Prayer: Practicing the Presence of God

Brother Lawrence, a 17th-century Carmelite lay brother, discovered that the kitchen could be as sacred as the chapel. In "The Practice of the Presence of God" he wrote: "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."

Lawrence's method was deceptively simple: he cultivated a continuous inner conversation with God throughout every activity. When he noticed his mind had wandered, he gently brought it back without self-reproach. "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."

Practical application: Choose one routine daily task -- washing dishes, commuting, folding laundry -- and deliberately turn your attention to God during it. Offer the task as an act of love. When your mind wanders, simply return your attention to God without frustration. Over weeks, this practice naturally extends to more of your day.