Kathryn sent me this message this morning; it made me think and see my work in a different light:

“I read somewhere that Brother Lawrence, a 17th-century French monk, decided to make every task a prayer,” she wrote. “He became quite well known, and a book was published after his death called The Practice of the Presence of God.”

Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection is still well known, and I spent some of the mornings reading about him. He is inspiring.

He developed a simple way of praying, which he called “practicing the presence of God, ” the title of his book.

Brother Lawrence came to see even the most menial task as a prayer and told artists and painters their works were also prayers, each one in its way. He was born poor, saw many horrors in the Thirty Years War. He said his great achievement was to wed contemplation and well being to activity.

Everything he did was a prayer; everything he did was sacred to him. Faith was woven into every part of his life.

I thought of the Cheerleaders of Bishop Maginn High School, girls leading hard lives coming together to cheer for their school, find friends, build strength and confidence in themselves.

When I heard of these brave and enterprising children, I thought their Cheer Team was sacred, as is the school’s choir and drama club.

Next week, we’re putting up a Wish List for the Cheer Team so they can have the practice mats they need. This list is also a prayer for me, a sacrament, a gift to help these children raise their voices and sing their songs.

Every wish list a prayer for me, I just didn’t have a name for the feeling. So is every sweater or bra or underpants or shoes I buy for a resident of the Mansion.

That’s how I feel about the works of the Army of Good, Kathryn and Brother Lawrence have helped me to put a frame to it, a context. I appreciate the note, Kathryn, you helped me to understand something I have felt for a while.

Photo: Zinnia greets Tia and Kelly at the Mansion.