[Faith-talk] Daily Thought for Thursday, April 24, 2014

[Paul]

Hello and good day to you all out there on this Thursday.  I hope that, by God's matchless grace and His providential care, that everything is going well for you.

Today we give you the second of seven spiritual maxims as found in the book "The Practice of the Presence of God" by Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection, translated from the French by Donald Attwater.  For those of you who can read French, I'd be glad to give you the two sources from which he translated this work into modern English, but just know that the two titles are somewhat lengthy, and thus would only do this privately.  Anyway the title of today's maxim is "Necessary Practices For Attaining the Spiritual Life," rendered as follows:

1.  The most holy, the most general and the most necessary practice in the spiritual life is the practice of the presence of God, whereby the soul finds her joy and contentment in His companionship, talking humbly and lovingly to Him always and at all times, without rule or system, but particularly in moments of temptation, of trouble of spiritual dryness, of revulsion, and especially when we fall into unfaithfulness and sin.

2.  We should try unceasingly to allow each one of our actions to become a moment of communion with God:  not a studied act, but just as it comes from purity and simplicity of heart.

3.  We must act recollectedly, not with that impetuosity and thoughtlessness that mark an undisciplined mind; and we must work quietly, calmly and lovingly before God, beseeching Him to accept our labours.  By such unceasing turning to God we shall crush the head of Satan and strike his weapons from his hands.

4.  During our work and other activities, during our spiritual reading or study, yes, even in our set devotions and vocal prayer, we ought to stop for a moment, as often as we can, in order to worship God in our hearts, to touch Him as it were by stealth as He passes.  Since you know that God is with you in all your actions, that He is at the very depth and centre of your soul, why not then pause an instant in your external occupations, and even in your prayers, to worship Him inwardly, to praise Him, to petition Him, to offer Him your heart and to thank Him?

What can be more pleasing to God than this quitting many times a day of material things, in order to withdraw within ourselves and worship Him? Furthermore, these moments of recollection little by little purge us of those things of sense, among which alone self-love can flourish.

Indeed, we can give God no more convincing evidence of our faithfulness than often to put aside and avoid the creature, that we may rejoice for one moment in the Creator.

I am not proposing to you to give up material things entirely; that is impossible.  Prudence, the queen of virtues, must be your guide.  Nevertheless, I maintain that it is a common mistake among religious people to neglect this periodical recollection in which they may worship God inwardly and enjoy for a few moments the peace of His holy presence.  The digression has been long, but no longer than I believe the matter to require; let us then return to our subject.

5.  All these acts of worship must be the fruit of faith.  We must believe that God is indeed within our hearts, and that we must worship, love and serve Him in spirit and in truth; that He knows all that happens or can happen among His creatures; that He is self-existent, while we depend entirely upon Him; that His infinite perfections are of such sovereign excellence and authority that we are required to put everything, ourselves, our souls and bodies at the disposition of His will now and for ever; that in justice we owe Him our thoughts, our words and our deeds.  Let us see that we act accordingly.

6.  We must diligently examine our conscience to find out of what virtues we are most in need, and which are the most difficult for us to acquire; and to learn our habitual sins and the occasions upon which we generally fall into them.  In times of temptation we should go straight to God with complete trust; remain recollected in His presence, humbly worshipping the divine majesty:  tell Him our woes and weaknesses:  lovingly beg for the aid of His grace; and we shall find in Him the strength that we ourselves lack.

And there you have words from a 17th-century classic work of Christian literature which I trust were a blessing to you.  It wouldn't be at all surprising to me that many of you didn't grasp what Brother Lawrence had to say, given the interveening several centures and our lifestyles.  However, I pray that something here was of some spiritual benefit to you individually, if not collectively.

And now may the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob just keep us safe, individually and collectively, in these last days in which we live.  Lord willing, tomorrow there will be yet another one of Brother Lawrence's spiritual maxims.  Your Christian friend and brother, Paul