Caspar David Friedrich, Monk by the Sea, c1809
Why do we need to “practice the presence of God” when we know
that God is with us at all times?
The
answer to that question lies at the heart of four conversations with and
fifteen letters by Brother Lawrence, a lay brother of the Discalced Carmelite
Order who lived in France in the seventeenth century and were published
posthumously, becoming a spiritual classic.
The conversations
were recorded by the Abbé Joseph de Beaufort during the summer and autumn of
1666 when Brother Lawrence was 55, by which time he had become a sort of
spiritual celebrity, known for his simple, down to earth approach to faith and
a commitment to putting God above all else. After the death of Brother Lawrence,
Beaufort collected what letters he could find and published these, with his conversations,
in the form of a two-part book, placing each element in chronological order. All
but one of the letters appear to be to religious women who had written to him
asking for advice on spiritual and practical matters; one letter is addressed
to a priest. They all date from later in Brother Lawrence’s life, the final
letter in the collection was written just a week before his death.
It is clear from the letters that he preferred to show his spirituality by
example, rather than in the written word. In his first letter he instructs the
recipient to show its contents to nobody else – perhaps realising that everyone’s
relationship with God is different? But subsequent
letters go on to give broad advice on how to practice the Presence of God.
Why do we need to practice the ‘Presence of God’?
Because
although we know that God is with us at all times and in all places, we don’t
act like it. In his fourth letter, Brother Lawrence explains that we need to: “break
down the bank which hinders” the flow of God’s ‘torrent’ of love. He explains that he found alternative “methods of going
to God” in different books “puzzling” rather than helpful (First Letter) and
describes himself as “not finding my manner of life in books” (Second Letter).
Instead of guidance from literature, Brother Lawrence draws inspiration from
the natural world and ordinary, every-day encounters. We learn of a
formative experience in his youth when he saw a great leafless tree standing against
the snow and he realised that by spring the tree would be flourishing and in
leaf again as a result of God’s awesome creative power.
In his
tenth letter he suggests we consider God’s presence as a great friend, visiting
us eternally. We would find it extremely rude to ignore one of our friends; why
then would we ignore God?
“You would think it rude to leave a friend alone who came to visit you: why
then must God be neglected? Do not forget Him, but think on him often, adore
Him continually, live and die with Him; this is the glorious employment of a
Christian; in a word, this is our profession; if we do not know it we must
learn it.” (Tenth Letter)
How do we practice the ‘Presence of God?’
Brother Lawrence’s approach is simple; we do so by entering into continual
conversation with God.
“speaking to Him frankly and plainly, and imploring His
assistance in our affairs just as they happen.” (First Conversation)
An activity
which requires no special knowledge or preparation but only a heart (and will) resolutely
determined to love God for His sake. (Third Conversation).
The
conversation is silent and secret, not spoken out loud;
“I keep myself by a simple attention and general fond regard to
God, which I may call an actual presence of God; or, to speak better, an
habitual, silent and secret conversation of the soul with God.” (Second Letter)
As God is like a friend who is always with us, we must be in
continual conversation with Him to be fully present to his presence. This means
each and every part of our day is sanctified; every mundane thing we do is a
gesture of prayer; we do everything for God’s sake, not for our own:
“Our sanctification [does] not depend upon changing our works, but in doing
that for God’s sake which we commonly do for our own.
“The time of business does not with me differ from the time of prayer, and in
the noise and clutter of my kitchen, while several persons are at the same
time calling for different things, I possess God in as great tranquillity
as if I were upon my knees at the Blessed Sacrament.” (Fourth Conversation)
Although admitted to the order as a Lay Brother (a secular
appointment, usually of men who could perform skills of particular use to the
community) Brother Lawrence comes across as a bit work-shy if the reports
in the first few ‘conversations’ are anything to go by. These describe his ‘disquiet’
at running errands on behalf of the Order and spending fifteen years working in
the kitchen, before ill health meant he spent the rest of his time there making
and repairing sandals. Before entering the Order, when he was known by the name
Nicholas Herman, he worked as a footman. In the first conversation we learn
that he was clumsy and broke everything during his employment. But it is possible
that his clumsiness arose from injuries sustained during his youth as a member
of the army fighting in the Thirty Years’ War. The lasting effects on his physical
– and perhaps also his mental – health are never spoken of directly in either
the conversations or in the letters; but knowing of the possibility of these
puts his references to pain and suffering (including his advice to a soldier,
in the third letter) into a new light. Who knows what physical and mental scars
Brother Lawrence bore?
How do we continually talk to God? What happens if we get distracted?
Brother Lawrence explains that for ten years or so after entering the
Order, his thoughts in prayer were constantly troubled by images of hell,
judgement, of sin. He came to realise that this ‘disquiet’ was caused by his
lack of faith or confidence in God’s love for him – he had allowed his sins to come
between him and God.
He advises us not to dwell on the distraction of our sins but to confess
them and trust in God’s pardon of them. Then to move on. This is a spirituality
of the present moment, not one that encourages reflection about the past. In the
Third Conversation he suggests that too many people get caught up in “penances
and particular exercises” to purge themselves of past baggage. In doing so they
focus their prayers on the means and not the end.
In order to avoid distraction when it comes to being in the Presence of
God, we should seek to avoid distraction in all things – to be disciplined and
focussed even and especially on mundane tasks – to do them as well as we can,
for God’s sake. Prayers at the start and end of each task and before each meal can
help. Before undertaking a task, Brother Lawrence would pray:
“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."
When he had completed a task he
would examine how he had done. If successfully completed, he would give thanks
to God – if not, he would ask God for pardon; but would not dwell on his
failure.
If we do
find our mind wandering, we should not unduly worry.
“The least little remembrance will always be acceptable to Him.
You need not cry loud, he is nearer to us than we are aware of.” (Seventh Letter)
And we should not concern ourselves if we do not stick to the same thought or word
in prayer. Variety is helpful;
“Do not always scrupulously confine yourself to certain rules or
particular forms of devotion, but act with a general confidence in God, with
love and humility.” (Seventh
Letter)
Sanctifying every moment means every place is sacred. We don’t need a special
place from which to pray;
“It is
not necessary for being with God to be always at church; we may make an oratory
of our heart wherein to retire from time to time, to converse with Him in
meekness, humility and love. Everyone is capable of such familiar conversation
with God.” (Seventh Letter)
The final letters, written
shortly before his death, focus on the distraction of pain and suffering.
Brother Lawrence advises not to pray to God to take away these burdens – they have
been given to us for a reason – but to pray for strength to endure them.
In the fourteenth letter, he explains that to enjoy
the peace of paradise we must:
“accustom ourselves to a familiar, humble, affectionate conversation with
Him: we must hinder our spirits wandering from Him upon any occasion: we must
make our heart a spiritual temple wherein to adore Him incessantly: we must
watch continually over ourselves, that we may not do, not say, nor think
anything that may displease Him. When our minds are thus employed about God,
suffering will become full of unction and consolation.”
The fifteenth, and final letter,
leaves us with the assurance;
“If we do
what we can on our parts, we shall soon see that change wrought in us which we
aspire after. I cannot thank Him sufficiently for the relaxation He has vouchsafed
you. I hope from His mercy the favour to see Him within a few days. Let us pray
for one another.”
Image : Caspar
David Friedrich, Monk by the Sea, c1809 (Tate Gallery)
Links : See also this recent post on The Cloud of Unknowing.
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