Prayers For People

Matriarch: This reading is one of the most widely used in Funeral Readings. Much of its appeal is believed to be the emphasis on soul groups and the spiritual journey.

Matriarch

Time is an illusion
It takes and it gives

All of us
Are travellers
On an endless and sacred
Journey of our making

The voyage of this companion
We remember this day
Because it was long and rich
Warm and bright
Sometimes sunny
Sometimes sad
For memories
Are the children
Of a long life

The voyage of this companion
Was colourful and complete
She was mother
Grandmother
And great grandmother
And so much more

She gave life
She gave love
And she gave friendship
And so much more

This family
Gathered in this place today
Would be nothing without her
Without her some of us
Would be less
Then a passing dream
Which is why we honour her spirit
Her love
Her knowledge
And her wisdom

This great journey
Yours and mine
Will never end
It may divert
And for a while
We may lose
Fellow travellers
Just for a moment
A blink in time
But we will always travel
With soul companions
Those we love

We, her children
Her grandchildren
Great grandchildren
And her friends
Have been given
Her power
Her love
And so we thank her
And those that created her.

If I Were Alone in the Desert: This reading takes its inspiration from a text by the 13th Century German theologian – Meister Eckhart. It was written for a severely disabled man who spent much of his life in a nursing home and adored animals. It’s dedicated to those that love animals, and has been adapted many times to honour different enthusiasms for different creatures.

If I Were Alone in the Desert

If I were alone in the desert
And feeling afraid
I would take an animal with me
Then my fear would fade
For that living spirit
Would be by my side
And make me strong
And the fear of loneliness
Deep, dark loneliness
Could never take hold

If I were alone in the wilderness
I’d take a dog with me
And we’d trot side by side
Through the windswept sands
The stony hills and the empty lands
Courage and resolve
Would be our companions
For the unspoken
Is the language
Of true friends

If I were a wanderer
In the chaos
Of man-made disorder
In a devastated city
I would walk with my cat
And my cat would walk with me
We’d have no fear
For our loving friendship
Would carry us through
Streets of desolation
Memories of sorrow

And… If I meandered gently
Through a flowered meadow
I’d choose to have
A friendly bird on my shoulder
So we could share
The joy of life
The beauty of harmony
The mystery of death
And the perfection of eternity

Fantastic Football Fan

What’s with this game
That made you feel so high?
Was it your team
Your mates
The offside trap
And then that lousy shoot-out
Nearly made you cry?

What’s with this ball
That they could kick so high?
It meant the world
To you and them, so why?

It’s all about expecting
And then throwing in
It’s all about the winning
But not whining – not giving-in
The square, the short and long ball
The pals, solid as a rock
The unexpected tackle
Sudden shock

You felt the roar
And saw the lucky chip
The crossbar stopped the goal
That you were willing in

And in the end
At injury time
When you went deep and deeper
You didn’t find the goal
Or spot the sweeper

Then at the very end
When they were on their knees
You still walked tall
And like your mates
You claimed to take it all…
The penalty and the strike, your way
The win that set your heart aflame
The game, the pitch, the offside rule
The love that took your heart
Your final match at home — your ball