Pastor finds inspiration in Brother Lawrence





Whether caring for family, going to work or running errands, life can sometimes feel monotonous.

It can be easy for people to lose sight of the fact that God is part of their lives, especially when it feels like everything has become all-too-routine, said Charlie Maloney, pastor of Camarillo Christian Church.

“I think one of the key questions people struggle with is, ‘Why am I on planet Earth?’” Maloney said. “I think if people are honest with themselves, we all struggle with the question ‘Does my life have meaning?’ in the middle of a Monday afternoon when we are pressed upon with a thousand details that seem to be meaningless.”

Maloney said one book in particular reminds him that God is always present. He said he reads “The Practice of the Presence of God” every few years to be “spiritually refreshed and refocused.”

The book’s author, Brother Lawrence, was a 17th century monk born Nicolas Herman in what is now eastern France.

He joined the army as a young man and fought in the Thirty Years’ War before ultimately joining the Discalced Carmelite Priory in Paris.

Despite his lowly status— he was an uneducated kitchen hand—Brother Lawrence became known for his spiritual wisdom and sensitivity to the presence of God in everyday life.

His letters were compiled into a book after his death in 1691.

Maloney first read the book when he was in college.

“A couple of my good friends and I liked to look for spiritual growth resources that were a little bit outside the mainstream,” he said. “We happened upon that classic, and at the time it crystallized the Christian life for me.”

Maloney described Brother Lawrence as a man who was “truly content with God and had total peace with his soul.”

“In spite of his humble occupations, he became known for his deep spiritual peace and contentment, living each moment of his life in the very presence of God,” Maloney said. “He discovered if God is present in all aspects of life, then every activity and moment of life takes on a sacredness.

“Thus, he could proclaim that his work in the kitchen cooking and cleaning was as God-honoring as when he received and served the sacraments.”

Maloney said Brother Lawrence shows that the Christian faith extends beyond sitting in church.

“It’s not a compartmentalized life where you’re Christian on Sunday or Christian on Wednesday,” he said. “God is present in every part of life and every event of life, so that makes all of life a time of sacred worship.”

Maloney said he finds comfort in knowing he is not alone and that God is working out his will through him.

“The idea of having that kind of ongoing awareness of the presence of God is, many times, what brings me some sanity and spiritual hope when I feel frustrated or have self-doubt or feel like what I’m doing may not matter much to others,” he said.



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