The poem itself is under copyright, so it is not reproduced here. The prayers below are written in its spirit: grief that is allowed to be bright, and thanks for a life that is still warming the people it touched.
Historical Context
Christian grief has always held two things at once: real sorrow, and real hope. Paul doesn’t tell the Thessalonians not to grieve; he tells them not to grieve “as others which have no hope.” An afterglow is a good image for that: the sun is gone, but the light is still there.
An Afterglow Prayer
Lord, the sun has gone down on (name)’s life,
but the sky is still bright with them.
Thank you for every year, every laugh, every kindness.
Let us remember them with gladness as well as tears,
and carry their warmth into our own lives.
Receive them into the light that never sets.
Amen.
For Those Left Behind
Lord, comfort everyone who loved (name).
On the hard days, let the happy memories come first.
Help us live the way they would have wanted us to.
Amen.
A Short Memorial Card Prayer
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.
Best Times for This Prayer
- At a funeral, memorial or celebration of life.
- In a memorial card or order of service.
- On anniversaries and birthdays after a death.
- On 2 November, All Souls’ Day.
Scripture Connection
“But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.” — 1 Thessalonians 4:13
Paul calls the dead “asleep,” a word chosen on purpose: sleep ends in waking. That is the hope that lets a funeral include laughter and gratitude alongside tears.
Related prayers
For a parent who has died, see the Prayer for Dad in Heaven. For the moment of death, the Crossing Over Prayer, and for a memorial gathering, the Balloon Release Prayer.