Opening Words and Prayer for Meditation

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At the beginning and end of group meditation we say a short prayer, this prayer is the one practiced by the World Community for Christian meditation to open the time of meditation. At certain times other prayers may be preferred or more suitable.

Maranatha: As we prepare ourselves for our prayer mantra let us, contemplate the words of the Psalmist as we sit in the stillness of whatever this never ending present moment brings to us….“Be still and know that I am God” 46:10

With eyes closed gently Chant  ‘Maranatha’ in four sylabals( Ma-ra-na-tha) which means ‘Come Lord’ in Aramaic- the original language of Jesus and early Christians, Meditation will last 25 minutes. Mediation will start and end at the sound of the bell.

Opening Prayer by Dom John Main, adapted for Romsey Abbey

“Heavenly Father, as we sit together in this sacred space we ask that you open our hearts to the silent presence of the spirit of your Son. Lead us into that mysterious silence where your love is revealed to all who call, ‘Maranatha…Come, Lord Jesus’.”

The mantra ‘maranatha’ that was John Main’s preferred recommendation to people beginning meditation is the oldest Christian prayer (it means ‘come, Lord’), in Aramaic, the language of Jesus, used by St Paul at the end of the First Letter to the Corinthians (16:22) and found in the earliest Christian liturgies.