[3] In the Latin Church, the word "Maranatha" has been used as a solemn formula of excommunication (alongside "anathema").
If the Aramaic words are divided differently (Maran atha, "Our Lord has come"), it becomes a credal declaration.
The former interpretation is supported by what appears to be a Greek equivalent of this acclamation in Book of Revelation 22:20 "Amen.
"Based on the teachings of John Cassian, John Main recommended the recitation of Maranatha as "the ideal Christian mantra", meaning "Come Lord", repeated silently interiorly as four equally stressed syllables Ma-ra-na-tha: "Not only is this one of the most ancient Christian prayers, in the language Jesus spoke, but it also has a harmonic quality that helps to bring the mind to silence.
Other words or short phrases could be used but he saw it as important that during the meditation one doesn't think about the meaning or use the imagination.