PRACTICING GOD’S PRESENCE
The time of business does not with me differ from the time of prayer.—Brother Lawrence
Brother Lawrence prepared meals and washed dishes for the monastery. It was not an exalted task, but he believed that Christ can transform even the most commonplace and menial undertakings into living hymns for his glory. Brother Lawrence did not view daily chores as distractions from a life of devotion to God, but rather as a means to exercise it. His prayer, before he began work in the kitchen was this:
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.
—The Practice of the Presence of God, Brother Lawrence
‘The time of business,’ Brother Lawrence said, ‘does not with me differ from the time of prayer, and in the noise and clatter of the kitchen, while several persons are are at the same time calling for different things, I possess God in as great tranquility as if I were upon my knees at the blessed sacrament.’
The presence of God and the life of the spirit do not cease when we leave our Bibles and our prayers. Purpose this day to deliver each task to God as an act of worship. Do not belittle the simple acts of washing a plate or dusting a shelf or stirring a sauce; do not begrudge a child’s interruptions of your prayer or Bible reading. These are not interruptions from worship; when done as to God, they are worship. In this way we can serve and honor him.
• The sacred is often encountered in the mundane. These lovely carnations—creamy, ruffled petals brightly fringed with cerise—are nestled together in a demitasse cup. •
August 30, 2013