PRAY WITHOUT CEASING – ABIDE IN JESUS

I started this piece yesterday as part of my preparation for leading the retreat in July. I will be leading a session demonstrating how to create these ribbons. So I started it and took photos along the way that will go on the handout.

The words ‘Pray without ceasing‘ were in that morning’s bible readings and in response to that my prayer was ‘may my life be full of prayer and the presence and peace of God’. So I decided that they would be written on the ribbons. It had started out with the short edge at the top (portrait) but I realised that the words would be easier to read the other way round (landscape).

I intended to see where my prayers took me when I coloured it etc. This morning’s gospel reading in church was from Jesus’ farewell talk to the disciples at the Last Supper – John 15:1-8. This familiar passage is where Jesus likens himself to a vine and we, his disciples as the branches. In order for us to produce fruit we need to stay attached. Or as he puts it, to abide in him as he abides in us. I thought about writing ‘Abide in Me‘ in one of the gaps between the ribbons, but when I got home I realised the spaces weren’t quite big enough. So after finishing painting the ribbons and tidying them up I wrote on them. I slightly altered the my prayer as I wrote PRAISE instead of PRAYER.

The words on the ribbons are:

PRAY WITHOUT CEASING
May my life be full of PRAISE and PRAYER and the PRESENCE and PEACE of GOD
ABIDE IN ME AS I ABIDE IN YOIU… APART FROM ME YOU CAN DO NOTHING
I AM THE TRUE VINE…. YOU ARE THE BRANCHES…. THOSE WHO ABIDE IN ME AND I IN THEM BEAR MUCH FRUIT

As I am no longer a vicar, but of course still a priest, I feel as though I am going through a season of pruning. I no longer lead congregations in worship and churches in mission. What is the fruit I am now bearing, and will bear in the future? Time will tell. For now, my aim is to abide in Jesus, and to continue blogging and developing as an artist.

Below is the picture I did for this Sunday’s readings in 2021. I wonder what I preached? If I feel it is still suitable I may publish it again.