A reading from the book of Wisdom

The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God,
and no torment shall touch them.
They seemed, in the view of the foolish, to be dead;
and their passing away was thought an affliction
and their going forth from us, utter destruction.
But they are in peace.
For if to others, indeed, they seem punished,
yet is their hope full of immortality;
Chastised a little, they shall be greatly blessed,
because God tried them
and found them worthy of himself.
As gold in the furnace, he proved them,
and as sacrificial offerings* he took them to himself.
In the time of their judgment* they shall shine
and dart about as sparks through stubble;
They shall judge nations and rule over peoples,
and the LORD shall be their King forever.
Those who trust in him shall understand truth,
and the faithful shall abide with him in love:
Because grace and mercy are with his holy ones,
and his care is with the elect.

This is the Word of the Lord.

A reading from the book of Wisdom

But the righteous one, though he die early, shall be at rest.
For the age that is honorable comes not with the passing of time,
nor can it be measured in terms of years.
Rather, understanding passes for gray hair,
and an unsullied life is the attainment of old age.
The one who pleased God was loved,
living among sinners, was transported—
Snatched away, lest wickedness pervert his mind
or deceit beguile his soul;
For the witchery of paltry things obscures what is right
and the whirl of desire transforms the innocent mind.
Having become perfect in a short while,
he reached the fullness of a long career;
for his soul was pleasing to the LORD,
therefore he sped him out of the midst of wickedness.
But the people saw and did not understand,
nor did they take that consideration into account.

This is the Word of the Lord.

A reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah

On this mountain* the LORD of hosts
will provide for all peoples

On this mountain he will destroy
the veil that veils all peoples,

The web that is woven over all nations.
He will destroy death forever.

The Lord GOD will wipe away
the tears from all faces;

The reproach of his people he will remove
from the whole earth; for the LORD has spoken.

On that day it will be said:

“Indeed, this is our God; we looked to him, and he saved us!
This is the LORD to whom we looked;
let us rejoice and be glad that he has saved us!

This is the Word of the Lord.

A reading from the book of Lamentations

My life is deprived of peace,
I have forgotten what happiness is;
My enduring hope, I said,
has perished before the LORD.
The thought of my wretched homelessness
is wormwood and poison;
Remembering it over and over,
my soul is downcast.
But this I will call to mind;
therefore I will hope:
The LORD’s acts of mercy are not exhausted,
his compassion is not spent;
They are renewed each morning—
great is your faithfulness!
The LORD is my portion, I tell myself,
therefore I will hope in him.
The LORD is good to those who trust in him,
for the LORD’s deliverance.

This is the Word of the Lord.

A reading from the book of the prophet Daniel

“At that time there shall arise Michael,
the great prince,
guardian of your people;
It shall be a time unsurpassed in distress
since the nation began until that time.
At that time your people shall escape,
everyone who is found written in the book.
Many of those who sleep*
in the dust of the earth shall awake;
Some to everlasting life,
others to reproach and everlasting disgrace.
But those with insight shall shine brightly
like the splendor of the firmament,
And those who lead the many to justice
shall be like the stars* forever.

This is the Word of the Lord.

A reading from the second book of Maccabees

He then took up a collection among all his soldiers, amounting to two thousand silver drachmas, which he sent to Jerusalem to provide for an expiatory sacrifice.

In doing this he acted in a very excellent and noble way, inasmuch as he had the resurrection in mind; for if he were not expecting the fallen to rise again, it would have been superfluous and foolish to pray for the dead. But if he did this with a view to the splendid reward that awaits those who had gone to rest in godliness, it was a holy and pious thought.

Thus he made atonement for the dead that they might be absolved from their sin.

This is the Word of the Lord.