Brother Lawrence

Date of Birth: 1614

Zodiac Sign: Unknown

Date of Death: February 12, 1691

Biography

Brother Lawrence, born Nicolas Herman in 1614 in the region of Lorraine, France, was a lay brother in the Carmelite monastery in Paris. Renowned for his deep spirituality and simple yet profound approach to Christian life, Brother Lawrence is best known for his work “The Practice of the Presence of God,” a collection of his teachings and letters compiled by his friends after his death. He entered the Carmelite Order in Paris as a lay brother after a profound spiritual experience during his teenage years. Despite serving in mundane roles such as kitchen aide and sandal repairer, Brother Lawrence’s humble and devout life attracted many seeking spiritual guidance. His teachings emphasized the importance of continually living in God’s presence, transforming even the most ordinary tasks into acts of divine worship.

5 Interesting Facts about Brother Lawrence

1. Brother Lawrence joined the Carmelite Order in Paris around the age of 24.

2. Despite having no formal education in theology, his insights into spirituality have been influential for centuries.

3. He developed his spiritual practice after experiencing a vision of a barren tree in winter, which taught him about God’s providence.

4. His writings were compiled posthumously by Joseph de Beaufort, a fellow cleric.

5. Brother Lawrence’s work has been translated into multiple languages and remains a spiritual classic.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Brother Lawrence

1. “The time of business does not with me differ from the time of prayer; and in the noise and clatter of my kitchen, while several persons are at the same time calling for different things, I possess God in as great tranquility as if I were upon my knees at the Blessed Sacrament.”

2. “We ought not to be 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.”

3. “We should establish ourselves in a sense of God’s presence by continually conversing with Him.”

4. “There is not in the world a kind of life more sweet and delightful than that of a continual conversation with God.”

5. “When he had once well digested these things, he found himself in a great measure eased of his uneasiness, and said to me, that all bodily mortification and other exercises are useless, but as they serve to arrive at the union with God by love.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

Brother Lawrence, being a humble lay brother in a monastic order, did not amass personal wealth. His legacy, however, is immeasurable in spiritual terms.