Brother Lawrence

Blog Post #103

Brother Lawrence, a 17th-century Carmelite monk, was best known for his continual communion with God which he called “practicing the presence of God.”

“He said that God had done him a singular favor one cold mid-winter day, when he came upon a tree stripped of its leaves and considering that within a little time the leaves would be renewed, and after that the flowers and fruit would appear, he received a high view of the providence and power of God which has never been effaced from his soul.”

All excerpts are from The Practice of the Presence of God, a compilation of Brother Lawrence’s life, conversations and counsel. Brother Lawrence’s loving relationship with God and his awareness of God’s presence is what prayer writing aims to cultivate.

“The time of business does not with me differ from the time of prayer, and in the noise and clatter of my kitchen, while several persons are at the same time calling for different things, I possess God in as great tranquility as if I were on my knees at the blessed sacrament.”

(Image above: Dye rinsed off once the orange details were waxed.)

Brother Lawrence on Practicing the Presence of God

“He convinced his mind of, and impressed deeply upon his heart, the Divine Existence, exercising himself in the knowledge and love of God, resolving to use his utmost endeavor to live in a continual sense of His presence.
“I apply my mind carefully, even in the midst of my business, to the presence of God whom I considered always with me… I walk before God, simply, in faith, with humility and with love, and I apply myself diligently to do nothing or think nothing that may displease Him.
“Full of mercy and goodness, God, very far from chastising me, embraces me with love, makes me eat at His table, serves me with His own hands. He converses and delights Himself with me incessantly, treating me in all respects as His favorite. Thus I consider myself in His holy presence.
“It’s a great delusion to think that times of prayer ought to differ from other times.
As he proceeded in his work he continued his familiar conversation with his Maker, imploring His grace, and offering to Him all his actions.

“O my God, since Thou art with me and I must now, in obedience to Thy commands, apply my mind to these outward things, I beseech Thee to grant me the grace to continue in Thy presence; and to this end prosper me with Thy assistance, receive all my works, and possess all my affections.”

By often repeating, it becomes habitual, and the presence of God rendered as it were natural to us.
“We should not wonder, if in the beginning we often failed in our endeavors, but that at last we should gain a habit, which will naturally produce its acts in us without our care and to our exceeding great delight.”

(Image above: Pysanka dyed pink.)

Brother Lawrence’s Concept of God

"The most holy and necessary practice in our spiritual life is the presence of God. That means finding constant pleasure in His divine company, speaking humbly and lovingly with Him in all seasons, without limiting the conversation in any way.
"There is not in the world a kind of life more sweet and delightful, than that of a continual conversation with God; those only can comprehend it who practice and experience it.
“We have a God who is infinitely gracious and knows all about our wants. He will come in His own time, and when you least expect it.
“He told God he did not deserve His favors, feeling the pains of past shortcomings, but God still continued to bestow them in abundance.
“My only prayer practice is attention. I carry on a habitual, silent, and secret conversation with God that fills me with overwhelming joy.”

(Image above: Pysanka dyed violet blue.)

Brother Lawrence’s Concept of Soul

“Presenting myself before God, I desire Him to form His perfect image in my soul and make me entirely like Himself.
“I cannot imagine how religious persons can live satisfied without the practice of the presence of God. For my part I keep myself with Him, deeply centered in my soul; while I am so with Him, I fear nothing.
“We should fix ourselves firmly in the presence of God by conversing all the time with Him and feed our soul with a lofty conception of God and from that derive great joy in being His.
“The world appears very little to a soul that contemplates the greatness of God.
“At any moment and in any circumstance, the soul that seeks the companionship of God may find Him.
“If the vessel of our soul is still tossed with winds and storms, let us awake the Lord, who reposes in it, and He will quickly calm the sea.”

(Image above: Wax being removed.)

Brother Lawrence on Surrender

“Useless thoughts spoil all; that the mischief begins there; but we ought to reject them as soon as we perceived their impertinence to the matter at hand, or our salvation, and return to our communion with God.
When sometimes he had not thought of God for a good while, he did not disquiet himself for it; but, after having acknowledged it to God, he returned to Him with much greater trust in Him… Trouble and disquiet serve rather to distract the mind than to recollect it.
"Do not be discouraged by the resistance you will encounter from your human nature; in the beginning, you will think that you are wasting time, but you must go on, be determined and persevere in spite all the difficulties.
“He accustomed himself to do everything for the love of God, and with prayer, upon all occasions for His grace to do his work well, he had found everything easy.
“He found the shortest way straight to Him was by a continual exercise of love and doing things for His sake, only endeavoring to love Him with all of his heart.”

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Divine Spirit,

May the divinity of my soul manifest in my thoughts, in my words, in my feelings, in all that I do. Made in Thine image: I am light! I am love! I am peace! I am joy! I am Thine!

Amen

Ukrainian folklore characterizes pysanky as a symbolic, talismanic writing that invokes a higher Universal Power for help, while believing with faithful certainty that It will. The contemporary version of this characterization is a paper-and-pen journaling practice called prayer writing that develops a personal relationship with God.