The Word of God is a source of encouragement and consolation for the faithful of God. When the Scriptures are proclaimed in church, when we gather for prayer, Jesus himself is sacramentally present. The New Testament Scriptures invite us to listen to the voice of the Lord of Life, Jesus Christ.
The readings proclaim to the assembly the Paschal Mystery, teach remembrance of the dead, convey the hope of being together again in God's kingdom, and encourage the witness of Christian life. Above all, the readings tell of God's designs for a world in which suffering and death will relinquish their hold on all whom God has called his own.