Sea-related bible readings for a funeral

[vvviola]

We are planning my DDad's funeral. He was a keen sailor.

Can anyone point me in the direction of places in the bible that might work?

(Catholic mass, if that has any bearing)

Looking for 1 Old Testament, 1 New Testament, Gospel and Psalm (although I am thinking of either The Lord is My Shepherd or Be Not Afraid for the psalm)

Thanks

I'm sorry for your loss
Here a lots of sea and ocean verses. It would be lovely to have them all 🌊.

Just so you know, there are set Old and New Testament readings and Gospels for a Catholic funeral rite.

That being said, your priest may allow a poem or other reading to be added in. The following poem is a favourite of mine:

Sea Fever by John Masefield

I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by;
And the wheel’s kick and the wind’s song and the white sail’s shaking,
And a grey mist on the sea’s face, and a grey dawn breaking.

I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.

I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull’s way and the whale’s way where the wind’s like a whetted knife;
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,
And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick’s over.

Vvviola I’m sorry to hear about your DDad.

I don’t think I’ve ever been to a Catholic funeral and don’t know how rigid the format is or whether, consequently, any of the following might be useful at some point in the proceedings, even if not within the Mass itself...

There’s a passage in Hebrews 6 that uses an anchor as a metaphor.

17 In the same way, when God wanted to show the heirs of the promise even more clearly how unalterable his plan was, he conveyed it by an oath
18 so that through two unalterable factors in which God could not be lying, we who have fled to him might have a vigorous encouragement to grasp the hope held out to us.
19 This is the anchor our souls have, reaching right through inside the curtain
20 where Jesus has entered as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest for ever, of the order of Melchizedek.

Not sure if you are looking for music too, but there’s a sort of maritime Amazing Grace which I thought you might at least like to hear:

And then there’s Rod Stewart’s Sailing of course.

I hope you are able to find the words you seek to make your DDad's funeral a fitting tribute to him and a comfort to all his loved ones. I've been in your shoes and I know it's a difficult time.

If you are stuck for hymns "Eternal Father" is a good one aka "For those in peril on the sea". We had it for my atheist seafaring Dad - his ship was torpedoed in WWII and it was a favourite.

I'm a Catholic by the way. I'd be surprised if the priest was rigid about what you can have and say.
My dad didn't have a Catholic mass - atheist as I say - but Mum did recently. The priest and the funeral director were both very good and very helpful.
So sorry for your loss.

My Dad's funeral featured the hymn 'May your anchor hold in the storms of life' - no idea if this is one familiar to Catholics

There is a version of the 23rd psalm for mariners. It was read at my friend's dad's funeral. Here it is.

The Lord is my pilot; I shall not drift.
He lights me across the dark waters. He steers me through the deep channels.
He keeps my log. He guides me by the Star of Holiness for His Name's sake.
As I sail through the storms and tempests of life I will dread no danger; for You are near me; Your love and care shelter me.
You prepare a haven before me in the Homeland of Eternity;
You quieten the waves with oil; my ship rides calmly.
Surely sunlight and starlight shall be with me wherever I sail,
and at the end of my voyaging I shall rest in the port of my God.

I'm so sorry for your loss.

Re 'Eternal father strong to save' - that one makes me tear up even if it's not a funeral (and I'm an atheist - it's partly the words but also something about the music which gets you) - IMO having that at a funeral is asking for a flow of salt water.

Another poem for you.

Crossing the Bar by Tennyson

Sunset and evening star,
And one clear call for me!
And may there be no moaning of the bar,
When I put out to sea,

But such a tide as moving seems asleep,
Too full for sound and foam,
When that which drew from out the boundless deep
Turns again home.

Twilight and evening bell,
And after that the dark!
And may there be no sadness of farewell,
When I embark;

For tho' from out our bourne of Time and Place
The flood may bear me far,
I hope to see my Pilot face to face
When I have crost the bar.

Just to add, for my Mum’s funeral, we had the song La Mer (The Sea) as she too was never happier than when on a ship. It's not religious though!

love the psalm for mariners. I wish we had used that now.
we also used a poem about ships as a metaphor for death, several versions of it online

Gone From My Sight

I am standing upon the seashore. A ship, at my side,
spreads her white sails to the moving breeze and starts
for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength.
I stand and watch her until, at length, she hangs like a speck
of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.

Then, someone at my side says, "There, she is gone."

Gone where?

Gone from my sight. That is all. She is just as large in mast,
hull and spar as she was when she left my side.
And, she is just as able to bear her load of living freight to her destined port.
Her diminished size is in me -- not in her.

And, just at the moment when someone says, "There, she is gone,"
there are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices
ready to take up the glad shout, "Here she comes!"

And that is dying...

Thanks all. Some lovely options.

Thanks again everyone. The funeral was today.

We used the bit from Isaiah 43 about "should you pass through the sea", for the Old Testament reading. The priest read the story of Jesus stilling the storm as the gospel, and also used that lovely piece mentioned above about the ship sailing away from shore.

Our choir did a lovely version of Psalm 107 (which has a boat related section), and found a beautiful piece of music called Sail The Soul. We also did Here I Am Lord as one of the hymns.

And I read the Mariners version of The Lord is My Shepherd at the graveside.

I think we gave him a lovely send off with plenty of references to his beloved water. (It helped that the priest used to sail )

you put together such a lovely tribute. it sounds just perfect.