Funeral without Church – Funeral Service – Zen Master Father Reding – Nothing stands on earth, it must pass by
A funeral without a church does not mean renouncing faith. It is a return to the essential – to silence, to the earth, to heaven, and to that inner certainty that life and soul are not lost. Master Reding designs such ceremonies with language and attitude that stem from faith, yet are free of ecclesiastical form. His speeches combine prayer and meditation, poetry and truth – dignified, simple, and sustained by profound peace.
Nothing stands on earth – it must pass by
Nothing stands on earth, it must pass by.
Death comes, you cannot defeat it.
For a while, perhaps someone will still know what you were.
Then it will be swept away, and the broom sweeps on.
I live and know not how long,
I die and know not when,
I travel and know not whither,
I am surprised that I am so joyful.
These ancient verses speak of transience, without fear and without despair. They remind us that everything passes – and that precisely in this realization lies a quiet consolation. Master Reding incorporates such words into his celebrations so that they speak to both heart and mind: honest, human, and sustained by humility.
Prayer and Meditation
A child forgets itself; a boy doesn't know himself;
The youth neglects himself; a man always has duty.
With age, annoyance diminishes; an old man becomes a child again:
What do you think, what glories these are!
This prayer describes life as a cycle – from childhood to maturity, from old age back to gentleness. For Master Reding, prayer is not only speaking, but also listening. It is a silent acceptance of the movement of life – a taking a breath between earth and heaven.
On Letting Go and Enduring
When a loved one dies, it is like a dream;
for the first few days, he hardly regains his senses.
How he is supposed to endure it, he cannot ask himself,
and when he reflects, he has already endured it.
These lines describe what many feel: the initial shock, the emptiness, the incomprehensibility. Yet they also bring comfort – for humanity has within itself a quiet strength that continues, even in pain. In Master Reding's ceremonies, grief is allowed to manifest itself without having to be composed. Words, music, and silence become a path on which the heart slowly finds its breath again.
Earth, Body, Soul
A body and soul, which we were,
I cannot recover from your death.
As you decay alone in your grave,
so I feel myself, my life, decaying with it.
In these words lies the knowledge of the connection between body and soul, between human and earth. Master Reding speaks of this connection without fear – with the certainty that in the cycle of life there is no end, but transformation. Every funeral thus becomes a silent confession: that humanity returns to the source from which everything comes.
The Vastness of Existence
For four and a half billion years, so people say,
the Earth has existed, from the beginning to the present.
For such a long time, I'll tell you how it is,
you didn't exist, no one missed you.
This time is now spread over a thousand kilometers,
perhaps fifteen millimeters, in which someone stays here.
And until shortly afterward, perhaps ten millimeters,
someone still thinks of you, and I also believe that's enough.
These verses lead our thoughts back to humility. They remind us how short and yet precious life is. Master Reding allows such thoughts to flow into silence—not as a consolation, but as an invitation to contemplate existence with gratitude. For those who accept transience begin to understand life.
A Celebration Without Walls—in the Spirit of Faith
A funeral without a church is a celebration of faith without dogma. It follows no liturgy, but the truth of the moment. Prayer, music, and speech become one – sustained by silence, light, and remembrance.
Typical elements of such a ceremony:
- Opening in silence or with music
- Personal life speech
- Prayer, reading, or poetic text
- Symbolic action (light, earth, flower, water)
- Closing words with blessing or meditation
- Nothing stands still on earth; it must pass by.
These words are not a farewell to life, but a bow to its beauty.
Master Reding – Funeral Orator and Accompanist
Master Reding sees his task as a service to human dignity. He speaks in the spirit of faith, but beyond institutional boundaries. His words are simple, his demeanor attentive. He accompanies mourners through their farewell with the calm that grows from both experience and faith.
Death is not an end – it is a return to the great breath of God.
Contact and Support
If you wish a funeral without a church—free, dignified, and sustained by faith and silence—Master Reding will personally accompany you. He will design the ceremony together with you, with time, mindfulness, and inner peace.
📞 Contact:
Master Reding is available by phone or in writing for personal consultations, appointment scheduling, or arranging a funeral.
I live and don't know how long.
I die and don't know when.
I travel and don't know where –
I'm surprised I'm so happy.
In this humility lies peace of heart. With this certainty, Master Reding presides over funerals without a church – quietly, humanely, and with trust in the eternal.