The Lord’s Prayer at the funeral service – words that have provided comfort for centuries
Even in a time when many people no longer belong to a church, the need for words that provide support and bring peace remains. The Lord's Prayer is one such text – timeless, simple, and profound. At a funeral service with Master Reding, this prayer finds its place as an expression of letting go, reconciliation, and inner peace.
The Meaning of the Lord's Prayer in Farewell
The Lord's Prayer is more than a prayer. It is a reminder that we humans are connected – to one another, to the earth, and to life itself. Its words have accompanied generations through grief, hope, and change for centuries. In the farewell ceremony, the prayer opens a quiet space where the heart can find rest.
It invites us to let go of pain and resentment and to feel the love that endures. It reminds us that forgiveness applies not only to others, but also to ourselves – as an act of liberation from inner heaviness.
Words from the ceremony
In moments like these, even if many of us are no longer religious, it can be comforting to choose words that have helped people say goodbye and find inner peace for centuries.
The Lord's Prayer is one such text, reminding us that we can let go—of pain, of resentment, of unresolved conflicts—and at the same time open ourselves to the love and connection that bind us to other people and to life itself.
These words remind us that forgiveness is not just an act toward others, but a gift to ourselves. By forgiving, we free our hearts from heaviness and bitterness. We recognize that we accept people in their entirety—with all their faults and weaknesses—and at the same time make peace with ourselves.
Thus, letting go becomes an expression of love, gratitude, and respect for life as it was. The Lord's Prayer thus becomes a silent invitation to find inner peace, to say goodbye, and to follow the path of letting go – knowing that love and remembrance are stronger than death.
Procedure of the Moment of Prayer
The Lord's Prayer can be recited at the end of the speech, during the farewell, or as a collective conclusion. Whether aloud or silently, alone or together – the moment is powerful through its simplicity. In Master Reding's voice, the prayer sounds calm and solemn, an invitation to inner recollection.
Possible forms:
- Reciting the Lord's Prayer together
- Silent reading with accompanying music
- Symbolic gesture during the prayer (e.g., lighting a candle or bowing)
- Conclusion with silence or musical reverberation
- Accompaniment by Master Reding
Master Reding understands the Lord's Prayer as a universal expression of comfort and solidarity. He sensitively integrates it into the process of the funeral service – regardless of religious affiliation. His calm, clear language gives the words depth and presence, without pathos, but with inner poise. This creates a moment in which grief, love, and hope can encounter each other.
A prayer that endures
When the Lord's Prayer is recited, a special silence often descends upon the congregation. This silence is not an end, but a transition – from pain to gratitude, from clinging to trust.
For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory – forever and ever.
With these words, the ceremony reaches its silent climax:
a shared breath between heaven and earth, between remembrance and peace.
Master Reding shapes this moment with mindfulness, dignity, and a deep appreciation for what people have sought and found in these words for centuries – comfort, trust, and the power of letting go.