A Friar in the Kitchen: Practicing the Presence of God with Brother Lawrence

These days there are a plethora of books on topics such as ordinary mysticism or finding God in everyday life, and they all owe a huge debt of gratitude to the one who started the trend in the mid-17th century: Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection, who was born into humble circumstances in Herimenil, Lorraine, in 1614. Assigned to cook and wash pots and pans in the kitchen of a monastery just outside Paris at the age of 28, Brother Lawrence regularly stopped working for a moment throughout the day and, despite the many hardships he suffered, continually lifted his heart to God in thankfulness for his life and its many blessings.

In this three-hour retreat, we will learn how Brother Lawrence drew ever closer to God and his fellow friars by worshiping and welcoming the Divine presence at every opportunity–at work, and even during corporate prayer. The spiritual maxims and letters in his bestselling little book, The Practice of the Presence of God, provide a template for how we too might walk in his discalced footsteps almost five centuries later.

Meet the Presenter
The Rev. Tim Grayson’s contemplative journey began in his early twenties when he took a course in Transcendental Meditation. An Episcopal priest, he has had a lifelong interest in Christian mysticism and has practiced Centering Prayer for 14 years. As well as serving on the coordinating committee of COMW, Tim is a board member of Listening Hearts Ministries and enjoys leading retreats for both organizations.