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Celebration of life is a form of celebration honoring the life lived by your loved one. It is remembering the departed unique life rather than their death.
Oftentimes, people confuse or use funeral and celebration of life interchangeably. They have much in common, but they are very different.
A funeral is much more rooted in tradition, while a celebration of life is a unique and alternative way to pay tribute to a loved one.
Whatever the differences, both celebrations help the bereaved family to acknowledge and accept the death of their loved one. In addition, it is a way to process emotions that helps to heal grievances and pay tribute to a beloved family member.
Celebration of life is more like a positive outlook on death but simultaneously validates the loss of the bereaved family. In the book Chocolat, written by Joanne Harris, you can read a fundamental truth about life and death: “Life is what you celebrate. All of it. Even its end.”
Death should be celebrated just as how life is celebrated too. The beauty of death is a part of life.
However, there is always fear that comes along with it.
The concept of it is difficult to appreciate. But it is necessary as much as birth is.
Death can undermine the very essence of life. Nevertheless, it is part of existence and is supposed to happen at the right time, appointed by faith or by the will of God.
When a person close to you dies, they leave a legacy, an influence, or a memory. However, your loved one doesn't leave you.
Their love, influence, and memory remain within you because they continue to live within you. Their death is a part of change—a transformation.
Their soul continues its life either somewhere else or in another form. It is a cycle of life.
And perhaps, after your own death, at some point will reunite your soul with theirs.
Christians and those who believe in God may find assurance, peace, and comfort through prayers. In addition, praying together during the memorial service can make your relationship with your family and friends closer together to God.
Collectively, you can honor and commemorate the life that a loved one has lived. Your faith will hold the whole family stronger together.
Through funeral prayers and gathering together to share the stories and legacy of the departed, you will all reunite either in memories or on the other side.
The following prayers below offer comfort and a reminder of your loved one who passed. You may use all of the prayers below that were specifically made for the celebration of life service.
Opening Prayer for Celebration of Life
Before starting the life service celebration, it is best to begin with, an opening prayer. This is because there may be a few others who still need to understand the concept of celebration of life.
Some may not have been accustomed to what was traditionally done during the memorial. Others might want to stick with the tradition.
Whatever the differences in the beliefs are, it is best to give everyone the knowledge that this is what your departed loved one wants to be remembered.
Just like the closing prayer, opening prayers are essential. Not only does praying together keep everyone closer to God and help them enter the kingdom, but it also brings focus to the life that is to be celebrated.
The opening prayer will give an understanding of the family's intent for this celebration. You are praying to renew your spiritual strength and commemorate the life that was once lived by the departed.
The memories and love of the departed gathered you all in celebration. So, express your gratitude to those who came to share your grievances.
And together, celebrate the unique life of your loved one who passed but remained with you in memories forever.
Heavenly Father, we gather here today as we celebrate the life lived by our dear [name of person], who has transitioned from the temporal life to new life.
We thank You for the gift of life given to our loved ones.
We trust that those who have died with Christ shall also live with him.
We know, Lord, that you keep your promise.
And we are assured that Christ will raise the soul of our loved one from the dead, and they shall die no more.
Please help us hold [name of person] memories, influence, and life teachings as we continue to live on, hoping for the eternal Kingdom.
Lord God, you are the giver of life and the source of all creation.
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We believe that it is your will for your creations not to be separated from your love.
So, while we grieve for a loved one, we are assured that they will be welcomed wholeheartedly in your Kingdom.
We thank you for the life of our loved one, whose life is celebrated today.
The memories and love of [name of person] gathered us all today in celebration.
They shall be remembered and honored for all how their lives touched ours.
We will continue to cherish their memories and their lives.
We will never forget that their love continues to be with us.
In our sadness and with a celebration today, we will remember them.
We praise and honor your holy name through Christ our Lord. Amen!
Prayer of Remembrance of a Loved One
Remembering a departed loved one allows you to share their story and celebrate a life well lived. In addition, honoring the deceased helps you to find closure to their death and transition into a new life where they are no longer with you physically.
As the celebration of life held is being able to say goodbye to your loved one. With the celebration, you can acknowledge their passing as part of the healing process to begin to move forward.
Honoring the departed soul helps to bring grieving friends and family together to grieve alongside one another. Moreover, it allows you to reconnect with the special people in your life.
Through the process of the celebration, your family and friends may share stories of the departed loved one and can learn things about their loved one that they never knew.
The stories shared may continue to live on and may even be passed down from generation to generation and keep their legacy alive.
It doesn't matter how big or small the celebration is. What is important is that everyone who gathered together should commemorate and honor the life lived by a loved one.
The following prayer below is a prayer in remembrance of a loved one.
Heavenly Father, we thank you for blessing us with the beautiful life of [name of person], whom we recently lost.
The legacy, memories, and influence they left with us are now remembered by all of their friends and family.
We honor the life that has been well lived by our loved ones.
Thank you for giving them a good earth life and the fond memories we shared.
We are devastated by what happened.
But today, we celebrate the life of [name of person] and reminisce about their amazing story that may inspire us and remind us of our love.
We are assured that they are with you now, Oh Lord.
And that you have welcomed them warmly in your Kingdom.
We know they are at peace now, leaving with no pain, no struggle, and no more death.
The life of our dear [name of person] will forever be carried in our hearts and will always be remembered.
We praise and honor your name, Lord, creator, and giver of life. Amen
Closing Prayer for Celebration of Life
After the celebration of life, conclude the day with a powerful prayer that still honors the departed life. In this way, it provides closure to those who grieve and acknowledge the passing of a loved one.
The prayer's conclusion reminds every one of the celebration's importance so they can see the memorial's bigger picture. A strong conclusion on the celebration of life gives you a chance to have the last word on the subject.
A closing prayer is a way to conclude the death of a loved one. This gives people time and a chance to accept the truth.
The closing prayer gives the family to commemorate the memory of their loved one to celebrate the life that was once part of theirs.
As we end the celebration of the life of our loved one who passed [person's name], we acknowledge the life that was once part of ours.
Lord God, we conclude the life that has ended in this physical world to start life in your Kingdom.
We all gathered today to honor and commemorate the memories we shared with [name of person].
Their life has brought joy, love, smiles, deep connection, and life lessons.
We forgive ourselves for our guilt and resentment as we conclude today.
This day is a reminder that it is not [name of person] will for us to feel all of this.
Thus, they desire for us to heal from grief and heartbreak.
With the love and presence of God, we understand and trust that the soul of our loved one is now at peace and free of pain.
Those present here today will keep the memories of [name of person] to continue living with us.
Lord, you are the resurrection and the life.
In the afterlife, we are assured that our loved one has found a family better than their family and a home better than their own.
As we continue to live an earthly life, we celebrate the life and the death of our loved ones,
One day, we will soon reunite either in memories or on the other side. Amen.
Karen Hyman
Karen is a Psychic Medium, a Professional Astrologer, a Spiritual Advisor, and a Life Coach who has been in this career for 19+ years. She specializes in numerology, tarot and oracle cards, twin flames, love & relationships, zodiac, horoscope, dreams interpretation, and astrology. She aims to provide comfort and assurance using her abilities to offer answers to those who seek professional guidance. Read More About Karen Here.
