catholic03
Well-known member
Pax Christi:
I have always been touched and humbled by the Anglican Book of Common Prayer’s words for the Burial of the Dead, during the funeral service. I watch a lot of British television, so have heard these words many times. The Book of Common Prayer reads:
“FORASMUCH as it hath pleased Almighty God of his great mercy to take unto himself the soul of our dear brother here departed: we therefore commit his body to the ground; earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust; in sure and certain hope of the Resurrection to eternal life, through our Lord Jesus Christ; who shall change our vile body, that it may be like unto his glorious body, according to the mighty working, whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself.”
As an Anglophile, and as someone of British descent, I love the language of the Book of Common Prayer and these words have always intrigued me with their poetic beauty.
After some research, I found that in our Catholic Church, the words for the burial are in fact very similar. The Ordinariates established by Pope Benedict XVI have their own Order of Christian Funerals, based off the Book of Common Prayer. Their Order reads as follows:
"Then, as the coffin is lowered into the grave, the celebrant says:
Forasmuch as it hath pleased almighty God of his great mercy to take
unto himself the soul of our dear brother/sister here departed, we
therefore commit his/her body to the ground; earth to earth, ashes to
ashes, dust to dust; in sure and certain hope of the resurrection to
eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ; who shall change the body
of our low estate that it may be like unto his glorious body, according
to the mighty working, whereby he is able to subdue all things to
himself.
It pleases me that these famous lines are now in use almost word for word in the Ordinariates for former Anglicans.
However, even in the standard Roman Rite funerals, similar words are said, as prescribed in the rubrics (one of three options) of the Order of Christian Funerals:
"In sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life
through our Lord Jesus Christ,
we commend to Almighty God our brother/sister N.,
and we commit his/her body to [the ground/its resting place]:
earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust.
The Lord bless him/her and keep him/her,
the Lord make his face to shine upon him/her
and be gracious to him/her,
the Lord lift up his countenance upon him/her
and give him/her peace. "
I think it is beautiful that these famous words are used in the standard Roman Catholic funeral liturgy.
Although, it begs the question: Why are Anglican (and some other Protestant) services almost exactly the same as the Roman Missal, sometimes word-for-word. How did they end up the same? Did the Anglicans copy us?
I have always been touched and humbled by the Anglican Book of Common Prayer’s words for the Burial of the Dead, during the funeral service. I watch a lot of British television, so have heard these words many times. The Book of Common Prayer reads:
“FORASMUCH as it hath pleased Almighty God of his great mercy to take unto himself the soul of our dear brother here departed: we therefore commit his body to the ground; earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust; in sure and certain hope of the Resurrection to eternal life, through our Lord Jesus Christ; who shall change our vile body, that it may be like unto his glorious body, according to the mighty working, whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself.”
As an Anglophile, and as someone of British descent, I love the language of the Book of Common Prayer and these words have always intrigued me with their poetic beauty.
After some research, I found that in our Catholic Church, the words for the burial are in fact very similar. The Ordinariates established by Pope Benedict XVI have their own Order of Christian Funerals, based off the Book of Common Prayer. Their Order reads as follows:
"Then, as the coffin is lowered into the grave, the celebrant says:
Forasmuch as it hath pleased almighty God of his great mercy to take
unto himself the soul of our dear brother/sister here departed, we
therefore commit his/her body to the ground; earth to earth, ashes to
ashes, dust to dust; in sure and certain hope of the resurrection to
eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ; who shall change the body
of our low estate that it may be like unto his glorious body, according
to the mighty working, whereby he is able to subdue all things to
himself.
It pleases me that these famous lines are now in use almost word for word in the Ordinariates for former Anglicans.
However, even in the standard Roman Rite funerals, similar words are said, as prescribed in the rubrics (one of three options) of the Order of Christian Funerals:
"In sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life
through our Lord Jesus Christ,
we commend to Almighty God our brother/sister N.,
and we commit his/her body to [the ground/its resting place]:
earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust.
The Lord bless him/her and keep him/her,
the Lord make his face to shine upon him/her
and be gracious to him/her,
the Lord lift up his countenance upon him/her
and give him/her peace. "
I think it is beautiful that these famous words are used in the standard Roman Catholic funeral liturgy.
Although, it begs the question: Why are Anglican (and some other Protestant) services almost exactly the same as the Roman Missal, sometimes word-for-word. How did they end up the same? Did the Anglicans copy us?
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