Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection[1].Kb

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Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection

and the Practice of the Presence of God

Fr. Robert Hale, O.S.B. Cam.

The following paper was presented to the third annual Chan/Zen-CatholicDialogue in January of 2004 at the San Francisco Zen Center Fr !ale

"s a Ca#aldolese $enedictine #on% and &d'unct professor of Spirituality at theJesuit School of Theology of the (raduate Theological )nion* $er%eley

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Regarding the first part of the theme of this meeting, Transformation of

Hearts and Minds, Brother Laren!e of the Res"rre!tion o"ld propose that, for

a Christian, nothing !an more transform o"r li#es than the #er$ presen!e of %od,

if !ons!io"sl$ a!&noledged and re#eren!ed b$ "s in an e#er more !ontin"o"s

a$ thro"gh abiding in %od's presen!e in faith and lo#e.

The simple $et profo"nd tea!hing of this se#enteenth !ent"r$ (is!al!ed

Carmelite brother has been embra!ed b$ !o"ntless Christians thro"gh the

s"bse)"ent !ent"ries, and his pra!ti!e !ontin"es to en*o$ a ide appre!iation

toda$. +hat he tea!hes is also being dis!o#ered as a reso"r!e for the inter

religio"s dialog"e.-

Regarding the simpli!it$ of Brother Laren!e's tea!hing, the renoned

Catholi! spirit"al riter Fr. Henri o"en has ritten in his introd"!tion to the

/mage edition of The +ractice of the +resence of (od 0hereafter++(12

+hen / as e3posed to his tho"ghts for the first time the$ seemed simple,

e#en somehat na4#e and "nrealisti!5 b"t the deeper / entered into them andthe longer / refle!ted on them, the more / be!ame aare that BrotherLaren!e's ad#i!e to al& !onstantl$ in the presen!e of %od is not *"st a ni!eidea for a se#enteenth!ent"r$ mon& b"t a most important !hallenge to o"rpresentda$ life sit"ation.6

o"en himself goes on to s"ggest the transformati#e poer of this pra!ti!e2

One of the most stim"lating aspe!ts of this pre!io"s boo& is BrotherLaren!e's deep !on#i!tion that pra$er is not sa$ing pra$ers b"t a a$ ofli#ing in hi!h all e do be!omes pra$er7This simple b"t diffi!"lt a$ of

Brother Laren!e is indeed a great !hallenge for "s toda$. /t is a hard a$b"t a a$ orth folloing. /t is the a$ to %od.8

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o"en also notes that Laren!e's pra!ti!e doesn't hinder o"r personal

relations or red"!e the effi!a!$ of o"r or&, b"t rather deepens both. 9

(oroth$ (a$, on the front line of so!ial *"sti!e !ommitments, rites in her

#er$ appre!iati#e introd"!tion to another edition of ++(2

This boo&7is a !lassi!, and !arries a message, points a a$. /t tells of aspirit"alit$ hi!h is ithin the rea!h of all7+e need this boo& toda$ hen eare o#erhelmed b$ the #astness of toda$'s problems. +e need to ret"rn tothe simpli!it$ of a Brother Laren!e, hose :little a$' ma&es o"r b"rdenslight and re*oi!es the heart. ;

The spirit"al riter and ps$!hiatrist %erald Ma$, in his Forard to the

Criti!al


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Ma$ notes that this pra!ti!e is something that weare to do, $et it opens o"t to

/nfinitel$ greater reso"r!es that embra!e "s and !arr$ "s forard2

Brother Laren!e maintains that the pra!ti!e of the presen!e of %od is both

simple and eas$. =meri!ans ma$ agree that it is simple, b"t most of "s illnot find it so eas$. +e ill tend, as ith e#er$thing, to loo& at it as somethingto a!hie#e. +e ill see it in terms of s"!!ess or fail"re. +ith this #ie e illfind o"rsel#es fail"res and the pra!ti!e nearl$ impossible. +e need to loo& atit in Brother Laren!e's a$, as an endea#or re)"iring o"r sin!ere desire andearnest dedi!ation, b"t holl$ dependent "pon %od's gra!e. Then, e#en ino"r fail"res, e !ome ba!& to %od's presen!e, to %od's mer!$. +ith BrotherLaren!e, e !an sa$ to %od2 :/t's "p to $o".' ?

Brother Lawrences Sources

Born in Fren!h Lorraine in the earl$ $ears of the se#enteenth !ent"r$, i!olas

Herman learned Christian prin!iples from his simple parents, b"t re!ei#ed little or

no formal ed"!ation. He ent on to militar$ ser#i!e, then li#ed a period in

solit"de. =t the age of tent$si3 he entered the (is!al!ed Carmelite monaster$

in aris as la$ brother, !oo&ing and later repairing shoes for the large !omm"nit$.

Regarding his intelle!t"al and spirit"al formation there, Conrad (e Meester,

O.C.(., editor of the Criti!al


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ho is #er$ !lose to $o" hen He spea&s. /n s"m, bear in mind that $o" !an,if $o" ant, a#oid e#er ithdraing from s"!h good !ompan$7/f $o" !an,pra!ti!e this re!olle!tion often d"ring the da$7=s $o" be!ome a!!"stomed toit $o" ill e3perien!e the benefit, either sooner or later. On!e this re!olle!tionis gi#en b$ the Lord, $o" ill not e3!hange it for an$ treas"re. -@

Laren!e's des!ription of his so"l, after a dar& night period, as e3perien!ing a

deep inner pea!e, as if it had fo"nd its !enter and pla!e of rest, --#er$ m"!h

e!hoes the lang"age of >ohn of the Cross, as (e Meester points o"t5 -6so also

there are dire!t e!hoes of >ohn of the Cross in the basi! a$ Laren!e

des!ribes his on pra!ti!e2

/ &eep m$self in his presen!e b$ simple attenti#eness and a general lo#ingaareness of %od that / !all :a!t"al presen!e of %od' or better, a )"iet andse!ret !on#ersation of the so"l ith %od that is lasting. -8

That phrase general lo#ing aareness of %od, indi!ates that altho"gh

Laren!e ill ha#e a!!ess to parti!"lar images and models of %od in his attempt

to arti!"late his e3perien!e, he lo!&s himself into no parti!"lar a$ of

"nderstanding %od, sin!e his e3perien!e, li&e that of >ohn of the Cross, is at its

heart so radi!all$ apophati!. =nd this is the primar$ so"r!e of Laren!e's

spirit"alit$2 his on ineffable e3perien!e.

Th"s Laren!e is not *"st ma&ing things "p5 the pra!ti!e he proposes he

also has li#ed, o#er the de!ades, and in an e#er more ongoing a$. =nd it is also

s"stained and !onfirmed b$ the e3perien!e and tea!hing of the to fo"nders of

his order, both do!tors of the Ch"r!h. Thro"gh them espe!iall$, his pra!ti!e is

rooted in the earlier !ontemplati#e heritage of Christianit$, ba!& to S!ript"re itself.

Th"s it is not s"rprising that indire!t referen!es to S!ript"re !an be fo"nd

thro"gho"t ++(.Certainl$ the themes of abiding in %od, of !onstant pra$er, and

of see&ing %od's presen!e in an ongoing a$ o!!"r reg"larl$ in S!ript"re. -9

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The Editing of Lawrences Writings and Conversations

/t needs to be noted that Brother Laren!e did not dire!tl$ rite the boo&

++( Rather his biographer and editor, Mons. >oseph de Bea"fort, #i!ar general

and theologian to the ar!hbishop of aris, gathered si3teen of Laren!e's letters,

and some of his ma3ims, along ith the s"mmaries Bea"fort had ritten of fo"r

of his on !on#ersations ith Laren!e. Bea"ford also added his on e"log$

and biograph$ and other se!tions to fill o"t ++(. Th"s o"r !onta!t ith Laren!e

is mediated b$ the or& of this theologian of the ar!hbishop. To hat e3tent

might Bea"fort ha#e polished or modified the tho"ght of the simple la$ brother

(e Meester a!&noledges that there might ha#e been some theologi!al

embellishing and personal elaborations, b"t he notes that Bea"fort had fre)"ent

!onta!ts ith Brother Laren!e o#er a period of thirt$fi#e $ears.-;(e Meester

!on!l"des2

/n an$ !ase, there is no reason to do"bt that he GBea"fort maintainedLaren!e's line of tho"ght.


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=!&noledging the spe!ifi! a"dien!e of o"r ChanJKenCatholi! (ialog"e

gro"p, / shall periodi!all$ and briefl$ raise a fe )"estions abo"t possible

resonan!es and !ontrasts beteen Laren!e's pra!ti!e and ChanJKen pra!ti!es,

b"t lea#e an$ f"rther e3ploration of possible parallels, differen!es et!. to the real

e3perts present.

The Practicalit of Lawrences Teaching

Laren!e did not rite his letters, or engage in !on#ersations ith

Bea"fort and others, in order to promote a!ademi! dis)"isitions or theoreti!al

debates. Rather, his sole !on!ern as itnessing to a pra!ti!e that he ished

others tr"l$ to pra!ti!e. The eminent Msgr. and theologian Bea"fort, #i!ar of the

ar!hbishop of aris, re!ords ith admirable fidelit$ and h"milit$ Laren!e's

almost gr"ff and r"de !omments to him in their #er$ first !on#ersation2

GHe said that in order to arri#e at selfabandonment to %od to the e3tent thathe illed, e m"st at!h o#er all the mo#ements of the so"l, sin!e it !an

be!ome entangled in spirit"al things as ell as in the most base. %od gi#esthe ne!essar$ light to those ho ha#e the tr"e desire to be ith him, and thatif / had this intention / !o"ld as& to see him hene#er / anted itho"t fear ofbothering him, and if not, / o"ght not !ome to see him at all. -A

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& possi,le reflection uestion for this #eeting. "s there a resonance ,etween the

ery practical approach of $rother awrence and that of currents of

Chan/Zen1

The Pri!ac of This "ethodless "ethod

Laren!e does not hold ba!& in proposing the spirit"al effi!a!$ and poer of his

pra!ti!e, as ell as its simpli!it$2

The holiest, most ordinar$, and most ne!essar$ pra!ti!e of the spirit"al life isthat of the presen!e of %od. /t is to ta&e delight in and be!ome a!!"stomed tohis di#ine !ompan$, spea&ing h"mbl$ and !on#ersing ith him all the time, at

e#er$ moment, itho"t r"le or meas"re, espe!iall$ in times of temptation,s"ffering, aridit$, eariness, e#en infidelit$ and sin. +e m"st !ontin"all$ appl$o"rsel#es so that all o"r a!tions, itho"t e3!eption, be!ome a &ind of brief!on#ersation ith %od, not in a !ontri#ed manner b"t !oming from the p"rit$and simpli!it$ of o"r hearts.-?

/t is e#ident from the abo#e, emphati! passage that Laren!e does not fa#or a

hole series of !ompli!ated spirit"al pra!ti!es5 rather, he "rges a dis!iplined

fo!"sing on the one pra!ti!e, or more immediatel$, on the abiding presen!e of

%od.

Laren!e's pra!ti!e is th"s radi!all$ simple5 (e Meester !hara!teriIes it

as the methodless method. -ELaren!e himself "rges that the ongoing

!omm"nion ith %od be itho"t r"le or meas"re not in a !ontri#ed manner. 6@

hat #ight ,e Chan/Zen reactions to the si#plicity and focus of this practice1

Precepts and the Pri!ac of Love

The topi! of o"r ChanJKenCatholi! meeting this $ear in!l"des the theme of the

pre!epts. These !an m"ltipl$ in some of o"r traditions, and generate pra!ti!es

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that !an be!ome rather !ompli!ated. B"t >es"s s"mmed "p all the la and the

prophets in the tofold !ommandment of lo#e.6-For Brother Laren!e, in a

similar a$, e#er$thing in the spirit"al life ants to be s"mmed "p in lo#e. =nd

this lo#e is en!o"ntered in m"t"al presen!e%od's lo#ing presen!e to "s, o"r

responding presen!e to %od. Th"s Laren!e states in a !on#ersation

re!orded b$ Bea"fort2

=ll penan!es and other e3er!ises ser#e onl$ as a means to rea!h "nion ith%od b$ lo#e. On!e he had !onsidered this !aref"ll$, he realiIed it as shorterto go straight there b$ an e3er!ise of !ontin"al lo#e, b$ doing e#er$thing forthe lo#e of %odD

GHe said that the a!tions of the "nderstanding are #er$ different from those ofthe ill, for the former amo"nted to little, hile the latter ere e#er$thing. Onl$lo#ing and re*oi!ing ith %od tr"l$ matter.


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#ar$ %ight& Then 'o

%i#en those s!r"p"lo"s, an3io"s times, Brother Laren!e had beg"n his

spirit"al *o"rne$ in pain and dar&ness, and ith a more dis!"rsi#e form of pra$er

!on!erned ith the last things2

("ring the first $ears / ordinaril$ tho"ght abo"t death, *"dgement, hell, paradise,and m$ sins hen / pra$ed. / !ontin"ed in this fashion for a fe $ears. 69

His meditation periods spent in this a$ did not bring him great serenit$ or

transformation of heart and mind. Th"s Bea"fort reports of one !on#ersation ith

Laren!e2

/n the beginning he had often spent the hole period of mental pra$er fightingoff tho"ghts and falling into them again. He as ne#er able to pra$ b$ r"lesli&e others, he o"ld meditate Gdis!"rsi#el$ for a hile in the beginning b"tafterards he did not &no ho it ent, and it o"ld be impossible for him toe3plain it.68

Laren!e himself rites of this period of ang"ish2

/ ill admit that d"ring the first ten $ears / s"ffered a great deal. Theapprehension that / did not belong to %od as / ished, m$ past sins ala$sbefore m$ e$es, and the la#ish gra!es %od ga#e me, ere the s"m and

s"bstan!e of all m$ oes7/t seemed to me that all !reat"res, reason, and%od himself ere against me, and that faith alone as on m$ side. 69

(e Meester notes regarding this abo#e passage that it e!hoes dire!tl$ some of

the things that >ohn of the Cross rites abo"t the dar& night of the senses and of

the spirit.6;+illiam >ohnston, S.>., ho has ritten e3tensi#el$ regarding the

KenChristian dialog"e,6arg"es that a Christian conte#platieis one ho

e3perien!es a deep sense of (i#ine resen!e5 b"t be$ond that, a Christian

#ystic is one ho has also *o"rne$ed thro"gh the p"rifi!ation of the dar& nights. 6A

/n terms of >ohnston's definitions, Laren!e as both a !ontemplati#e and a

m$sti!.

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B"t Laren!e's resol"te fo!"s on %od's presen!e bro"ght him o"t of

ang"ish and dar&ness into a *o$ that as perd"ring, and reg"larl$ of great

intensit$2

/ ga#e "p all de#otions and pra$ers that ere not re)"ired and / de#otedm$self e3!l"si#el$ to remaining ala$s in his hol$ presen!e. / &eep m$self inhis presen!e b$ simple attenti#eness and a general lo#ing aareness of %odthat / !all :a!t"al presen!e of %od' or better, a )"iet and se!ret !on#ersationof the so"l ith %od that is lasting. This sometimes res"lts in interior, andoften e3terior, !ontentment and *o$s so great that / ha#e to perform !hildisha!ts, appearing more li&e foll$ than de#otion, to !ontrol them and &eep themfrom shoing o"tardl$.6?

Certainl$ his fo!"sed pra!ti!e effe!ted an amaIing transformation of his on

mind and heart, draing him o"t of deep ang"ish and fear into

s"perab"ndant happiness. He e3pressed his e3perien!e of %od as of a

trans!endent &ing, b"t also of a tender lo#er, indeed, of a no"rishing mother2

/ as& him pardon and abandon m$self into his hands so he !an do ith me ashe pleases. Far from !hastising me, this ing, f"ll of goodness and mer!$,lo#ingl$ embra!es me, seats me at his table, aits on me himself, gi#es methe &e$s to his treas"res, and treats me in all things as his fa#orite5 he!on#erses ith me and ta&es delight in me in !o"ntless a$s, itho"t e#erspea&ing of forgi#eness or ta&ing aa$ m$ pre#io"s fa"lts. =ltho"gh / beg himto fashion me a!!ording to his heart, / see m$self still ea&er and miserable,$et e#er more !aressed b$ %od7M$ most t$pi!al approa!h is this simpleattenti#eness and general lo#ing aareness of %od, from hi!h / deri#egreater seetness and satisfa!tion than an infant re!ei#es from his mother'sbreast. Therefore, if / ma$ dare "se the e3pression, / o"ld gladl$ !all thisstate the :breasts of %od' be!a"se of the indes!ribable seetness / taste ande3perien!e there.6E

=nd elsehere he rites e#identl$ of himself to a re#ered n"n2

No" ill see that his prin!iple !on!ern thro"gho"t the more than fort$ $earshe has been in religio"s life has been ala$s to be ith %od, and to do, sa$,or thin& nothing that !o"ld displease him. He has no other interest than thep"re lo#e of %od ho deser#es infinitel$ more besides. He is no soa!!"stomed to this di#ine presen!e that he re!ei#es !onstant help in e#er$sit"ation. His so"l has been en*o$ing !ontin"al inner !onsolations for abo"tthirt$ $ears. Sometimes the$ are so intense he is for!ed to do !hildish thingsin order to !ontrol them and &eep them from shoing o"tardl$7These

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e3perien!es ma&e him so !ertain that %od is ala$s in the depths of his so"l,that he has no do"bts abo"t it, no matter hat he ma$ do or hat ma$happen. >"dge for $o"rself, Re#erend Mother, ho great is the !ontentmentand satisfa!tion he en*o$s. Constantl$ per!ei#ing so great a treas"re ithinhimself, he has no an3iet$ abo"t finding nor an$ abo"t see&ing it5 it is

!ompletel$ a!!essible, and he is free to ma&e "se of it as he pleases7Let "sprofit from the e3ample and sentiments of this friar, little &non in the orldb"t &non and !aressed b$ %od.8@

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!ow does awrence6s e7perience resonate with so#e Chan/Zen descriptions of

enlighten#ent1

A Practice for All

Brother Laren!e as a simple la$ brother, and he rote also for the lait$

in the orld. He ne#er !on!ei#ed of his pra!ti!e as e3!l"si#el$ the domain of an$

spirit"al elite, for an$ spe!ial !loister. He rites to a la$ oman2 +e do not

ala$s ha#e to be in !h"r!h to be ith %od. +e !an ma&e of o"r hearts an

orator$.8-or does the pra!ti!e pres"ppose great san!tit$, f"ll master$ of all the

pre!epts. Laren!e notes2 %od seems to !hoose the orst sinners to gi#e the

greatest gra!es, rather than those ho remain inno!ent, be!a"se that shos his

mer!$ more. 86

%erald Ma$, as e ha#e noted earlier, praises this simpli!it$ and

"ni#ersalit$ of Laren!e's spirit"alit$, hi!h !orresponds, Ma$ feels, to the heart

of Christian spirit"alit$ as s"!h2

/t is the simple essen!e of li#ing, mo#ing, and ha#ing o"r being in %od ine#er$ present moment, here#er e find o"rsel#es, hate#er e are doing7The "ni#ersalit$ of his appeal is e3traordinar$, b"t it is d"e in large part to the#er$ ordinariness he ta"ght. %od is a#ailable in ordinar$ life, in the!ommonest pla!es and most m"ndane a!ti#ities.88

Similarl$ (e Meesters notes that Laren!e proposes a demo!ratiIation and

"ni#ersaliIation of the sear!h for %od. 89(oroth$ (a$ ma&es the same point,

lin&ing the pra!ti!e in a spe!ial a$ to or&ers, and draing the parallel ith

simple mindf"lness2

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This boo&7tells of a spirit"alit$ hi!h is ithin the rea!h of all. Most men andomen ha#e to or& for a li#ing. = philosopher on!e said :(o hat $o" aredoing'that is, pa$ attention to hat $o" are doing. Brother Laren!eob#io"sl$ had no boo&s in his &it!hen, to st"d$ a$s of finding %od7Certainl$ there as little time for the delightf"l o!!"pation of readingabo"t

pra$er7there is no mention of boo&s in Brother Laren!e's reported!on#ersations and letters. His serenit$, his simpli!it$ is that of the pra$er>es"s Christ ta"ght "s. :=s& and $o" shall re!ei#e. See& and $o" shall find.'8;

hat would currents of Chan/Zen respond to the a,oe passage ,y Dorothy

Day1 Does it resonate in any way with Chan/Zen #indfulness1hat

would Chan/Zen currents say regarding the references to (od in the

a,oe passage* in other Christian co##entaries on ++(* and in $rother

awrence6s writings and conersations1 89

Conclusion

Brother Laren!e proposes a #er$ basi! spirit"al pra!ti!e that he feels fo!"ses

all the pre!epts into the simple, ongoing !ommitment to lo#e %od, lo#ingl$

present e#er$here and in e#er$ moment, and in m$sterio"s a$s, a pra!ti!e

that !an tr"l$ transform o"r minds and hearts. Brother Laren!e's approa!h

perhaps offers parti!"lar reso"r!es and !hallenges for the ChanJKenChristian

dialog"e.

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%otes

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1See for instance Conrad De Meester, OCD, General ntrod!ction" in #rot$er %a&rence of t$e 'es!rrection, The Practice

of the Presence of God, Critical (dition, trans) Sal*atore Sci!r+a, OCD -as$in.ton D)C)/ nstit!te of Carelite St!dies,

1994, iiff) $is aer &ill !tilie for all its !otations fro #rot$er %a&rence t$is edition of The Practice of thePresence of God$ereafterPPG) Soe feel t$at t$e star silicit ofPPGrecoends it for t$e interreli.io!s dialo.!e)

See, for instance t$e notes of (ler :) Do!.las in $is The Kitchen Saint and the Heritage of Islam ;e& en so!rce?one &orin. &it$ Do.en, t$e ot$er &it$ Visuddhimagga: The

Path of Purification.

2:enri ;o!&en, @or&ard" in #rot$er %a&rence of t$e 'es!rrection, The Practice of the Presence of God;e&

Aor/a.e, 1977, ) 10)

3+id), ) 12)

4+id), ) 11)

5Dorot$ Da, ntrod!ction, #rot$er %a&rence of t$e 'es!rrection, The Practice of the Presence of God,

llinois/ ele.ate, 1974, ) 7, 19)

6Gerald Ma, @or&ard," to t$ePPGCritical (dition, i)

7+id), )

8+id), i)

9De Meester, o) cit), i, ii)

10eresa of B*ila, The Collected Works, *ol) -as$in.ton D)C)/ nstit!te of Carelite St!dies, 1980, ) 14849)

11#rot$er %a&rence,PPGCritical (dition, ) 531

12De Meester,PPG,Critical (dition, n) 5, ) 5556)

13#rot$er %a&rence, o) cit) @or t$e references to

in C$rist


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1

18PPG,Critical (dition, ) 36)2

20PPG,) 36)2

22PPG,) 94)2

23+id), ) 91)2

25+id, ) 55, n) 4)2

26See for instance $is The irror ind: $en%Christian -ialogue ;e& Aor/ @ord$a, 1990 also $is The Still Point:

*eflections on $en and Christian sticism ;e& Aor/ :arer, 1970 also $is Christian $en ;e& Aor/ :arer, 1971)2

27-illia

Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection[1].Kb

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