "Peace be thine."

When I come to the end of the road
And the sun has set for me
I want no rites in a gloom filled room
Why cry for a soul that’s free?
Miss me little -
BUT NOT TOO LONG
And not with your head bowed low
Remember the love that we once shared
MISS ME - BUT LET ME GO
For this is a journey that we all must take
And each must go alone
It’s all a part of the Master’s plan
A step on the road to home.
When you are lonely and sick of heart
Go to the friends we know
And bury your sorrows in doing good deeds
MISS ME - BUT LET ME GO.

Don’t grieve for me, for now I’m free
I’m following the path God laid for me,
I took His hand when I heard him call
I turned my back and left it all.
I could not stay another day
To laugh, to love, to work or play.
Tasks left undone must stay that way.
I found that place at the close of day.
If my parting has left a void
Then fill it with remembered joy.
A friendship shared, a laugh , a kiss.
Ah yes, these things, I too, will miss.
Be not burdened with times of sorrow.
I wish you the sunshine of tomorrow.
My life’s been full, I savoured much.
Good friends, good times, a loved one’s touch.
Perhaps my time seemed all too brief;
Don’t lengthen it with undue grief.
Lift up your heart and share with me
God wanted me now. He set me free.

God saw you getting tired,
and a cure was not to be,
so he put his arms around you
and whispered, "Come to me."
With tearful eyes we watched you,
and saw you pass away,
and although we loved you dearly,
we could not make you stay.
A golden heart stopped beating,
hard working hands at rest.
God broke our hearts to prove to us,
He only takes the best.

I'd like the memory of me
To be a happy one,
I'd like to leave an after glow
Of smiles when life is done.
I'd like to leave an echo,
Whispering softly down the ways
Of happy times and laughing times
And bright and sunny days.

I'd like the tears of those who grieve
To dry before the sun,
Of happy memories I leave
When life on earth is done.

Your departure was quick & quite sudden
You were gone in a wink of an eye
If I need to say sorry I'm sorry
If I need to be sad I am sad
If I cry it's because of my love for you
& if I laugh it's because you would say....
"Don't pipe an eye in my memory
Remember the good not the bad
Remember the fun and the laughter
I'm here in the rain & the sunshine
forever, as part of you there"

Contributed

One night I had a dream. I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord, and across the skies flashed scenes from my life. In each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand--one set belonging to me and the other to the Lord. When the last scene of my life appeared before me, I looked back at the footprints in the sand, and to my surprise, I noticed that at many times along the path of my life there was only one set of footprints. And I noticed that it was at the lowest and saddest time in my life. I asked the Lord, "Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you, you would walk with me all the way. But I notice that during the most troublesome times in my life, there is only one set of footprints. I don't understand why you left my side when I needed you most" The Lord replied, "My precious, precious child. I love you and I would never leave you in your time of trial. When you see only one
set of footprints, that was when I carried you."

The Sheaf of Wheat

The sheaf of Wheat is a symbol of the Christian faith. The seeds of faith are sown in the human personality and grow into the mature faith of the Christian man or woman. The sown seed must lose its life in order that it may develop and grow and multiply. So, symbolically, a sheaf of wheat is used by Christians to mark the passing of a fellow Christian. We believe death is not the end but the beginning of life eternal. The mature grain in this sheaf is the direct symbol of the Resurrection -- the life beyond the grave, the fulfilment of the Promises of Jesus Christ

Taps

Day is done, gone the sun,
from the hills, from the sky.
All is well, safely rest,
safely rest, all is well.
Fading light dims the sight,
and a star gems the sky,
Gleaming bright from afar, drawing nigh, falls the night.
Dear one, rest!

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all under-standing, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4: 4-8

Safely Home

I am home in heaven, dear ones.
Oh, so happy and so bright!
There is a perfect joy and beauty
In the everlasting light.
All the pain and grief is over,
Every restless tossing passed;
I am now at peace forever,
Safely home in heaven at last.
There is work still waiting for you,
So you must not idly stand,
Do it now, while life remaineth--
You shall rest in God's own land.
When that work is all completed,
He will gently call you Home;
Oh, the rapture of that meeting
Oh, the joy to see you come!

Every blade in the field,
Every leaf in the forest
Lays down its life in its season
As beautifully as it was taken up.

Henry David Thoreau

Leaf after leaf
flower after flower
some in the dawn of day
some in the after hour.
Alive they flourish, and alive they fall
and the earth that sustained them receives them all.

To Those I Love

When I am gone, release me, let me go. You have so many things to see and do. You mustn't tie yourself to me with tears. Be happy that we had so many years. I gave you my love. You can only guess how much you gave me in happiness. I thank you for the love you each have shown, but now it's time I travelled on alone. So grieve a while for me, if grieve you must. Then let your grief be comforted by trust It's only a while that we must part, So bless the memories within your heart. I won't be far away, for life goes on. So if you need me, call and I will hear Though you can't see or touch me, I'll be near... And if you listen with your heart, you'll hear All of my love around you soft and clear. And then, when you must come this way alone, I'll greet you with a smile and "Welcome Home"

When I Must Leave You

When I must leave you for a little while,
Please do not grieve and shed wild tears
And hug your sorrow to you through the years
But start out bravely with a gallant smile;
And for my sake and in my name
Live on and do all things the same
Feed not your loneliness on empty days
But fill each waking hour in useful ways
Reach out your hand in comfort and in cheer
And I in turn will comfort you and hold you near;
And never, never, be afraid to die,
For I am waiting for you in the sky!

Road To Eternity

Life is but a stopping place,
A pause in what’s to be,
A resting place along the road,
To sweet Eternity.
We all have different journeys,
Different paths along the way,
We all were meant to learn some things,
But never meant to stay…
Our destination is a place,
Far greater than we know,
For some the journey’s quicker,
For some, the journey’s slow.
But when the journey finally ends,
We’ll claim a great reward,
And find an everlasting peace,
Together with the Lord.

When tomorrow starts without me

And I’m not there to see;

If the sun should rise and find your eyes,

All filled with tears for me;

I wish so much you wouldn’t cry,

The way you did today,

While thinking of many things,

We didn’t get to say.

I know how much you love me,

As much as I love you,

And each time that you think of me,

I know you’ll miss me too

But when tomorrow starts without me,

Please try to understand

That an Angel came and called my name,

And took me by the hand,

And said my place was ready,

In Heaven far above,

And that I’d have to leave behind,

All those I dearly love.

But as I turned to walk away,

A tear fell from my eye,

For all life, I’d always thought,

I didn’t want to die.

I had so much to live for,

So much yet to do,

It seemed almost impossible,

That I was leaving you.

If I could relive yesterday,

Just even for a while,

I’d say goodbye and kiss you,

And maybe see you smile.

So when tomorrow starts without me,

Don’t think we’re far apart,

For every time you think of me,

I’m right here in your heart.

Please do not be unhappy,
just because I’m out of sight,
remember I am with you,
every morning noon and night.
The day I had to leave you,
when my life on earth was through,
God picked me up and hugged me,
and said I welcome you.
I will be beside you,
every day, week and year,
and when you’re sad I’m standing there
to wipe away the tear.
To my very many friends,
trust God knows what is best,
I’m still not far away from you,
I’m just beyond the crest.
And when you are walking down the
street and you’ve got me on your mind,
I’m walking in your footsteps
only half a step behind.
There are rocky roads ahead of you,
and many hills to climb,
but together we can do it,
taking one day at a time.

Softly in the morning,
You heard a gentle call,
You took the hand God offered you,
And quietly left us all.
The day you left us Mother,
Our hearts just broke in two,
The smallest part is still with us,
And the biggest part with you.
For the rest of our lives
we will miss you Mother,
Our secret tears still flow,
Oh, how we really loved you,
No one will ever know.
We miss your smile, your joking ways,
We miss the things you used to say,
And when old times we do recall,
It’s then we miss you most of all.
You were always there when we needed you,
No task too great or small,
With loving heart and willing hands,
For us you did it all.
Look around your garden Lord,
And when she turns and smiles,
Put your arms around her,
And hold her for a while.

Do not stand at my grave and weep,
I am not there. I do not sleep,
I am a thousand winds that blow,
I am the diamond glints on snow,
I am the sunlight on ripened grain,
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning’s hush
I am the sweet uplifting rush
of quiet birds in circled flight
I am the soft stars that shine at night
Do not stand at my grave and cry
I am not there. I did not die.

Death is nothing at all.
I have only slipped away
into the next room.
Whatever we were to each other,
that we are still.
Call me by my old familiar name,
speak to me in the easy way
which you always used.
Laugh as we always laughed
at the little jokes we enjoyed together.
Play, smile, think of me, pray for me.
Let my name be the household
word that it always was.
Let it be spoken without effort.
Life means all that it ever meant.
It is the same as it ever was;
there is absolutely unbroken continuity.
Why should I be out of your mind
because I am out of your sight?
I am but waiting for you, for an interval,
somewhere very near
just around the corner.
All is well. Nothing is past; nothing is lost.
One brief moment and all will be as it was before only better, infinitely happier and for ever we will all be one together with Christ.

How Do I Love Thee

How do I love thee?
Let me count the ways I love thee
to the depth and breadth and height
my soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
for the ends of being and ideal grace.
I love thee to the level of every day’s
most quiet need, by sun and candlelight.
I love thee freely, as men strive for right
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
in my old griefs, and with my childhood’s faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose with my lost saints,
I love thee with the breath, smiles, tears, of all my life!
and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.

E. B. Browning

Daffodils

I wander’d lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o‘er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the Milky Way,
They stretch’d in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance....

William Wordsworth

The Memorare

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help or sought thy intercession was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of Virgins, my Mother, to thee I come; before thee I stand sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy clemency hear and answer me.

God our Father, you sent Saint Patrick to preach your glory to the people of Ireland. By the help of his prayers, may all Christians proclaim your love to all men. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Amen

Hold her/him O Jesus in Thine arms
And let her/him henceforth be
A messenger of love between
Our human hearts and Thee.

Our Father and Hail Mary
Eternal rest grant unto her/him. O Lord.
And let Thy perpetual light shine upon her/him.
May she/he rest in peace.

Behold, O Good and Most Sweet Jesus,
I cast myself upon my knees in Thy sight,
and with the most fervent desire of my soul,
I pray and beseech Thee that Thou wouldst impress upon my heart,
lively sentiments of Faith, Hope and Charity,
with true repentance for my sins and a firm purpose of amendment,
whilst with deep affection and grief of soul,
I ponder within myself and mentally contemplate
Thy five most Precious Wounds,
having before my eyes that which David spoke in prophecy of Thee,
O Good Jesus, “They pierced My Hands and My Feet,
they have numbered all My bones.”

Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace; Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light
And where there is sadness, joy.
 
O Divine Master,
Grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
To be understood as to understand;
To be loved as to love;
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

The Resurrection Prayer
 
I am the resurrection and the Life,
saith the Lord:
He that believeth in me,
though he were dead, yet shall he live:
and whosoever liveth and
believeth in me, shall never die.
 I know that my redeemer liveth,
and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: and though his
 body be destroyed, yet shall I see GOD: whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not as a stranger.
 We brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
The LORD gave, and the
 LORD hath taken away;
blessed be the name of the LORD.

The Lord is my shepherd

The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures;
He leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul;
He leadeth me in the paths of
righteousness for his name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil:
for Thou art with me;
thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me
in the presence of mine enemies:
Thou anointest my head with oil,
my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Ps. 23

Take my hands, O Blessed Mother,
Hold them firmly lest I fall,
I am nervous when I’m walking,
So today I humbly call.
Guide me over every crossing
Watch me as I move about,
help me at my daily duties,
Lessen all my cares and doubts.
And when evening falls upon us,
and I fear to be alone,
Take my hands, O Blessed Mother,
Once again…. and lead me home.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord,
Amen

Prayer of Solace

May Christ support us all the day long,
till the shadows lengthen,
and the evening comes,
and the busy world is hushed,
and the fever of life is over
and our work is done.
Then in his mercy
may he give us a safe lodging,
and holy rest and peace at the last.
Amen.

Hail Mary

Hail Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with thee,
blessed art thou among
women, and blessed is the
fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners, now
and at the hour
of our death.
Amen.

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 go to prepare a place for you?
And when I go and prepare a place
for you, I will come again
and I will take you to myself,
that where I am you may be also.

(John 14:1-3)

To Our Lord

Lord Jesus Christ, who willest that no man should perish, and to whom petition is never made without the hope of mercy, for Thou saidst with Thine own holy and blessed lips: "All things whatsoever ye shall ask in My name, shall be done unto you"; I beg of Thee, O Lord, for Thy holy Name's sake, to grant me at the hour of my death full consciousness and the power of speech, sincere contrition for my sins, true faith, firm hope and perfect charity, that I may be able to say unto Thee with a clean heart: Thou has redeemed me, O God of truth, who art blessed for ever and ever.
Amen.

Prayer For The Souls in Purgatory

O God,
the Creator and Redeemer
of all the faithful,
grant to the souls of Thy servants departed, the full remission of their sins, that through pious supplications they may obtain the pardon which they have always desired. Who livest and reignest world without end.
Amen

---O---