Start-Stop:Maranatha. Come, Lord Jesus

Hilma af Flint - Paintings for the Temple - Group X, No 3, Altarpiece - 1915

Good morning and welcome to Start:Stop. Our reading today is the beautiful text from the prologue to the Gospel of John.

Bible Reading - John 1.1-14

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.

Reflection

The prologue to John’s Gospel can be the subject of a lifetime of study – but even in the few brief moments it has taken to read the text, we glimpse something of it’s great mystery, it’s perfection, it’s completeness. This is not just the beginning of the story of the life of Jesus, but the story of the whole of creation – the beginning of my story and yours.  

God’s word is complete, it transcends all that we know and don’t know – the word of the Law of Moses, the Logos – the philosophy of the Greeks, the science and technology of today. God’s word is far removed from the half-truths we speak - God’s word is the true light. This season of Advent is a time when we remember that "The true light, which enlightens everyone" came into the world. As Easter people we remember that His presence is among us and He will come again.

John’s prologue reminds us that we were meant for union with God, but we do not know him. At it’s climax, we read of the mystery of the Incarnation – ‘And the word became flesh and dwelt among us’ – when, as St Athanasius said, God was “made human so that he might make us gods.” 

We can’t see Jesus in the flesh, hear him teaching in Galilee or watch as he performs miracles. But we can encounter Him through the scriptures, and in prayer. During the business of our preparations for Christmas, it may be helpful to meditate using a rhythm prayer, using the language of Jesus himself; a practice which the priest and Benedictine monk John Main helped to restore to the mainstream of the church, using mantra’s as an aid to prayer;

 “our aim in Christian prayer [he wrote] is to allow God’s mysterious and silent presence within us to become the reality which gives meaning, shape and purpose to everything we do, everything we are.”

The tradition of contemplative prayer dates back to the time of the Desert Fathers, who developed a practice of short sayings as rhythm prayers in order that that they may be written on their hearts and absorbed into the depths of their being. The universal accessibility of this approach, which some refer to today as centering prayer, was considered dangerous by some in the church who, from the sixteenth century onwards – sought to redact reference to it in the writings of the time.

John Main suggests the use of the word maranatha as a prayer mantra, saying the word as four equally stressed syllables – MA-RA-NA-THA – while taking slow, rhythmical breaths. As we prepare to enter into a time of prayer, silently reciting the prayer word or mantra, it may be helpful to visualise the light and truth of the Word filling our bodies as we breath in; as we breathe out we may visualise ourselves sharing that light and truth in the world. As we move deeper into prayer we listen attentively to the mantra, putting aside our thoughts and the images or sounds which fill our minds, returning to the prayer word – maranatha – whenever we notice ourselves becoming distracted. Through this approach to prayer we may eventually achieve a state of ‘responsive passivity’ in which we wait on God, attentive and alert to his presence.

Maranatha is Aramaic, the language that Jesus himself spoke and was a sacred phrase in early Christian liturgy meaning “Come, Lord”. An appropriate Christian prayer for any time, perhaps especially in this season of Advent.

Meditation

For some, particularly at this busy time, prayerful meditation on the Coming of the Lord, using the language of Jesus, may be helpful in bringing us closer to the glorious mystery expressed so beautifully at the climax of John’s prologue ‘And the word became flesh and dwelt among us.’ Enabling us, as Bishop Robert Barron has said, to come closer to understanding the grace of God who, in Jesus, invites us to become participants in his own nature, that we might realise the fullness of the truth that He is and the truth that we can become.   

Perhaps we might find time during these next few weeks to meditate in prayer, using the phrase Maranatha, Come, Lord Jesus.

A few moments of silence before we pray together.

Prayers

Lord, while we await your coming, help us, your faithful people, to be active in your service and joyful in your praise.

In our prayers, the response to Maranatha is Come, Lord Jesus.

Maranatha

Come, Lord Jesus.

Come to us as Lord.
Help us to live in the light of your coming

and give us a longing for your kingdom.

Fill us with the truth of your Spirit. Let us share this with the world.

Maranatha

Come, Lord Jesus.

Come to the suffering as Saviour and comforter.
Help us to be generous with our resources, supporting those in need.
We pray especially in this bitter weather, for the homeless and all those who support them.
Let us always be generous with our time and with our love.

Maranatha

Come, Lord Jesus

Come to the world as King of the Nations.
Lord, help us to bring about peace and harmony throughout the world, in our homes and in our workplaces.
We pray especially for those living in the midst of conflict and all those who are seeking to bring about peace.

Maranatha

Come, Lord Jesus

Come to us as shepherd and guardian of our souls.
We pray for all who are anxious and depressed at this time.
Those who feel empty, isolated and alone.
Lord, help us to remember that you are with us.
We pray that all your people may come to know you, resting in your loving presence this day and always.

Maranatha

Come, Lord Jesus

Blessing

May the Lord, when he comes,

not find us sleeping in sin

but active in his service

and joyful in his praise.

And may the blessing of God Almighty,

the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,

be among us and remain with us always.

Amen

Thank you for joining us for Start:Stop. Throughout Advent the church will be open for a quiet hour from 8am – 9am each Wednesday and Thursday to provide time and space for prayer and stillness.

Have a wonderful week. This reflection will start again in a few minutes.