2 Maccabees 12:43-46
A reading from the second book of Maccabees
Judas, the ruler of Israel,
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 of the dead in view;
for if he were not expecting the fallen to rise again,
it would have been useless and foolish to pray for them in death.
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 freed from this sin.
The Word of the Lord.

Job 19:1 ,23-27a
A reading from the book of Job
Job answered Bildad the Shuhite and said:
“Oh, would that my words were written down!
Would that they were inscribed in a record:
That with an iron chisel and with lead
they were cut in the rock forever!
But as for me, I know that my Vindicator lives,
and that He will at last stand forth upon the dust;
Whom I myself shall see:
my own eyes, not another's, shall behold Him;
And from my flesh I shall see God;
my inmost being is consumed with longing.
The Word of the Lord.

Proverbs 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31
A reading from the book of Proverbs
A capable wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life. This fine woman seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands.
A good wife puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle. She opens her hand to the poor, and reaches out her hands to the needy.
Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give her a share in the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the city gates.
The Word of the Lord.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-11
A reading from the book of Ecclesiastes
There is an appointed time for everything,
and a time for every thing under teh heavens.
a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to uproot the plant;
a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to tear down, and a time to build;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace, and a time to be far away from embraces.
A time to seek, and a time to lose;
time to keep, and a time to cast away;
a time to rend and a time to sew;
a time to be silent, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.
What advantage has the worker from his toil?
I have considered the task that God has appointed for the sons of men to be busied about.
God has made everything appropriate to its time, but has put the timeless into their hearts
without man's ever discovering, from beginning to end the work which God has done.
The Word of the Lord.

Wisdom 3:1-9
A reading from the book of Wisdom
The souls of the just are in the hand of God,
and no torment will ever 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 before men, indeed, they be 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 visitation they shall shine,
and shall dart about as sparks through stubble;
They shall judge nations and rule over peoples,
and the Lord shal be King forever.
Those who trust in Him will 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 His elect.
The Word of the Lord.

Wisdom 3:1-6, 9
(Short Form of above reading)
A reading from the book of Wisdom
The souls of the just 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 in the eyes of men, indeed, they be 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.
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 His elect.
The Word of the Lord.

Wisdom 4:7-15
A reading from the book of Wisdom
The just man, 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 is the hoary crown for men,
and an unsullied life, the attainment of old age.
He who pleased God was loved;
he who lived 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 this into account.
The Word of the Lord.

Isaiah 25:6a, 7-9
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 destoy
the veil that veils all peoples,
The web that is woven over all nations;
He will destroy death forever.
Then the Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces,
The reproach of His people
He will remove from all the whole earth;
for the Lord has spoken.
On that day, it will be said;
"Behold our God, to whom we looked to save us!
This is the Lord for whom we looked;
let us rejoice and be glad that he has saved us!"
The Word of the Lord.

Lamentations 3:17-26
A reading from the book of Lamentations
My soul is deprived of peace;
I have forgotten what happiness is;
I tell myself my future is lost,
all that I hoped for from the Lord.
The thought of my homeless poverty
is wormwood and gall!
Remembering it over and over
leaves my soul downcast within me.
But I will call this to mind,
as my reason to have hope:
The favors of the Lord are not exhausted,
his mercies are not spent;
they are renewed each morning,
so great His faithfulness.
My portion is the Lord,  says my soul,
“therefore I will hope in Him.”
Good is the Lord to one who waits for him,
to the soul that seeks him.
It is good to hope in silence
for the saving help of the Lord.
The Word of the Lord.

Daniel 12:1-3
A reading from the book of the prophet Daniel
“In those days, I , Daniel, mourned
and heard this word of the Lord:
At the time there shall arise
Michael, the great prince,
guardian of your people;
It shall be a time unsurpassed in distress
since nations 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 shall live forever, others shall be an everlasting horror and disgrace.
But the wise shall shine brightly
like the splendor of the firmament,
And those who lead the many to justice
shall be like the stars forever.
The Word of the Lord.