“Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.”- Romans 12:3 “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable- if anything is excellent or […]
Two years after publishing his Eulogy of Brother Lawrence, the Abbe de Beaufort wrote a memoir in which he commented on Brother Lawrence’s life and spirituality. The Abbe often quoted Brother Lawrence directly, since he immediately wrote down his accounts of their conversations. In one such conversation, Brother Lawrence opined that God is perfectly capable […]
Brother Lawrence describes 4 benefits of practicing the presence of God in the sixth and last of his Spiritual Maxims. He observes that practicing the presence of God: 1. Develops a vibrant, living, and active faith that permeates every aspect of our lives, especially in our particular areas of need. Brother Lawrence goes on to […]
The third of Brother Lawrence’s Spiritual Maxims discusses 3 kinds of spiritual union- habitual, virtual, and actual (accomplished in the present). 1. Habitual union– We are united to God by grace. 2. Virtual union– Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we have started to unite ourselves with God, but remain united with Him only as […]
In the second of his Spiritual Maxims, Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection (that’s his full name) lists 3 ways to worship God in spirit and in truth: 1. When we worship God in spirit and in truth we are worshipping God as we ought to worship Him. Our “humble and true spiritual adoration” resides in […]
Brother Lawrence continues with Practices 4-6 for living in the presence of God, taken from his Spiritual Maxims. 4. It is beneficial to stop for a brief moment, as often as is practical to do so, to “adore God deep within our hearts and take pleasure in Him.” Brother Lawrence notes that when we inwardly […]
Brother Lawrence left few effects upon his death. Among them was a manuscript entitled Spiritual Maxims. In his first maxim, Brother Lawrence discusses 6 practices necessary to acquire the spiritual life. The first 3 practices are covered here. 1. Brother Lawrence first defines what it means to practice the presence of God: “To practice the […]
When my cousin Paul Dahlke and I were around 20 years old, our families gathered for an Easter Sunday dinner at my parents’ home. Following the meal, Paul and I decided to shoot baskets at a playground court a block away. We had just started shooting when two strangers arrived. Convinced that Paul and I were […]
In a letter written June 1, 1682, Brother Lawrence notes that Christians sometimes become content with so little, even though God’s infinite treasures are available: “God has infinite treasures to give us. Yet a little tangible devotion, which passes away in a moment, satisfies us. How blind we are, since in this way we tie […]
At the time Brother Lawrence took his monastic vows, his soul was afflicted with great internal suffering. The Abbe of Beaufort pointed out that one reason for this suffering was God’s process of purification. As painful as the situation was for Brother Lawrence, the Abbe noted that God often uses such situations to test His […]
The Practice of the Presence of God begins with the Eulogy delivered by the Abbe of Beaufort on the occasion of Brother Lawrence’s death. In his address, he cites Brother Lawrence as an example of one who retained in himself the fruits of the spirit, yet transmitted that spirit to others and caused that spirit […]
As the Foreword to The Practice of the Presence of God indicates, the book is not by Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection (1611-1691). Rather, it is a compilation by a teacher of the church in Brother Lawrence’s day. The compilation consists of Lawrence’s letters and spiritual maxims as well as conversations with him. The writer […]