Introduction: At the time of de Beaufort's interviews, Brother Lawrence
was in his late fifties. Joseph de Beaufort later commented that the
crippled brother, who was then in charge of the upkeep of over one
hundred pairs of sandals, was "rough in appearance but gentle in grace".
First Conversation: The first time I saw Brother Lawrence was upon
the 3rd of August, 1666. He told me that God had done him a singular
favor in his conversion at the age of eighteen. During that winter,
upon seeing a tree stripped of its leaves and considering that within a
little time the leaves would be renewed and after that the flowers and
fruit appear, Brother Lawrence received a high view of the Providence
and Power of God which has never since been effaced from his soul. This
view had perfectly set him loose from the world and kindled in him such
a love for God, that he could not tell whether it had increased in the
forty years that he had lived since.
Brother Lawrence said he had been footman to M. Fieubert, the treasurer,
and that he was a great awkward fellow who broke everything. He finally
decided to enter a monastery thinking that he would there be made to
smart for his awkwardness and the faults he would commit, and so he would
sacrifice his life with its pleasures to God. But Brother Lawrence said
that God had surprised him because he met with nothing but satisfaction
in that state.
Brother Lawrence related that we should establish ourselves in a sense
of God's Presence by continually conversing with Him. It was a shameful
thing to quit His conversation to think of trifles and fooleries. We
should feed and nourish our souls with high notions of God which would
yield us great joy in being devoted to Him.
He said we ought to quicken and enliven our faith. It was lamentable we
had so little. Instead of taking faith for the rule of their conduct,
men amused themselves with trivial devotions which changed daily. He said
that faith was sufficient to bring us to a high degree of perfection. We
ought to give ourselves up to God with regard both to things temporal
and spiritual and seek our satisfaction only in the fulfilling of His
will. Whether God led us by suffering or by consolation all would be
equal to a soul truly resigned.
He said we need fidelity in those disruptions in the ebb and flow of
prayer when God tries our love to Him. This was the time for a complete
act of resignation, whereof one act alone could greatly promote our
spiritual advancement.
He said that as far as the miseries and sins he heard of daily in the
world, he was so far from wondering at them, that, on the contrary, he was
surprised there were not more considering the malice sinners were capable
of. For his part, he prayed for them. But knowing that God could remedy
the mischief they did when He pleased, he gave himself no further trouble.
Brother Lawrence said to arrive at such resignation as God requires, we
should carefully watch over all the passions that mingle in spiritual as
well as temporal things. God would give light concerning those passions
to those who truly desire to serve Him.
At the end of this first conversation Brother Lawrence said that if
my purpose for the visit was to sincerely discuss how to serve God,
I might come to him as often as I pleased and without any fear of being
troublesome. If this was not the case, then I ought visit him no more.
Second Conversation: Brother Lawrence told me he had always been governed
by love without selfish views. Since he resolved to make the love of God
the end of all his actions, he had found reasons to be well satisfied
with his method. He was pleased when he could take up a straw from the
ground for the love of God, seeking Him only, and nothing else, not even
His gifts.
He said he had been long troubled in mind from a certain belief that
he should be damned. All the men in the world could not have persuaded
him to the contrary. This trouble of mind had lasted four years during
which time he had suffered much.
Finally he reasoned: I did not engage in a religious life but for the
love of God. I have endeavored to act only for Him. Whatever becomes
of me, whether I be lost or saved, I will always continue to act purely
for the love of God. I shall have this good at least that till death I
shall have done all that is in me to love Him. From that time on Brother
Lawrence lived his life in perfect liberty and continual joy. He placed
his sins between himself and God to tell Him that he did not deserve
His favors yet God still continued to bestow them in abundance.
Brother Lawrence said that in order to form a habit of conversing with
God continually and referring all we do to Him, we must at first apply
to Him with some diligence. Then, after a little care, we would find
His love inwardly excite us to it without any difficulty.
He expected after the pleasant days God had given him, he would have
his turn of pain and suffering. Yet he was not uneasy about it. Knowing
that, since he could do nothing of himself, God would not fail to give
him the strength to bear them.
When an occasion of practicing some virtue was offered, he addressed
himself to God saying, "Lord, I cannot do this unless Thou enablest
me". And then he received strength more than sufficient. When he had
failed in his duty, he only confessed his fault saying to God, "I shall
never do otherwise, if You leave me to myself. It is You who must hinder
my falling and mend what is amiss." Then, after this, he gave himself
no further uneasiness about it.
Brother Lawrence said we ought to act with God in the greatest simplicity,
speaking to Him frankly and plainly, and imploring His assistance in our
affairs just as they happen. God never failed to grant it, as Brother
Lawrence had often experienced.
He said he had been lately sent into Burgundy to buy the provision of
wine for the community. This was a very unwelcome task for him because he
had no turn for business and because he was lame and could not go about
the boat but by rolling himself over the casks. Yet he gave himself no
uneasiness about it, nor about the purchase of the wine. He said to God,
it was His business he was about, and that he afterwards found it very
well performed. He mentioned that it had turned out the same way the
year before when he was sent to Auvergne.
So, likewise, in his business in the kitchen (to which he had naturally
a great aversion), having accustomed himself to do everything there for
the love of God and asking for His grace to do his work well, he had
found everything easy during the fifteen years that he had been employed
there. He was very pleased with the post he was now in. Yet he was as
ready to quit that as the former, since he tried to please God by doing
little things for the love of Him in any work he did. With him the set
times of prayer were not different from other times. He retired to pray
according to the directions of his superior, but he did not need such
retirement nor ask for it because his greatest business did not divert
him from God.
Since he knew his obligation to love God in all things, and as he
endeavored to do so, he had no need of a director to advise him, but he
greatly needed a confessor to absolve him. He said he was very sensible
of his faults but not discouraged by them. He confessed them to God and
made no excuses. Then, he peaceably resumed his usual practice of love
and adoration.
In his trouble of mind, Brother Lawrence had consulted no one. Knowing
only by the light of faith that God was present, he contented himself
with directing all his actions to Him. He did everything with a desire
to please Him and let what would come of it.
He said that useless thoughts spoil all - that the mischief began
there. We ought to reject them as soon as we perceived their impertinence
and return to our communion with God. In the beginning he had often passed
his time appointed for prayer in rejecting wandering thoughts and falling
right back into them. He could never regulate his devotion by certain
methods as some do. Nevertheless, at first he had meditated for some
time, but afterwards that went off in a manner that he could give no
account of. Brother Lawrence emphasized that all bodily mortifications
and other exercises are useless unless they serve to arrive at the union
with God by love. He had well considered this. He found that the shortest
way to go straight to God was by a continual exercise of love and doing
all things for His sake.
He noted that there was a great difference between the acts of the
intellect and those of the will. Acts of the intellect were comparatively
of little value. Acts of the will were all important. Our only business
was to love and delight ourselves in God. All possible kinds of
mortification, if they were void of the love of God, could not efface a
single sin. Instead, we ought, without anxiety, to expect the pardon of
our sins from the blood of Jesus Christ only endeavoring to love Him with
all our hearts. And he noted that God seemed to have granted the greatest
favors to the greatest sinners as more signal monuments of His mercy.
Brother Lawrence said the greatest pains or pleasures of this world
were not to be compared with what he had experienced of both kinds in a
spiritual state. As a result he feared nothing, desiring only one thing
of God - that he might not offend Him. He said he carried no guilt. "When
I fail in my duty, I readily acknowledge it, saying, I am used to do
so. I shall never do otherwise if I am left to myself. If I fail not,
then I give God thanks acknowledging that it comes from Him."
Third Conversation: Brother Lawrence told me that the foundation of
the spiritual life in him had been a high notion and esteem of God in
faith. When he had once well established his faith he had no other care
but to reject every other thought so he might perform all his actions for
the love of God. He said when sometimes he had not thought of God for a
good while he did not disquiet himself for it. Having acknowledged his
wretchedness to God, he simply returned to Him with so much the greater
trust in Him.
He said the trust we put in God honors Him much and draws down great
graces. Also, that it was impossible not only that God should deceive
but that He should long let a soul suffer which is perfectly resigned
to Him and resolved to endure everything for His sake.
Brother Lawrence often experienced the ready succors of Divine Grace. And
because of his experience of grace, when he had business to do, he did
not think of it beforehand. When it was time to do it, he found in God, as
in a clear mirror, all that was fit for him to do. When outward business
diverted him a little from the thought of God a fresh remembrance coming
from God invested his soul and so inflamed and transported him that it was
difficult for him to contain himself. He said he was more united to God in
his outward employments than when he left them for devotion in retirement.
Brother Lawrence said that the worst that could happen to him was to
lose that sense of God which he had enjoyed so long. Yet the goodness
of God assured him He would not forsake him utterly and that He would
give him strength to bear whatever evil He permitted to happen to him.
Brother Lawrence, therefore, said he feared nothing. He had no occasion to
consult with anybody about his state. In the past, when he had attempted
to do it, he had always come away more perplexed. Since Brother Lawrence
was ready to lay down his life for the love of God, he had no apprehension
of danger.
He said that perfect resignation to God was a sure way to heaven, a
way in which we have always sufficient light for our conduct. In the
beginning of the spiritual life we ought to be faithful in doing our
duty and denying ourselves and then, after a time, unspeakable pleasures
followed. In difficulties we need only have recourse to Jesus Christ
and beg His grace with which everything became easy.
Brother Lawrence said that many do not advance in the Christian progress
because they stick in penances and particular exercises while they neglect
the love of God which is the end. This appeared plainly by their works and
was the reason why we see so little solid virtue. He said there needed
neither art nor science for going to God, but only a heart resolutely
determined to apply itself to nothing but Him and to love Him only.
Fourth Conversation: Brother Lawrence spoke with great openness of heart
concerning his manner of going to God whereof some part is related
already. He told me that all consists in one hearty renunciation of
everything which we are sensible does not lead to God. We might accustom
ourselves to a continual conversation with Him with freedom and in
simplicity. We need only to recognize God intimately present with us
and address ourselves to Him every moment. We need to beg His assistance
for knowing His will in things doubtful and for rightly performing those
which we plainly see He requires of us, offering them to Him before we
do them, and giving Him thanks when we have completed them.
In our conversation with God we should also engage in praising,
adoring, and loving Him incessantly for His infinite goodness and
perfection. Without being discouraged on account of our sins, we should
pray for His grace with a perfect confidence, as relying upon the
infinite merits of our Lord. Brother Lawrence said that God never failed
offering us His grace at each action. It never failed except when Brother
Lawrence's thoughts had wandered from a sense of God's Presence, or he
forgot to ask His assistance. He said that God always gave us light in
our doubts, when we had no other design but to please Him.
Our sanctification did not depend upon changing our works. Instead,
it depended on doing that for God's sake which we commonly do for our
own. He thought it was lamentable to see how many people mistook the means
for the end, addicting themselves to certain works which they performed
very imperfectly by reason of their human or selfish regards. The most
excellent method he had found for going to God was that of doing our
common business without any view of pleasing men but purely for the love
of God.
Brother Lawrence felt it was a great delusion to think that the times
of prayer ought to differ from other times. We are as strictly obliged
to adhere to God by action in the time of action, as by prayer in its
season. His own prayer was nothing else but a sense of the presence
of God, his soul being at that time insensible to everything but
Divine Love. When the appointed times of prayer were past, he found no
difference, because he still continued with God, praising and blessing
Him with all his might. Thus he passed his life in continual joy. Yet
he hoped that God would give him somewhat to suffer when he grew stronger.
Brother Lawrence said we ought, once and for all, heartily put our
whole trust in God, and make a total surrender of ourselves to Him,
secure that He would not deceive us. We ought not weary of doing little
things for the love of God, who regards not the greatness of the work,
but the love with which it is performed. We should not wonder if, in
the beginning, we often failed in our endeavors, but that at last we
should gain a habit which will naturally produce its acts in us without
our care and to our exceeding great delight.
The whole substance of religion was faith, hope, and charity. In the
practice of these we become united to the will of God. Everything else
is indifferent and to be used as a means that we may arrive at our end
and then be swallowed up by faith and charity. All things are possible
to him who believes. They are less difficult to him who hopes. They are
more easy to him who loves, and still more easy to him who perseveres
in the practice of these three virtues. The end we ought to propose to
ourselves is to become, in this life, the most perfect worshippers of
God we can possibly be, and as we hope to be through all eternity.
We must, from time to time, honestly consider and thoroughly
examine ourselves. We will, then, realize that we are worthy of great
contempt. Brother Lawrence noted that when we directly confront ourselves
in this manner, we will understand why we are subject to all kinds of
misery and problems. We will realize why we are subject to changes and
fluctuations in our health, mental outlook, and dispositions. And we will,
indeed, recognize that we deserve all the pain and labors God sends to
humble us.
After this, we should not wonder that troubles, temptations, oppositions,
and contradictions happen to us from men. We ought, on the contrary, to
submit ourselves to them and bear them as long as God pleases as things
highly advantageous to us. The greater perfection a soul aspires after,
the more dependent it is upon Divine Grace.
Being questioned by one of his own community (to whom he was obliged to
open himself) by what means he had attained such an habitual sense of God,
Brother Lawrence told him that, since his first coming to the monastery,
he had considered God as the end of all his thoughts and desires, as
the mark to which they should tend, and in which they should terminate.
He noted that in the beginning of his novitiate he spent the hours
appointed for private prayer in thinking of God so as to convince his
mind and impress deeply upon his heart the Divine existence. He did this
by devout sentiments and submission to the lights of faith, rather than
by studied reasonings and elaborate meditations. By this short and sure
method he exercised himself in the knowledge and love of God, resolving
to use his utmost endeavor to live in a continual sense of His Presence,
and, if possible, never to forget Him more.
When he had thus, in prayer, filled his mind with great sentiments of that
Infinite Being, he went to his work appointed in the kitchen (for he was
then cook for the community). There having first considered severally the
things his office required, and when and how each thing was to be done,
he spent all the intervals of his time, both before and after his work,
in prayer.
When he began his business, he said to God with a filial trust in Him,
"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." As he proceeded in his work, he continued his familiar
conversation with his Maker, imploring His grace, and offering to Him
all his actions.
When he had finished, he examined himself how he had discharged his
duty. If he found well, he returned thanks to God. If otherwise, he
asked pardon and, without being discouraged, he set his mind right
again. He then continued his exercise of the presence of God as if he
had never deviated from it. "Thus," said he, "by rising after my falls,
and by frequently renewed acts of faith and love, I am come to a state
wherein it would be as difficult for me not to think of God as it was
at first to accustom myself to it."
As Brother Lawrence had found such an advantage in walking in the presence
of God, it was natural for him to recommend it earnestly to others. More
strikingly, his example was a stronger inducement than any arguments he
could propose. His very countenance was edifying with such a sweet and
calm devotion appearing that he could not but affect the beholders.
It was observed, that in the greatest hurry of business in the kitchen,
he still preserved his recollection and heavenly-mindedness. He was
never hasty nor loitering, but did each thing in its season with an
even uninterrupted composure and tranquillity of spirit. "The time of
business," said he, "does not with me differ from the time of prayer. 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 Supper."