May 20, 2025
As we mentioned in our previous post, Br Lawrence’s book is actually a compilation of some letters (sixteen in all), some fragments of meditations (spiritual maxims), and some recollections of conversations that Joseph de Beaufort had with Brother Lawrence. It is these Conversations, Letters, and Spiritual Maxims that comprise the book all have come to know as, The Practice of the Presence of God.
For Brother Lawrence and the rest of us, the ultimate goal is union with God “accomplished,” if you will, through practicing the art of the Presence of God. One might reasonably question the reference to a soul somehow “achieving” by strictly their own doing this continual “conversation” or abiding Presence of God. It always has to be noted that words such as “achieves” and “accomplishes” in this context need to be qualified and understood appropriately. As the spiritual writings of the great mystics teach us — especially those of St. Bonaventure, St. Teresa of Avila, and St. John of the Cross — so too does Brother Lawrence concede that you will find few persons who actually attain this perfected Presence of God in the spiritual life; that is, what is commonly called infused contemplation or what is known as mystical contemplation. Still, some theologians, such as our dearly departed Fr. Thomas Dubay, S.M., contend that the writings of various Doctors of the Church and other great saints support the notion that this high form of prayer is actually accessible to each and every soul. In this pure (mystical) contemplation, God Himself becomes the sole agent; acquired or achieved contemplation involves prayer by which the individual must cooperate with God’s action on the soul. For Brother Lawrence, “pure mystical contemplation” is the fruit of grace which God only grants to certain souls. Naturally, since this “simple gaze” is a gift freely bestowed — by Him and through Him alone — we in fact don’t somehow “earn” or “achieve” it. However, Brother Lawrence gives great hope, simple directions, and consolation to all souls when he tells us that God usually gives gifts of prayer to those souls who are disposed in that direction. And if God chooses not to give it, one can at least, with the help of ordinary grace, attain/achieve a state of prayer which very closely approaches this “simple gaze.” (What St. Teresa of Avila refers to as Acquired contemplation; known also as prayer of simplicity, active contemplation, etc… Recognized as a distinctly lower stage of prayer than pure mystical contemplation, the highest of mountains.)
When discussing the “way” of acquiring the presence of God, Brother Lawrence follows a way not unlike those of the “Two Theresa’s” — St. Teresa of Avila and St. Therese of Lisieux. Case in point: On her deathbed, St. Theres of Lisieux was asked what, after her death, she would most desire to teach all souls who turned to her. She said at once that she would help them to embark on, “the way of spiritual childhood, the path of confidence and complete abandon.” In a letter to her oldest sister, Marie (Sister Marie of the Sacred Heart), she tells her that the only path which leads to the Divine Furnace of Jesus’ love is, “the complete abandonment of a baby sleeping without fear in its father’s arms… all He wants is complete surrender and gratitude.” The whole purpose of St. Therese’s “Little Way,” as with Brother Lawrence’s “Practice of the Presence of God,” is to convince the soul that, within the ordinary advancement of one’s personal mental prayer, they can become holy by abandoning themselves without the slightest reserve to God’s Divine Will. Both “Ways” refer to a necessary abandonment or total surrender to God’s Providence — His Divine Will. In addition, Brother Lawrence spoke often in conversations with Abbe’ Joseph de Beaufort of the need for the soul to, in utter and complete faith, continually converse with God at all times. This quite obviously involves renouncing — once and for all — everything that we know that does not lead to God (sin and vice) so that we might accustom ourselves to a continual conversation with Him. It is in this continual “conversation” that we are likewise unceasingly engaged in praising, adoring, and loving God for His goodness and perfection. From an excerpt from his “First Conversation,” Brother Lawrence clearly encourages all souls to completely abandon themselves to God’s Divine Will. This idea is recounted as follows:
“Surrendering ourselves in things temporal and in things spiritual, entirely and with complete abandonment to God and take our happiness in doing as He wills… we should establish ourselves in the presence of God by continually talking to Him…”
St. Teresa of Avila affirms these practices espoused by Brother Lawrence in a comparable way, that is, in a refreshingly practical, nonacademic approach. The champion of Carmelite spirituality had this to say about prayer:
“In my opinion, prayer is noting else but friendly conversation, frequently talking alone with Him whom we know loves us… as soon as we know that He wills a thing, we subject our entire will to it…”
Brother Lawrence, as well as the “Two Theresa’s,” stress that not only in times formally set aside for prayer must this “conversation” with God be carried out; but, most importantly, also in the midst of all our daily activities however menial they might be for us. So, for the overwhelming majority of us, it is in the mundane and often monotonous daily duties of life that we attain contemplative satisfaction, happiness, and finally, peace. For Brother Lawrence, the holiest, most common and most necessary practice in the spiritual life for all souls is this practical attention to the presence of God. How? Simply by speaking humbly and talking lovingly with Him at all times, at every single moment without strident systematic rules, and especially in times of spiritual trials, spiritual warfare, or desolation. Only then, immersed within the depths of these unending “conversations,” will the soul be able to discover the power which will enable it to abandon itself fully to the Divine will of Father God.
Reflections on Brother Lawrence’s works are widely varied and numerous. This is but one. Some may wonder while fastidiously paging through complex theological texts and elaborate instructions on various forms, methods, and stages of prayer by countless spiritual writers, how exactly such sanctity could possibly have been so easy for him? Well, eventually we will come to realize that for Brother Lawrence it actually wasn’t always easy, but it was always simple. What he may have lacked in profundity, he more than makes up for in clarity. Clearly, even for the saints, the spiritual life is a journey and an often trying and laborious one at that; however, Brother Lawrence’s simple, humble wisdom make what appears to be unobtainable — that is, deep union with God — in reality, distinctly accessible to all. And for that, we can unite and peacefully agree by simply saying, “thank you Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection.”