For this escapes them –
those who wish it this way,

that the heavens and
(the) earth were long ago
formed out of water
and by means of water,
by the word of the Lord.

Through which
the then world
by flooding
with water
perished.

So now
the heavens and the earth
by the same word
stored up
for fire
until the day of judgement
and destruction
of the ungodly people.

O Love, O God who created me, in your love recreate me.
O Love, who redeemed me,
fill up in me whatever part of your love
has fallen into neglect within me.
O Love, O God, who first loved me,
grant that with my whole heart,
and with my whole soul,
and with my whole strength,
I may love you.

Gertrude the Great

For if
having escaped the pollutions of the world
by the knowledge of the Lord
and Saviour, Jesus Christ,
they (the false teachers?)
having been entangled
are defeated again
by them (the pollutions) –
The last (condition)
would be worse for them than
the first. ¹
For it was better for them
not to have come to know
the way of righteousness,
than to turn from
the holy command,
that has been given (to them).
The true proverb has happened to them
A dog returns to its vomit,²
and
A sow washes herself (by) wallowing in the mud.

Lord God,
you feed us with the living bread from heaven;
you renew our faith,
increase our hope,
and strengthen our love.

Teach us to hunger
for Christ who is the true and living bread,
and to live by every word
that comes from your mouth,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

1. Matthew 12:45 ↩︎
2. Proverbs 26:11 ↩︎

Be sober
be alert
Your enemy,
the devil,
as a lion
roaring
walks around
seeking some to devour.
whom,
resist
(being) strong in faith,
knowing that the ‘family members’
throughout the world
are suffering the same things
but the God of all grace
who called you
to his eternal glory
in Christ Jesus,
after suffering a little while
will restore you,
will make you firm,
will make you strong,
will establish you.
To him (is) the power
for ever.
Amen.

Through Silvanus
a faithful brother to you all,
as I reckon.
Briefly I have written
encouraging (you)
and declaring this is the true grace of God
in which you stand.
The one in Babylon
greets you
– chosen with you
and also Mark,
my son.
Greet one another
with a kiss of love.
Peace to all of you,
who are in Christ.

Thank you, dear Jesus,
for all you have given me,
for all you have taken away from me,
for all you have left me.

Thomas More (c.1478-1535)

Likewise,
young men
be subject to the elders.

And all of you,
clothe yourselves with humility
toward one another,
because
God will oppose the proud
but will give grace to the humble.¹
So be humbled
by the mighty hand of God,
so that he might lift you up
in due time
Cast all your cares on him,
because it is a care to him.

1. Proverbs 3 34 ↩︎

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is discord, union;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy,
For your mercy and for your truth’s sake. Amen

So I
the fellow-elder
and a witness of the sufferings of Christ
also the partner in the glory
about to be revealed
exhort the elders among you,
to shepherd
the flock of God,
[taking care]
not under compulsion
but willingly, according to God(‘s way)
nor for sordid gain
but eagerly,
nor lording it over your portions (of the flock)
but be an example to the flock
and (when) the Chief Shepherd appears
you will receive the wreath (that is) glory – which never fades just like Amarinth.

O Lord Jesus Christ,
stay beside me to defend me,
within me to guide me,
before me to lead me,
and above me to bless me,
that with you and in you,
I may live, and move and have my being,
for ever and ever.
Amen.

(unknown)

However let no one of you suffer
as a murderer
as a thief
as an evildoer
or as busybody.
So if (one of you suffers)
as a Christian,
let them not be ashamed,
but let them glorify God
in this matter¹
because (it is) the time
for judgement
to begin
(starting) from the house of God.
for if (it begins) first with us,
what will be the end of those who disobey the Gospel of God?
and if the righteous will be barely saved
where will the godless and sinner be?²
So let those who suffer
according to the will of God,
entrust their souls,
to a faithful Creator
by doing good.

Steer the ship of my life, good Lord, to your quiet harbour,
where I can be safe from the storms of sin and conflict.
Show me the course I should take.
Renew in me the gift of discernment,
so that I can always see the right direction in which I should go.
And give me the strength and the courage to choose the right course,
even when the sea is rough and the waves are high,
knowing that through enduring hardship and danger in your name
we shall find comfort and peace.
Amen

Basil of Caesarea (c.329-379)

1. Or ‘in this name’ ↩︎
2. Prov 11:31
   
   
   ↩︎

Beloved, do not be surprised
that a trial
among you
by fire
is happening
to test you
as a surprising thing occurring.
But in as much
you share the sufferings of Christ
rejoice!
So that
at the revelation of his glory
you may be full of joy.

If you are insulted
on account of the name of Christ,
(you are) blessed
because the Spirit of Glory,
that is the Spirit of God
rests upon you.¹

1. Isal 11:2 ↩︎

Take from us,
O God, all pride and vanity,
all boasting and self-assertion,
and give us the true courage that shows itself in gentleness,
the true wisdom that shows itself in simplicity,
and the true power that shows itself in modesty.

Charles Kingsley

The end of all things has come very near.
So be sensible and be sober
for (the sake of your) prayers:
above all
having unfailing love
for one another
because
love covers a multitude of sins¹
Be hospitable to one another
without complaining.
As far as each person has received a gift
– servie it to one other
as faithful stewards
of the varied grace of God:
whoever speaks
as (someone speaking) the words of God
if some serves
as (someone serving) with strength which God provides.
in order that God might be glorified in all things
through Jesus Christ,
who is the glory and the power
for ever and ever. Amen.

1. Proverbs 10:12 ↩︎

O thou, who art the light of the minds that know thee,
the life of the souls that love thee,
and the strength of the wills that serve thee;
help us so to know thee that we may truly love thee;
so to love thee that we may fully serve thee,
whom to serve is perfect freedom.
Amen

… the nations…
who will give an account
to him who is ready
to judge
the living and the dead
for this is why the good news was preached
to people who are (now) dead
that although they might have been condemned
according to human standards
now they might live
according to God’ standards
in the Spirit.

God be in head and in my understanding;
God be in my eyes and in my looking;
God be in my mouth and in my speaking;
God be in my heart and in my thinking;
God be at my end and at my departing.

Therefore
Christ having suffered in the flesh
you also arm yourself with the same attitude:
because the one who suffers in the flesh
has finished with sin,
for they live
no longer according to human desires
but according to the will of God
(their) remaining time in the flesh.
For the time has been enough
so that the will of the nations has been accomplished
having walked along in
debauchery
passions
drunkenness
carousing
partying
and disgusting idolatry.
Because of this,
they are surprised
when you do not run with with them
into the same flood of reckless living
with the result that they blaspheme.

Eternal Light, shine into our hearts;
Eternal Goodness, deliver us from evil;
Eternal Power, be our support;
Eternal Wisdom, scatter the darkness of our ignorance:
That we may seek your face
with all our heart and mind and soul and strength. Amen.
Alcuin