Photo: “Mother & Daughter At His Grave” by joey zanotti via Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write, ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors; for their works follow with them.” (Revelation 14:13, WEB)
I find traditions honoring the dead to be incredibly moving. Even more so when they include a dimension of joy and playfulness.
What resonates so much with me about Día de Muertos is that the vibrant colors capture (or at least hint at) the vibrancy of the lives they help us remember. Also, altar-making is rad.
More Prayers
Book of Common Prayer, Public Domain
From the Commendation in the Burial Office, Rite II
Give rest, O Christ, to your servant(s) with your saints,
where sorrow and pain are no more,
neither sighing, but life everlasting.
You only are immortal, the creator and maker of humankind; and we are mortal, formed of the earth, and to earth shall we return. For so did you ordain when you created me, saying, “You are dust, and to dust you shall return.” All of us go down to the dust; yet even at the grave we make our song: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Give rest, O Christ, to your servant(s) with your saints,
where sorrow and pain are no more,
neither sighing, but life everlasting.
From the Prayers in the Burial Office, Rite I
Almighty God, who has knit together your elect in one communion and fellowship, in the mystical body of your Son Christ our Lord: Grant, we pray, to your whole Church in paradise and on earth, your light and thy peace. Amen.
Grant us grace to entrust _____ to your never-failing love; receive them into the arms of your mercy, and remember them according to the favor which you bear unto your people. Amen.
Grant that, increasing in knowledge and love of you, they may go from strength to strength in the life of perfect service in your heavenly kingdom. Amen.
Related Media
You can support Creative Commons Prayer by buying our designs on Zazzle or by purchasing related media on Amazon.
Recipe for making Día de Muertos Calacas (skulls/skeletons) – FREE
From one of my favorite faith formation resources, sadly now out of print (?).
Greatest Hits: Walking to New Orleans by Fats Domino
Because I just learned he has joined our beloved dead.
Book of Life by Jorge R. Gutiérrez
Visually stunning animation with a Día de Muertos aesthetic.
On the Soul and the Resurrection by Gregory of Nyssa
He wrote that, in the resurrection, “the rope of our body will be braided [together] by the soul” in a way that evokes for me the further image of the re-coiling and repairing of mutated DNA.