Lorenz of the Resurrection

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Brother Lorenz in the kitchen (depiction around 1900)

Brother Lorenz of the Resurrection , real name Nicolas Herman ( Laurent de la Résurrection ; * 1614 in Hériménil ; † February 12, 1691 in Paris ) was a French Carmelite and mystic .

Live and act

Herman grew up in Hériménil near Lunéville in the Duchy of Lorraine , which was then part of the Holy Roman Empire . At the age of 18 he had a spiritual experience of the greatness of God while looking at a defoliated tree and imagining that it would soon be leafy again, in bloom and with fruit. In the Thirty Years' War he was a soldier in the army of the Duke of Lorraine, who fought unsuccessfully against the French and Swedes. In 1635 he was seriously injured when the Swedes attacked the Rambervillers and suffered paralysis in one leg. He lived first as a hermit , then as a servant of a nobleman.

In 1640 he asked for admission as a lay brother to the Discalced Carmelites on Rue de Vaugirard in Paris (today Institut Catholique de Paris ) and received the religious name Lorenz of the Resurrection . In 1642 Brother Lorenz made his profession .

His motive in life was to feel and experience the constant divine presence. Brother Lorenz wanted to do all activities out of love for God and to be of service to him. “God doesn't need anything; God made me just for himself; I will give everything for everything and live as if there were only God and me; I don't want to do anything that displeases God, I want everything I do to please God; therefore I will do everything I have to do for the love of God. ”So faded self-doubt, uncertainty and suffering that he also knew. After the novitiate he was given the job of cook for about 100 people in the monastery. He practiced this activity for 15 years, although he did not particularly like it. So he prayed before, during, and after work. One prayer read: “My God, since you are with me and I have to turn my mind to external things at your command, I ask you for the grace to be able to stay with you during this task and to keep you company, and with it everything goes for the best, sir, please work with me, accept my work and accept all my affection. "

In 1657 he was assigned to work as a sandal shoemaker because of his leg problems. But he remained responsible for purchasing the wine, which required arduous boat trips to Auvergne and Burgundy . Brother Lorenz died in 1691 at the age of 77 from pleurisy .

reception

Already in 1692 a book appeared in Paris with the title: Spiritual Guidelines for the Benefit of Pious Souls to Gain the Presence of God , without any indication of the author . Collected from some manuscripts by Brother Lorenz of the Resurrection, Discalced Camelite. With an outline of his life and some of his letters. A second appeared in 1694: Customs and Conversations of Brother Lorenz of the Resurrection, Discalced Carmelite. With the practice of the presence of God, summarized from his letters.

In 1699 and 1710 these writings were published in the Netherlands by Joseph de Beaufort , Vicar General of the Bishop of Châlons-sur-Marne , who had visited and known Brother Lorenz in the monastery for 25 years. In France it was soon forgotten, and through translations into English it became known among Anglo-Saxon Protestants. In Germany, Brother Lorenz's thoughts were initially spread through the Reformed mystic Gerhard Tersteegen .

Literature (selection)

  • Ernst Lorenz: The visualization of God in practical life. Conversations and letters from Brother Laurentius. Friedrich, Bad Pyrmont 1947.
  • Gerhard Tersteegen: Brother Lorenz. Gotthelf 1948.
  • Felix Braun : In the face of God. Records and letters about life in the presence of God. Walter, Olten 1951.
  • Herman, Nicolas: Walking in the Presence of God: The Best Guide to a Sanctified Life; Conversations and letters from Brother Lorenz Transmitted and edited by Franz Tillich. 7-10 Tsd., Hamburg: Furche-Verlag, 1956. (Furche-Bücherei; 23), 1956
  • Laurentius von Turm: The Presence of God. Real experience. Tower 1993. ISBN 978-3-79990-005-8 (7th edition)
  • Gerhard Tersteegen: Always in God's presence. Letters, conversations and writings. Franz, Metzingen 2000. ISBN 978-3-77220-193-6
  • Gene Edwards : Living in God's Presence. Teamwork 2005. ISBN 978-3-936811-07-0 (New edition: Leuchter 2006. ISBN 978-3-87482-263-3 )
  • Antonio Sagardoy: Brother Lorenz of the Resurrection: Collected Works. Christian inwardness 2006. ISBN 978-3-90179-721-7
  • Waltraud Herbstrith OCD: You are close to me. Conversations and letters. Paulinus 2007. ISBN 978-3-7902-2162-6
  • Reinhard Deichgräber : All my thoughts are with you. Live in God's presence. Neufeld, Schwarzenfeld 2009. ISBN 978-3-93789-656-4 (2nd edition)
  • The exercise for the presence of God. Rules for a Holy Life. Lulu.com 2010. ISBN 978-1-44619-787-5
  • Albert Löschhorn: God is present. A guide to spiritual exercises for evangelical Christians. Linea 2011 (Audiobook)

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ https://www.arbeiter-im-weinberg.de/bruder-lorenz/
  2. ↑ http://www.kleine-spirituelle-seite.de/tl_files/template/pdf/bruder_lorenz-gegenwart_gottes.pdf
personal data
SURNAME Lorenz of the Resurrection
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Herman, Nicolas (maiden name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION French Carmelite
DATE OF BIRTH 1614
PLACE OF BIRTH Hériménil near Lunéville , Lorraine , France
DATE OF DEATH February 12, 1691
Place of death Paris