This month’s book is  The “Little Way” of Spiritual Childhood by Fr. Gabriel Martin, a French priest and close confidant of St. Therese's family. He also gave the homilies for both her beatification and her canonization. Fr. Martin's work, written just 26 years after St. Therese's passing, seeks to make accessible her teachings on  the “Little Way.” Topics will include:

Spiritual Childhood

Littleness and Weakness

Poverty

Confidence in God

Love

Holy Abandonment

Zeal

Simplicity

In the Book’s concluding podcast, William Wilson summarizes the key teachings of Br. Lawrence: practicing the presence, abandonment, distractions, faith, suffering & sickness, and more. William also previews next month’s book.

As we draw nearer to the end of B’r. Lawrence’s life, we witness a man who embraces suffering as a sacred call, transforming pain into a vehicle for divine love. He reflects on his singular desire: to suffer for the love of God. In a remarkable testament to his faith, he chooses to endure the agony of illness with a spirit of gratitude. Even when he experiences sharp, debilitating pain, his fervor for God remains undiminished. He appreciates suffering, stating, “My only uneasiness is that I do not suffer,” demonstrating an extraordinary alignment of his will with the Divine.

The episode further uncovers the physical tribulations that Nicolas faced, particularly his battles with gout and other debilitating illnesses. His acceptance of suffering is shown as he engages in conversations with his physician, revealing his unique perspective on life and death. He notably expressed a poignant sentiment: "Ah, sir, your remedies succeed too well. You have delayed my happiness," demonstrating his longing for divine union over the prolongation of earthly existence. In a world often grappling with the fear of death, Nicolas's attitude serves as a testament to faith’s capacity to empower and reassure.

Brother Lawrence's profound faith anchored his spiritual journey. It was this faith that kindled a burning desire within him to seek God above all, leading him to perceive created things as trivial in comparison to divine love. This faith transcended mere intellectual assent and deepened his reverence for holy mysteries, particularly for the sacrament of the altar, where the unseen presence of Christ reigns.

Hope, a vital offshoot of his faith, cultivated in Brother Lawrence a radical trust in God’s mercy and providence. With unwavering confidence, he embraced life's uncertainties, leaning not on his strength but wholly on divine support. In moments of trial, he embodies resilience, drawing strength from his belief that God’s grace is sufficient for every challenge.

Lastly, charity emerges as the crown of his virtues, transforming his heart into a vessel of divine love. Brother Lawrence’s love for God was pure and disinterested; his motivations were rooted not in a desire for reward or fear of punishment but in a genuine yearning for God’s glory. Even in the throes of his final illness, his spirit remains free—a testament to his total abandonment to the Divine will.

Throughout this episode, you will hear about Br. Lawrence’s physical suffering—a painful ulcer on his leg that led to his temporary removal from the kitchen where he had worked diligently for thirty years. But rather than seeing this as a setback, Br. Lawrence viewed this shift in his assignment as an opportunity to deepen his relationship with God.

Brother Lawrence struggled during the early years of his religious life, a span where sorrow and desolation marked his spiritual pursuits. He was said to have no true taste for prayer and experienced nights filled with anguish at the foot of the holy altar—where his faith remained his only support. This testament to fortitude resonates deeply, reminding us of the night faced by saints such as St. John of the Cross. In a pivotal moment, Br. Lawrence arrives at a resolution of total abandonment—his heart crystallizing around a singular goal: to remain affectionately united to the will of God, making this unwavering dedication his entirety.

For more on the theme of abandonment, check out camp.fm/abandonment.

William shares about uncovering a rare edition of Brother Lawrence's writings from 1727, a remarkable find considering it was only 36 years after his death. (Life of Nicolas Herman-1727)  It's a period marked by the Counter-Reformation under the reign of Louis XV, with the allure of religious fervor beginning to wane among the French nobility, giving way to the rationalism of the Enlightenment. Here, we witness the contrast in values, as Brother Lawrence’s emphasis on inner experience, simplicity, and faith stands in opposition to the intellectual coldness of his era.

The narrative introduces us to Nicholas Hermann, whose humble origins and upbringing provided him with a strong foundation of virtue and spiritual awareness. His story progresses from a soldier caught in the tides of conflict to a man of contemplative faith. Faced with existential threats and the chaos of warfare, his unwavering patience and tranquility shine as exemplars of true Christian character, ultimately leading him to abandon his military exploits for a higher calling. His acceptance of near-death experiences and imprisonment reveals a profound indifference to worldly fears, rooted in a well-formed conscience and a deep reliance on God’s omnipotence.

In the fourteenth letter, Brother Lawrence writes to express his deep concern for Rev. Mother’s prolonged suffering. He encourages her to shift her perspective, seeing her trials as divine tokens of God's love. Rather than seeking relief through human remedies, he advises her to wholly surrender her anguish into the hands of God, trusting that her resignation may bring her healing.

Moving to the fifteenth letter, Brother Lawrence shares his own experiences of intense suffering. He discloses that during his tribulations, rather than praying for relief, he sought the strength to endure his pain with grace and love. He reflects on the joy of suffering alongside God, suggesting that true paradise is found in communion with Him, even amidst trials.

In the sixteenth letter, Brother Lawrence explores the concept that everything God allows in our lives—both joys and sorrows—is for our ultimate good. He invites us to view our afflictions through the lens of God’s profound love, recognizing that understanding this love lessens the bitterness of our trials. He calls us to prioritize knowing God above all else, arguing that deepening this knowledge naturally leads to a more fervent love for Him, which transcends our circumstances.

Brother Lawrence begins his Eleventh Letter to Madame with a heartfelt note on the importance of trusting in God at all times. He emphasizes that confidence in God is essential, especially during moments of loss and suffering. The letter encourages Madame to view her reliance on God as a nurturing friendship, reassuring her that divine love is paramount above all earthly attachments.

Moving to the Twelfth Letter, Brother Lawrence shifts focus to the theme of suffering. He shares his deep conviction that, rather than seeking freedom from difficulties, one should seek patience and strength to endure them. His words reveal an understanding of suffering as a divine favor rather than merely a trial. He challenges the reader's perspective on illness and pain, urging them to accept these experiences as merciful gifts from God that lead to spiritual growth.

In the Thirteenth Letter, Br. Lawrence emphasizes the transformative power of God's presence in the face of pain. He posits that regular communion with God can alleviate the burdens of bodily afflictions and spiritual distress. He encourages faithful listeners to engage in constant conversation with God, even in their suffering, suggesting that such communication reinforces one's reliance on the Lord. Through faith, he suggests, we can access a profound peace that overshadows physical discomfort and emotional turmoil.