And may the Lord of peace himself
give you
peace continually,
in every way.

The Lord be with you all. 

‘Greetings from Paul’ – this I write in my hand.
(This is a sign in every letter.)

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. 

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 we hear that some among you live ‘disorderly’ 
working at nothing
but meddling.

We command and urge such people
in the Lord Jesus,
that with quietness,
working,
might eat their own bread. 

But you, sisters and brothers,
do not tire of doing what is right.

If someone does not obey our word,
through this letter, 
take note of this one
to not associate with them,
so that they might be ashamed. 

Also do not consider them an enemy
but warn them as a brother /sister. 

Teach us, good Lord,
to serve thee as thou deservest;
to give and not to count the cost;
to fight and not to heed the wounds;
to toil and not to seek for rest;
to labour and not to ask for any reward,
save that of knowing that we do thy will,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen

St Ignatius

We command you,
brothers and sisters,
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
keep away from every brother (or sister)
living disorderly, 
and not according to the tradition
which they received from us. 

For you yourselves know how it is necessary to imitate us. 
-that we were not disorderly among you, 
not freely eating anyone’s food, 
but by work and labour
night and day
working
in order not to be a burden to any of you. 

Not because,
we do not have authority, 
but so that we ourselves might give a example to you,
to copy us. 

For when we were with you,
we often  commanded you, 

‘If someone does not want to work, don’t let them eat. ‘

Grant, Lord,
that we may hold to you without parting,
worship you without wearying,
serve you without failing;
faithfully seek you,
happily find you,
and forever possess you,
the only God,blessed now and for ever.
Amen

St Anselm

Last of all, sisters and brothers pray for us, 
that the word of the Lord may run swiftly
        and be honoured,
          just as it was with you
and that we might be rescued
from the perverse and evil people.

For the Faith is not everyone’s. 

But the Lord is faithful, who will strengthen you, 
and will guard you from the Evil One. 

But we are convinced, in the Lord, about you,
that what we command, 
you are doing and you will do. 

So may the Lord direct your hearts
to love as God loves
and to persevere as Christ did.

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)

But we must give thanks to God always about you,
sisters and brother beloved by God,
because God set you all apart,
the first-fruits,
for salvation,
by being made holy by the Spirit
and belief in the truth.

He called you all to this
through our gospel
to share the glory of our Lord, Jesus Christ. 

So now, brothers and sisters,
stand firm,
and hold fast to the traditions,
which you were taught, 
either by word
or by our letter.

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

And now you know
what holds (the man of lawlessness) back
   so that he may be revealed                  
in his own time.

For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. 

Only, the one who holds him back will do so
          until he is out of the way. 

And then the lawless one will be revealed, 
whom the Lord will do away with,
by the breath of his mouth 
and he will destroy him by the epiphany of his coming. 
whose coming is in accordance with the working of Satan
with all miracles and signs and false wonders,
and by every evil deception directed at those who are perishing
because they did not accept the love of the truth so that they would be saved. 

And because of this God sends to them a powerful delusion so they would believe the lie. 
in order that all those may be condemned who do believe in the truth, having taken pleasure in evil.  

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)

Let no-one deceive you in any way –
first comes the rebellion,
and the lawless man is revealed, 
the son of destruction, 
the one who opposes
      and who exalts himself above everything
called god
or worshipped, 
so that in the temple of god
     he sits
     claiming for himself that he is God. 

Do you all not remember that
while (I was) with you
I told you these things?

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)