The closing prayer holds several distinctive features that make it unique to LDS funerals. First and foremost, it is offered by a member of the LDS priesthood, typically a bishop or an assigned priesthood holder. This person is chosen for their ability to convey genuine emotions, comfort, and blessings to those in attendance.
The closing prayer often includes expressions of gratitude for the life of the departed, acknowledging their unique qualities, accomplishments, and influence on those around them. It also provides an opportunity to ask for solace and peace to be bestowed upon the grieving family, extending comfort and support during their time of mourning.
Additionally,
The following prayer is just one of many that can be used as a closing prayer at a funeral.
It has been adapted from the sacrament meeting opening prayer, which includes the phrase “We thank thee, O God, for that thou hast given us life and enabled us to reach this hour.”
In this version, the phrase is replaced with “We thank thee, O God, for all the blessings of life and especially for the blessed gift of death.”
It may be helpful to adapt this prayer further to emphasize your own relationship with the deceased or to avoid mentioning specific details about their death.
We know that death is a part of life and we feel the pain of losing someone who has been an important part of our lives. But we also know that in death there is life, meaning and purpose as well as new beginnings in the afterlife.
We want to thank you for coming today to honor [name]. We know that you all have your own special relationship with [name], but today we would like you to think about what kind of person he/she was: kind, loving and generous? Did he/she bring out the best in people around him/her? Did he/she make it easier for others or did he/she make it harder for others? How did [name] affect your life in positive ways? Please think about these things as we continue on through this service.
Closing Prayer For LDS Funeral
Help that thy Spirit will be with us that we may have a renewed commitment and determination to live as Dad Sid lived, that we too may join as a family unit on the other side, and we’ll be proud of what we have done here on this earth. Comfort us this day, we humbly pray in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, amen.”
Saying last words for the deceased is something that has been occurring for centuries and often ends with a closing prayer. Reciting a closing prayer after the funeral is a way to bring comfort and peace to others during this somber time. Here are some good closing prayers that you can use.
Funeral Closing Prayer
Merciful Father, hear our prayers and comfort us. Renew our trust in your Son, who you raised from the dead. Strengthen our faith that all your people who have died in the love of Christ will share in his resurrection, who lives and reigns with you, now and forever. May we, and those who have departed, be blessed with the benefits of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Let us look with faith to the day when Jesus will return and we will enjoy the fullness of your promises for eternity. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, Amen.
Thanksgiving for Life Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of this earthly life. We thank you for the life of our brother/sister, for the years you gave them and the character that you shaped in them. We thank you for their life, for every memory of love and joy, for every good deed and every sorrow shared with us. We thank you for the rest in Christ he/she now enjoys. We thank you for giving him/her to us for a time, and we praise you for the glory we shall share together for eternity. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, Amen.
Eternal Life Prayer
Faithful Father, we thank you that you are the Lord of life. We praise you that we are made in your image, reflecting your truth and light. We thank you for the life of your child, the love he/she received from you, and the love with which he/she loved us. We wait with eager anticipation for the resurrection of the dead at the return of Jesus Christ. We thank you that we will share with all your people in a world with no sin, pain, or death. We long to see you face to face and be reunited with our loved one. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, Amen.
Prayer for Provision
Father, we thank you for how you’ve helped each one through the past days and weeks. Many in this gathering are still caught by surprise. Others are in a suspended belief that their dearly beloved has passed on. But the time has come to close this chapter, and so we commit to your keeping every person who came here today. Meet their needs for comfort, grace, peace, and even financial provision. O God, show yourself strong and mighty on their behalf. Be sufficient for every situation and need. Sustain them. Empower them. Provide for them. O God, let them feel your arms of security and loving care as they move on from the death of their loved one. We ask this in Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.
Grace and Life Prayer
Compassionate God, we thank you for the life of [name] who finished this life loving you and trusting in your promises. We thank you for the life and grace you gave them and the peace in which they now rest. Have compassion on our grief, Lord, and fill our hearts with thanksgiving to you. Your children are made in your image, help us to follow you in mind, body, and spirit. We glorify your name, for from you comes every good and perfect gift, including the gift of eternal life. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, Amen.
Prayer for Comfort in Loneliness
God of peace, as we end this time of gathering and bid our last farewell to our departed loved one, we ask for your comfort upon every friend and family member. Be with them each and every day. Let them feel your loving and strong presence in their hearts. As they adjust to life without their loved one, we ask that your Spirit will be their constant companion, assuring them of your love and care. Fill their longing and emptiness with your overwhelming love. Let them rest in your faithful care, especially in the coming days and weeks. God of comfort, let your presence be known to each one who suffers from the pain of this loss. Amen.
Cherished Memories Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank you that you have made us in your image and blessed us with gifts and talents that we use to serve you. We thank you for the unique gifts of [name]. We thank you for the image of you which we saw in him/her, the love we received from him/her, and the memories that we cherish of him/her. May we be filled with strength and courage to entrust him/her into your hands. Comfort us in our grief, Lord, and give us assurance of your promise of eternal life. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, Amen.
Prayer for Celebration
Good and wonderful God, we say goodbye to our departed loved one for one last time. We grieve because we will not see him/her any longer. But we also celebrate because we know that our loved one is enjoying your presence right now and without sickness or pain. We rejoice because we know that our loved one is safe and at peace. You have welcomed this person into glory and freed him/her from all physical frailties and all mental and emotional struggles. Thank you for this wonderful gift of eternal life. As we close the service, may all these good thoughts be an encouragement to every friend and family that have come here today. Amen.
Death and Resurrection Prayer
God, thank you that you made the universe and everything in it. You made mankind in your own image and have promised us an inheritance of eternal life. We commend [name] to you today on the basis of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. May he/she be glorified as he/she meets you face to face. We rejoice in your promises of pardon, joy, and peace to all those who love you. Show us mercy in our grief and give us joy through your Holy Spirit. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, Amen.
Prayer for Refreshment
Father in heaven, this has been a time of great emotional, mental, and physical stress for all the friends and family members of this dearly departed one. And now, they had gathered to give their last goodbyes and say their last prayers. I ask that as each one goes back to their homes and daily schedules, please bring refreshment to the hearts and minds of those affected by this loss. Renew their strength. Revive their passion for life and relationships. Let them see your sustaining grace every day. Give them resolve to recover from the loss and face the coming days with greater hope, energy, and focus. This we pray with anticipation for your favor. Amen.
Compassion Prayer
O Lord, our God, our refuge and strength in times of trouble. Meet us in our sorrow and lift our eyes to the peace and light of your compassionate hand. Dispel our fear with your love, ease our loneliness with your presence, and renew our hope with your promises. Help us to trust your love in darkness and light, in sadness and joy. May we serve you faithfully and praise your name. You are eternally gracious, merciful, and caring. Send your Holy Spirit to comfort our hearts in the light of your glory and grace. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, Amen.
Prayer for Adjustment
Creator of all, I commit every person who has come here today. We close this service and mark our period of grieving with finality, yet only seemingly. The days may very well bring pangs of loneliness and sadness. And so we call upon you to help every family member and close friend of our dearly departed one. Uphold them as they make adjustments these coming days. As they adjust to the loss of physical contact and direct communication with this loved one, we pray that your grace will help them make the transition with peace and acceptance. Be their strong arm of support, O God. Amen.
Comfort in Grief Prayer
Everlasting Father, hear our prayers and comfort us in our grief. Renew our trust in the name of Jesus who you raised from the dead. You, O Lord, brought us to birth, and we die in your arms. In our grief and shock, may we be comforted and embraced by your loving arms. We place our hope in your eternal life. Give us hope in our confusion and grace to live our lives in thanksgiving to you. May the words of our mouths and the meditations of our heart, be acceptable in your sight, O Lord. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, Amen.
Peace in Grief Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, you are the firstborn from the dead. We believe that you will raise up the bodies of your faithful people to be like you in glory. We pray that you will give us the blessing of peace in the midst of grief. You died and rose again, and you are seated at the right hand of the Father, interceding for your people. We await that great day when you raise us with him/her to life in triumph and we shall stand before you in the glory of your heavenly kingdom. In your mighty name, Amen.
Death Conquered Prayer
Heavenly Father, by your power Christ conquered death and ascended in glory. We entrust [name] into your arms, in the name of Jesus, our Lord. We thank you for making each one of us in your own image. We thank you now as we honor the memory of [name], whom you gave to us, and have taken away. We commend him/her to your mercy and pray that you will show us the path of life, and the fullness of joy in your presence through all eternity. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, Amen.
Comfort Prayer
Merciful Father, as we mourn the death of [name] and thank you for his/her life, we ask you to look upon us with compassion. You have promised that you are near to the broken-hearted and close to those who are crushed in spirit. Draw near to us, Lord, and may we find comfort in your presence. Give rest to our troubled hearts and replace our fear with faith. You are the way, the truth, and the life. Help us to follow you, to know you, and to find life in you. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, Amen.
Thanksgiving for Deliverance
Oh God, we thank you for delivering us from the power of the grave. We thank you for redeeming us from death. As we commit the body of this dear soul to the ground, we thank you that their spirit has already ascended to you. May they rest in peace until the appointed day comes when we receive our glorified bodies. Keep us mindful of our own mortality, so that we live with eternity’s values in view. Amen.
Praise for the Irrevocable Promise
Oh Lord, we go forth from this service clinging to your irrevocable promise. Our loved one who has gone on before us is rescued from the tyranny of death. We praise you for providing a way for us to escape the judgment that is rightfully ours. We are thankful that as we trust in you, we receive the redemption that you purchased. We need not fear what happens after death, for you have ransomed us from darkness and doom. Amen.
Gratefulness for Love
God, we leave now in awe of your incomprehensible love. You love us so much that you gave your only begotten Son, that whoever believes in you will not perish but have everlasting life. Your Son experienced death so that we could experience life. We thank you for your love, and thank you that this death of our loved one is only a freedom from a mortal body of pain, sickness, and tears. Comfort us with this truth. Amen.
Prayer to Our True and Only Helper
Lord, you stand ready to prove yourself as our true and only Helper. Even when death has laid its cold hand upon us, you destroy its power. We stand guilty before you, but you stand as our great Helper, casting out our sins and soothing our sorrows. May we go forth now, carrying this truth to others. May they also know you as their Savior, so they are washed from their sins, and fearless in the face of death. Amen.
We See Jesus Prayer
Lord, we leave here grieving the passing of our loved one yet remembering your great gift for us. We see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. Because of Jesus, we know that even though we are temporarily parted, we will all be raised together and reunited. Amen.
Until We Meet Again Prayer
God, our Father, because of your great mercy, we are not saying “goodbye,” but “until we meet again.” Our dear one has passed from this life but is not gone forever. We commend their spirit to you: sustain their soul and enfold them in your love until we meet at Jesus’ feet. Until then, may your arms encircle this family. Hide them under your wings in this season of sadness and loss. Be their guide through uncertainties and their faithful friend in loneliness. Amen.
In Your Presence Prayer
Father, our hearts are not troubled. We believe in you, and we believe in your holy Son, Jesus. We hold to Jesus’ promise that he is preparing a place for us in our Father’s house. And we know that Jesus has welcomed our departed one into His presence. We are grateful that you will return to welcome us all into your presence so that we can be where you are. We thank you for showing us the way. Amen.
Gone but Not Lost Prayer
God, we are crushed and desolate at the parting of our dear friend, and yet, we have not lost our friend, and we have not lost your love. Thank you for soothing our sorrow and for your gentle words of truth and comfort. Thank you for giving us hope of our eternal home, where no evil can touch us and where our tears are wiped dry. Thank you that our friend is there now, waiting for us. We look forward to that day when we are all together again. Keep us steadfast until then. Amen.
Prayer to Our Forerunner
Lord, our precious Lord Jesus, we are blessed to have you as our forerunner and our Great High Priest forever. We thank you that you lead the way – in death and in the new life. We thank you for this sure and steadfast anchor for our souls – the hope that enters into the heavenly place behind the veil. Our confident expectation is grounded in our faithful God. Our present grief at the loss of our loved one and all other troubles will be in the past. Thank you for going before us. Amen.
Blessed to Be with Jesus Prayer
God, we are comforted that our loved one has passed from our embrace into your presence. Your presence is heaven. Your presence is all we need for peace, joy, rest, and love. We know that our loved one is in your presence, delighting in your glory, your radiance, your purity. We long for the day when we can also be in your presence as our departed one is. Until then, help us be faithful and diligent in building your kingdom. Amen.
Make Us Faithful Prayer
Lord, we have celebrated the life and faith of our departed loved one. We ask that you make us faithful as our loved one was faithful. Make us faithful as Abraham was faithful, who looked forward to that city whose architect and builder is God. Help us not be so distracted with everything in this present life that we forget our ultimate destiny. Make us faithful and focused on you and faithful in bringing as many as possible with us to the city of God. Amen.
The Bond That Transcends Prayer
Loving God, we have honored the memory of our loved one today, but we know this parting is only temporary. We have a bond in you, our Savior, Jesus Christ, that transcends the end of our mortal life and carries us to a future place. We anticipate resting in your presence as our loved one is now. We look forward to that day when our faith has turned to sight, and we can see you face to face and be reunited with those who have gone before. Come, Lord Jesus. Amen.
Wonderful Expectation Prayer
Lord of life, as we draw this memorial service to a close, we rejoice in our wonderful expectation. We thank you for your promise that someday we will have a great reunion in the sky, where there will no longer be farewells. We look forward to that day when you appear, and we shall be like you. We will see you as you are. And that is why we have celebrated, not mourned, the life of this dear saint today – because we know this is not the end, but the beginning. Amen.
Short Closing Prayer For Funeral
Part of their closing includes this prayer: “Eternal God, we praise you for the great company of all those who have finished their course in faith and now rest from their labor. We praise you for those dear to us whom we name in our hearts before you. Especially we praise you for _____, whom you have graciously received into your presence. To all of these, grant your peace. Let perpetual light shine upon them; and help us so to believe where we have not seen, that your presence may lead us through our years, and bring us at last with them into the joy of your home not made with hands, eternal in the heavens; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”
Funeral Closing Words
A funeral is a time for people to come together and share their thoughts, but finding the right words to say at a funeral isn’t always easy. Short funeral quotes on the nature of life, love and loss can be an ideal way to express how you’re feeling when nothing seems to make sense.
These inspirational funeral and memorial quotes could be a help when you are writing a eulogy or epitaph, or looking for a quotation to include on an order of service sheet. Whether you want something that captures the experience of loss, or reflects on the meaning of life, these funeral quotes could be the right way to say goodbye.
1. “Death is not extinguishing the light. It is putting out the lamp because the dawn has come.”
Rabindranath Tagore, writer and artist
2. “Lives are like rivers: Eventually they go where they must. Not where we want them to.”
Richard Russo, author and screenwriter
3. “There is only one happiness in this life, to love and be loved.”
George Sand, author, real name Amantine Lucile Aurore Dupin
4. “Life is a song – sing it. Life is a game – play it. Life is a challenge – meet it. Life is a dream – realise it. Life is a sacrifice – offer it. Life is love – enjoy it.”
Sai Baba, spiritual leader and philanthropist
5. “Every man’s life ends the same way. It is only the details of how he lived and how he died that distinguish one man from another.”
Ernest Hemingway, author and journalist
6. “For life and death are one, even as the river and the sea are one.”
On Death, Khalil Gibran, artist, poet and author
7. “The journey doesn’t end here. Death is just another path, one that we all must take.”
The Return of the King, J.R.R. Tolkien, author and university professor
8. “Life has to end. Love doesn’t.”
The Five People You Meet in Heaven, Mitch Albom, best-selling author and broadcaster
9. “Life is eternal, and love is immortal, and death is only a horizon; and a horizon is nothing save the limit of our sight.”
Rossiter Worthington Raymond, engineer and author
10. “How can the dead be truly dead when they still live in the souls of those who are left behind?”
The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, Carson McCullers, author
11. “Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal.”
Irish proverb
12. “The song is ended, but the melody lingers on…”
The Song is Ended, Irving Berlin, songwriter
13. “What we once enjoyed and deeply loved we can never lose, for all that we love deeply becomes part of us.”
Helen Keller, author and political activist
14. “How lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.”
Winnie the Pooh, A.A. Milne, author
15. “As is a tale, so is a life: Not how long it is, but how good it is, is what matters.”
Seneca, philosopher and writer
16. “The best portion of a good man’s life is his little nameless unrememberd acts of kindness and of love.”
Tintern Abbey, William Wordsworth, poet
17. “Perhaps passing through the gates of death is like passing quietly through the gate in a pasture fence. On the other side, you keep walking, without the need to look back. No shock, no drama, just the lifting of a plank or two in a simple wooden gate in a clearing. Neither pain, nor floods of light, nor great voices, but just the silent crossing of a meadow.”
A Soldier of the Great War, Mark Helprin, author
18. “Grief is the price we pay for love”
Colin Murray Parkes, psychiatrist and grief expert
19. “Only a moment you stayed, but what an imprint your footprints have left on our hearts.”
Little Footprints, Dorothy Ferguson, poet
20. “If the people we love are stolen from us, the way to have them live on is to never stop loving them.”
James O’Barr, artist
21. “Perhaps they are not the stars, but rather openings in Heaven where the love of our lost ones pours through and shines down upon us to let us know they are happy.”
Anonymous
22. “More precious was the light in your eyes than all the roses in the world.”
Dirge Without Music, Edna St. Vincent Millay, poet and playwright
23. “To me, you were more than just a person. You were a place where I finally felt at home.”
Denice Envail, writer
24. “Every life is noted and is cherished, and nothing loved is ever lost or perished.”
A Ring of Endless Light, Madeleine L’Engle, author
25. “What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others.”
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