Become (with others) my imitators, brothers/ sisters
and pay attention to those who walk
as you have an example in us.
For many walk –
those who I have warned you about,
and now I warn (you), even weeping,
– who are enemies of the cross of Christ,
whose end is destruction,
whose god is the gut
and (their) glory is in their shame,
they think fixedly about earthly things.
For our citizenship is in the heavens,
from which indeed we also eagerly-await as Saviour
the Lord Jesus Christ,
who will change the body of our lowliness
into the likeness of the body of his glory
in keeping with the working of his power
and he will subject all things to himself.
So then, my beloved and longed for brothers /sisters
my joy and crown,
stand like this, in the Lord,
beloved.
O Lord, in whom is our hope,
remove far from us, we pray thee,
empty hopes and presumptuous confidence.
Make our hearts so right with thy most holy and loving heart,
that hoping in thee we may do good;
until that day when faith and hope
shall be abolished by sight and possession,
and love shall be all in all.
Christina Rossetti (1830-94)