One of the joys of examining the lives of the saints is observing how their lives take twists and turns that lead them to the places they are ultimately called to serve. This is the case with both Brother Lawrence, whose life was forever transformed through his experience as a soldier, and Patrick, whose early years as a slave in a foreign country changed the trajectory of his life. Through simple faith and legendary acts, the lives of these two faithful servants of Jesus begin to shine through. And yet, only one will advance to the Saintly Sixteen.
Yesterday, in the biggest margin of victory of Lent Madness 2020 to date, Joseph trounced Joshua 73% to 27% to advance to the Saintly Sixteen, where he'll face the Biblical Elizabeth. None of this gets easier as we move ever closer to the awarding of the Golden Halo.
Time to vote!
Brother Lawrence
Brother Lawrence understands troubling times. Born into poverty in Lorraine, France, around 1614 as Nicholas Herman, he joined the Army during the Thirty Years War in search of regular food and sustenance. Unfortunately, he was spiritually and physically injured by the violence of the battle. It is said that Nicholas first experienced God while staring at a dormant tree in the middle of winter. In that moment, Nicholas realized that God was present and working even in things that appeared to be dead—himself included. His contemplation reawakened his spirit, and Nicholas realized that if God could work in that tree, then God could also work within him and in much of the mundane life around him. Thus, began a journey where Brother Lawrence found God in the simplest of things.
Following his injury, Nicholas joined an upper-class household to serve as a footman. Crippled and awkward, Nicholas reported that he was a clumsy servant, ill-suited to carrying things he was most likely to break. He yearned to be a part of a community in which he could contemplate God. Consequently, he joined the Discalced Carmelite Priory in Paris where he took the name of Brother Lawrence. There he continued to serve others and was often found in the scullery, cooking and doing dishes. During this time, he began to develop his maxims for mundane living, providing the foundation for his book, The Practice of the Presence of God. Brother Lawrence’s book teaches us that even the small things in life are opportunities to pay homage to our Maker.
Brother Lawrence’s contemporaries report that he had an unworldly knack for marrying activity and contemplation. It is said that toward the end of his life, Brother Lawrence achieved living as though it were only God and himself and all his activities solely focused on God.
Brother Lawrence calls us to find God in our chores, our routines, our moments of anger and frustration. Brother Lawrence knows the pain of mental and physical injury and that God is working in the boring, the painful, and the moments we wish we could rush through. Brother Lawrence calls each of us to be fully present with God in every moment, not just those we consider as spiritual. His feast day is January 11.
Collect for Brother Lawrence
Heavenly God, we give thanks for the life and teachings of Brother Lawrence who through his actions, deeds, and words has taught us to believe in and concentrate on God’s continual attention to us that through our growing awareness of God in all things that we may come to realize our dependence on God’s very personal and continuous presence. Amen.
Patrick
As a sixteen-year-old, Patrick herded sheep. He kept guard as the lambs gnawed clover from the field. Patrick took care of a lot of animals, watching for sickness, cleaning out muck, and gathering in wanderers. With all of that work, his forearms were more muscular than a few months before. He had outgrown his boyhood’s lanky frame and expanded into the body of a man.
Patrick changed in other ways as well. His heart pierced as he thought of his family and birthplace. Out in that space, Patrick felt the acute loss of all he loved. He could not escape the ache of his homesickness, and with no one else to turn to, he began to pray. A few months earlier, bandits had captured Patrick and stolen him from his home in Roman Britain. They had moved him to Ireland, where he became a slave. In his desperate captivity, without the distractions of friends or family, he began to rely on God. Patrick converted to Christianity, and his faith grew deep through his trials.
Six grueling years later, Patrick dreamed that a ship was ready for him. He escaped from his captors and returned home. While Patrick was in Britain, he continued to study Christianity and became a priest. Then Patrick had another dream. Someone delivered a letter to him with the heading, “The Voice of the Irish.” In it, the people of Ireland begged him to walk among them again. He felt deeply moved, but he also had nagging doubts about responding to the call. He didn’t have as much education as he wanted.
Though Patrick was not initially welcome in Ireland, he eventually settled in a place where his ministry flourished. He became a bishop, baptizing thousands of people and ordaining priests who started new churches. He encouraged wealthy women to become nuns and ministered to the royalty. His legends include driving snakes out of Ireland and raising thirty-three people from the dead.
Today, festivities abound in his honor on St. Patrick’s Day. In memory of the patron saint of Ireland, exuberant people parade and green beer flows. The most pervasive emblem harkens back to those grazing sheep. People pin clover to their chests, recalling how Patrick plucked the three-leafed plant from the field in order to illustrate the Trinity.
Collect for Patrick
Almighty God, in your providence you chose your servant Patrick to be the apostle to the Irish people, to bring those who were wandering in darkness and error to the true light and knowledge of you: Grant us so to walk in that way that we may come at last to the light of everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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196 comments on “Brother Lawrence vs. Patrick”
I just finished reading Bro Lawrence's book. How could I not vote for him!
Besides I have questions about Patrick's ministry in relation to the Druids.
I wish you’d say more about this.
my vote for Patrick!
I was feeling very much alone.
In reading the biographies I was drawn to voting for Lawrence, but I almost didn’t because I knew “everyone” would vote for Patrick. Yet, the feeling to vote for Lawrence was much stronger. Imagine my surprise to see Lawrence in an early vote lead. His story has been the story of my faith development.
Finding God in the dormant tree and service in mundane tasks—these ideas definitely led me to cast my vote for Lawrence
These are each great saints, and hard to choose from, but my heart belongs to Ireland, to the Celtic tradition... and especially that Patrick returned to the place of his imprisonment and evangelized the people who had once oppressed him. Romantically, I hear the Cry of the Deer much more than the cry of my pots and pans. (however, I did do my dishes last night!)
I'm with you
The lasting effect of transforming so many li es goes with me. The Irish in me holds tight
Yes, this has been my hardest choice to date. I loved all things Irish and the Celtic Christian tradition long before I understood why or really knew what they were. But I still say it's because I'm 12.5% Irish (also 12.5% Scottish, a bit English and more than 50% German—based on grandparents, not any DNA tests—to which I attribute all my inner turmoil and self-arguing)... but I digress...
I discovered the full story, depth and beauty of St. Patrick in seminary (thanks primarily to a paper on Celtic Art for my Theology and Arts class) whereas I'd only heard about Brother Lawrence in bits and pieces over the years but not with any significance until the past decade or so. And as much as I respect him and love and need to hear his words and learn for myself to be aware of and "practice" God's presence continually... well... I just can't shake my affinity for Patrick. (Besides, I figure he's likely to get overlooked BECAUSE he's more well known and all sorts of legends and tangential traditions now surround him.)
Yes, this has been my hardest choice to date. I loved all things Irish and the Celtic Christian tradition long before I understood why or really knew what they were. But I still say it’s because I’m 12.5% Irish (also 12.5% Scottish, a bit English and more than 50% German—based on grandparents, not any DNA tests—to which I attribute all my inner turmoil and self-arguing)… but I digress…
I discovered the full story, depth and beauty of St. Patrick in seminary (thanks primarily to a paper on Celtic Art for my Theology and Arts class) whereas I’d only heard about Brother Lawrence in bits and pieces over the years but not with any significance until the past decade or so. And as much as I respect him and love and need to hear his words and learn for myself to be aware of and “practice” God’s presence continually… well… I just can’t shake my affinity for Patrick. (Besides, I figure he’s likely to get overlooked BECAUSE he’s more well known and all sorts of legends and tangential traditions now surround him.)
Yes, the deer wins over pits and pans every time.
I celebrate St. Patrick's Day every year but I am celebrating Lawrence today. Lov the way he finds God in everydsy life especially trees.
I have been greatly influenced by the idea of practicing the presence of God in the ordinary and even mundane parts of life, plus the realization that God is present and working even in things that appear to be dead, so my vote went with Brother Lawrence today!
My vote goes to St. Patrick today. I can't think of a more Christ-like thing to do than to return to the people who enslaved you to bring them salvation.
Did not know of Brother Lawrence. One of his prayers starts "Lord of all the pots and pans" and my mother had that prayer hanging in the kitchen 50-60 years ago. I am in the same house so it remained. I am going to look more into his writings. Thank you for his nomination.
Time to read again Thomas Cahill's How The Irish Saved Civilization. Thanks for your part in this, St. Patrick. I think I'll skip the green beer next week, however.
I've been rereading the Sr. Fidelma series of books which start with the disastrous (for the
church and the world in general) decision at Whitby. The I rush way of live was so much more civilized than the Roman way of judgement and retribution. Wish we could have a Whiby do-over!
Inspired by John Cabot's daily limericks, we thought we'd respond with some verse of our own:
Though homework and chores
we like less than fun and games
God is in them all.
Yes..., HalleluYah...!!!!
Ahmen-Ahmen..., HalleluYah!!!!!
That is the reason Brother Lawrence is so special to me. He did everything as if he were doing it for the Lord. Makes you so thankful for saints like him when were are suffering. God be with you.
First, I thought I had voted and then I went and looked at the Birds on Sticks meme of the day and came back and it looked like my vote hadn’t taken so of course I want to have my one vote count, so I attempt to get my vote to take, then it tells me I have already voted, so I hope my one vote got counted..
Second, I’d like to recommend the following novelization of the autobiography of Saint Patrick:
“I, Patrick,
A Sinner . . .
A novelization of the TRUE LIFE STORY
of Patricius Magonus Sucatus
A Tale Worth Telling”
By Stephanie Lavenia Swinnea
https://books.apple.com/us/book/i-patrick-a-sinner/id529736811
No matter who you vote for, this telling of the life of Patricius Magonus Sucatus will have you turning pages.
Thank You... - I have always loved Saint Patrick..., although 'never' knowing about the story, "A Tale Worth Telling [https://books.apple.com/us/book/i-patrick-a-sinner/id529736811]!"
Brother Lawrence's feast day is my birthday. Not the best reason to vote for him, so I shall look to the trees and be reminded of all the right reasons. Brother Lawrence gets my vote.
As I’m Irish, my first reaction is to just automatically go with Patrick. But then I thought ‘Doesn’t he get enough attention as it is? I mean, a ginormous parade down Fifth Avenue?’
Br Lawrence, in his daily devotions and seeing Jesus in all things is my choice today.
Ahmen - Shalom-Shalom!
Wow! Ahmen..., I so agree... - taking nothing from Saint Patrick..., he is one of my great loves as well....
Ninety nine percent of life is common and ordinary, including me. This Scotsman has appreciated Brother Lawrence since first I read of him. Indeed, what is more ordinary than washing and baking (Baptism and Supper), or more filled with grace because of (incarnate) Presence.
Ahmen-Ahmen... - Shalom-Shalom; in the greater scheme of things..., excellently well said!
We’ll go with St. Patrick today, though there are dishes to do after this voting and exercises are done, so we appreciate God in the mundane and ordinary. No mention of the Blarney Stone though???
I voted for Brother Lawrence over Patrickfor the tree in winter image. When I visited Hawaii I saw tiny ferns growing in a black lava hollow and the lava lads returning to life and it had the same effect on me. God is in the seemingly dead things, silently returning dead things to life, if only we lethim. So Lawrnce gets my vote for the mundane we all get lost in, reminding us to keep the faith and never give up.
I vote for Brother Lawrence today in solidarity with those people who find themselves struggling with the lingering effects of war and violence. May they too find a path to inner peace.
Brother Lawrence walked humbly, finding God in the simplicity of life. St. Patrick is certainly deserving of sainthood in his efforts but I'm going with the one who finds value in the often overlooked objects of creation and participates in life's menial activities for the benefit of others.
Well I may be more Irish by dna than many I must say Patrick lost me at his encouraging wealthy women to become nuns. I knew right then that Lawrence's simple life of eeping God in his everyday life was the saint for me.
I'm part Irish. I'm going to vote for St. Patrick
Brother Lawrence. Tis a gift to be simple. I'm too often distracted by the latest and greatest. I need to simply be with and act for God. Oh, that I might be as gifted as Lawrence!
Ahmen, Judy... - I agree!
I'm part Irish. I'll vote for St. Patrick
Patrick has much to offer, but i went with the man who found God in small things. Very inspirational.
We are lucky indeed that out of terrible luck -- for Patrick, slavery; for Lawrence, war wounds, including perhaps traumatic brain injury affecting his motor skills and making him clumsy -- both of today's saints had the luck and grace to make lemonade out of life's lemons, and each lead lives and callings that made a difference in the world. Brother Lawrence's celebration of the sacred in the ordinary, however, for me gets at the heart of our incarnational faith, so he gets my vote.
That is the reason Brother Lawrence is so special to me. He did everything as if he were doing it for the Lord. Makes you so thankful for saints like him when we are suffering. God be with you.
Anna, a comprehensive and beautiful exposition on Lawrence, lovely to read. Also put Lawrence ahead of Patrick, a difficult thing to accomplish!
Here I am, Irish by descent, and a former Roman Catholic whose parish church and school were names St. Patrick's. However, the story of Lawrence moved me, mired as I am this week in chores and everyday things. Then, as always, I first looked for St. Celia's and Richard the Chalice Bearer's comments - and will be changing my vote. Also, I'll be ordering Lawrence's book. He sounds like someone I need.
In honor of the great short Lutheran cartoon video, St. Patrick's Bad Analogies, which I use in teaching my online courses, a nod to Patrick. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQLfgaUoQCw&t=9s
That’s a hoot, Beth! Thanks!
That one always makes me laugh! I'd come across it a few years back and rewatched it several subsequent years on March 17. (Though my favorite St. Patrick video by far is the VeggieTales version of his story.)
That was fun. Thanks, Beth L Galbreath.