Start:Stop - Come, Lord Jesus

Come, Lord Jesus by Salvador Dali, 1964-1967

Hello and welcome to this week’s Start:Stop reflection from St Stephen Walbrook when we stop for a few minutes and start to reflect on a passage from Scripture. 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

Advent is a time of beginnings and endings; the start of the church’s year; a time when we prepare to celebrate the nativity of Christ, his coming among us; but also a time when we look ahead to his final coming as judge at the end of time.

The prologue to John’s gospel captures something of this great mystery. 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 of yours. At it’s climax, we read of the mystery of the Incarnation – ‘And the word became flesh and dwelt among us’ – sent to bring us, God’s children, back into relationship with Him.

We can’t see Jesus in the flesh, hear him teaching in Galilee or watch as he performs miracles. But, by the gift of the Holy Spirit, we can encounter Him through the scriptures, and in prayer. A great advent prayer is “Maranatha” – an Aramaic word – the language Jesus himself spoke. It means “Come, Lord Jesus”. It might be used as a mantra – repeated over and over again, rhythmically. A technique often referred to today as centering prayer.

The Benedictine monk John Main has been instrumental in restoring the practice of meditation and rhythm prayers to the mainstream of the church. Such an approach, he explains, allows “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.”

This tradition of prayer dates back to the time of the Desert Fathers, who developed a practice of repeating words or short sayings in order that that they may be written on their hearts and absorbed into the very depths of their being. The fact that anyone – whether a priest or lay person – could use this method of 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.

At this busy time, prayerful meditation on the coming of the Lord, silently reciting a word using the language of Jesus as we breathe, 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.’

Prayers

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

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

Thank you for listening to this week’s Start:Stop reflection. Do join us for our special services and events during Advent; details are on the church website www.ststephenwalbrook.net.

I hope you have a wonderful week.


Image : Come, Lord Jesus by Salvador Dali, 1964-1967
(A longer version of this reflection was given in December 2019. See this link)