Recently I had the joy of recalling back into my mind the wonderful book, written by the Carmelite lay friar, Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection (c. 1611 – 1691), in the 17th century, The Practice of the Presence of God. I greatly know in Spirit that this has not been a sheer coincidence. It was in fact God’s grace which led me to take it up and begin savouring it.
As we know, this famous book, which is also famous with the evangelical or reformed Christians, attracts alot of readers. To start with it is only 60 small pages. Furthermore I would venture to say that the subject matter of this book appeals very much to these brothers and sisters simply because it deals with finding God’s presence in our everyday lives. Obviously, Brother Lawrence is sharing with us his method of acquiring God’s presence. He himself tells us: That he had always been governed by love, without selfish views; and that having resolved to make the love of GOD the end of all his actions, he had found reasons to be well satisfied with his method. That he was pleased when he could take up a straw from the ground for the love of GOD, seeking Him only, and nothing else, not even His gifts.
From this stance, Brother Lawrence was adamant in loving God for his own sake and not from the benefits he would reap from him. Secondly, Brother Lawrence was also interested in relating to God as a friend. The more we relate to him the more we shall become accustomed to love Him from our heart. He writes: That in order to form a habit of conversing with GOD continually, and referring all we do to Him; we must at first apply to Him with some diligence: but that after a little care we should find His love inwardly excite us to it without any difficulty.
Walking within the Carmelite tradition, Brother Lawrence teaches us that all work is valuable to God and there is no need to succeed in great things to please Him. Both the priest and the normal labourer can be beneficial for God’s loving plan.
When one reads the book, one starts realizing that Brother’s Lawrence’s conversion to a deeper commitment towards God’s presence in his life took place when he was 18 years old. We find the following: …In the winter, seeing 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 appear, he received a high view of the Providence and Power of God, which has never since been effaced from his soul. It was at the age of 24 when Brother Lawrence did join the Order of Discalced Carmelites in Paris. He took the religious name of “Lawrence of the Resurrection”. Brother Lawrence remained a Discalced Carmelite till his last breath which occurred on 12 February 1691. He spent his time dedicating himself to God by cultivating a keen sensitivity to His presence in everyday life.
After giving a little introduction to the book it would be wise if we were to taste some of its life-giving passages. In front of God’s presence, Brother Lawrence feels little and undeserving to attain it. He confesses this to God and is not only pardoned but welcomed by an infinite love. He writes:
I regard myself as the most wretched of all men, stinking and covered with sores, and as one who has committed all sorts of crimes against his King. Overcome by remorse, I confess all my wickedness to Him, ask His pardon and abandon myself entirely to Him to do with as He will. But this King, filled with goodness and mercy, far from chastising me, lovingly embraces me, makes me eat at His table, serves me with His own hands, gives me the keys of His treasures and treats me as His favorite. He talks with me and is delighted with me in a thousand and one ways; He forgives me and relieves me of my principle bad habits without talking about them; I beg Him to make me according to His heart and always the more weak and despicable I see myself to be, the more beloved I am of God.
When he makes a direct experience of God’s love for him Brother Lawrence affirms with awe: I cannot imagine how religious persons can live satisfied without the practice of the presence of God. For my part I keep myself retired with Him in the depth of centre of my soul as much as I can; and while I am so with Him I fear nothing; but the least turning from Him is insupportable. Here Brother Lawrence is highlighting the fact that a real believer cannot live without God’s saving presence within himself and herself.
Another important rule for practicing God’s presence is the realization that, as Brother Lawrence put it, our only business in this life is to please God. Perhaps all besides is but folly and vanity. When we are in God we have the right perspective to life’s problems. He said: The difficulties of life do not have to be unbearable. It is the way we look at them – through faith or unbelief – that makes them seem so. We must be convinced that our Father is full of love for us and that He only permits trials to come our way for our own good. Here, Brother Lawrence is wonderfully reminding us of that famous Pauline text taken from the Letter to the Romans when we read: We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose(Rom 8:28).
Since God is the ultimate solution for our problems it is paramount to know, desire and love Him. His love will be with us in all the seasons of our life. Hence, Brother Lawrence gives us the following advice: Let us occupy ourselves entirely in knowing God. The more we know Him, the more we will desire to know Him. As love increases with knowledge, the more we know God, the more we will truly love Him. We will learn to love Him equally in times of distress or in times of great joy.
Brother Lawrence wonderfully harps on the vital importance of conversing with God always. He says: That we should establish ourselves in a sense of God’s Presence, by continually conversing with Him. That it was a shameful thing to quit His conversation, to think of trifles and fooleries. It is such conversation with God that would lead us to be more committed to Him thanks to the practice of the theological virtues of faith, hope and charity in our direct relationship with God. He comments: That all things are possible to him who believes, that they are less difficult to him who hopes, they are more easy to him who loves, and still more easy to him who perseveres in the practice of these three virtues.
Due to the essential relevance of God’s presence in our lives it is highly suggested that we are to think of God continually. Brother Lawrence tells us: Think often on God, by day, by night, in your business and even in your diversions. He is always near you and with you; leave him not alone. Moreover, from the mind we are to fix our gaze on God as well so that our conversation with Him is from the heart and not just a mental exercise. The great result of such a conversation is our complete abandonment in Him. Brother Lawrence tells us: We should fix ourselves firmly in the presence of God by conversing all the time with Him…we should feed our soul with a lofty conception of God and from that derive great joy in being his. We should put life in our faith. We should give ourselves utterly to God in pure abandonment, in temporal and spiritual matters alike, and find contentment in the doing of His will,whether he takes us through sufferings or consolations.
Abandonment in God’s will brings trust. It is such trust in God that can help us face our lives’ trials with joy and hope in God who is holding us in his hands as his beloved sons and daughters that we are. Brother Lawrence tells us: Along with this total abandonment must go a complete acceptance of God’s will with equanimity and resignation. No matter what troubles and ills come our way, they are to be willingly and indeed joyously endured since they come from God, and God knows what He is doing.
This trust must be unreserved with no thought of reward, but inevitably God will reward the person who so believes and endures with graces and treasures far beyond any sacrifices or offerings he or she has made since He is infinitely good. Also, God never tests us beyond our ability to endure and, as a matter of fact, bestows on us graces that will enable us to endure as we show our acceptance of whatever He sends our way.
This has been a modest sip into this wonderful book on mysticism and the art of prayer. More is there to be explored by those who want to delve deeper into it. Let us make our own Brother Lawrence’s prayer in his masterpiece The Practice of the Presence of God, to implore from God and offer Him all our 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 do thou prosper me with thy assistance, receive all my works, and possess all my affections. Amen.
