Most people are able to enter more fully into prayer if they take a little time to become more still.  At the beginning of each session’s prayer we will suggest a stillness exercise and lead you through it. Perhaps one will work better than others for you, so notice which helps most and perhaps use it subsequently. In this session, we will focus on stilling the mind. As you begin, become aware of the noises around you… perhaps you can hear traffic in the background, or the sounds of nature… maybe the hum of technology in your house or surroundings… Whatever you can hear, notice these noises, and let them go… Begin to focus on the simple, life-giving breath, given to you by God… draw your attention now to your inhale… and your exhale… remain settled like this for a few moments as you prepare to enter into prayer.

• Unlike the other gospel writers, John’s gospel does not mention the first Christmas: the angels proclaiming the good news, the shepherds, the Magi, the stable, Herod… Instead, John opens up with a profound statement about who Jesus was and where he came from. This opening describing how Jesus was with God from the beginning of time is perhaps too abstract. We may be more comfortable with the stories that relate to the birth of Jesus from one of the other Gospels.
  How does the language that John uses speak to you? Do you feel it easy to understand what he is saying about Jesus? It is only later in verse 17 that the name ‘Jesus’ is used… Why do you think that John chooses not to use Jesus’ name when he is talking about him in the opening to his gospel?
• John uses the term “the Word” three times within the first sentence. The Greek term that John uses for ‘the Word’ is Logos. It was a term very familiar to Greek philosophers at the time and was generally used to describe the principle of order that runs through all reality, changing that reality from chaos and brokenness into something that has meaning and direction.
  How does this idea fit in with your own lived experience of Jesus? When has Jesus taken the broken, the chaotic parts of your life and helped them become meaningful and healing for you instead? When has Jesus helped you be this healing presence for others? Think of those you have helped in this way – perhaps your family, friends, neighbours, and others who have crossed your path at different times… and hold them within you.
• What do you think is meant by “all things came into being through him”? Reflect on it in the light of what Saint Paul writes in the first chapter of Colossians: “For in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him.” (Colossians 1:16)
• The first week of Advent symbolizes Hope. By starting his gospel with “In the Beginning”, John wants to show how constant and unwavering God’s presence is in each one of our lives – and that any hope placed in Him will be fulfilled. What are some of your hopes for this Advent journey – for yourself, others, the world…?