Br. Lawrence’s classic 17th century French text – his spiritual maxims, letters, and assorted conversations – comes to life for our 21st century in Carmen Acevedo Butcher’s new and powerfully expressive English translation, Practice of the Presence: A Revolutionary Translation. Lawrence’s work has always been celebrated for its simple yet profound understanding of how we are experientially steeped in the Mystery of Divine Presence. However, his spiritual advice has often felt stilted in translation and joylessly unapproachable. Dr. Acevedo Butcher assists us, though, with a modern day colloquial yet evocative translation that companions us with canny guardian-like ability. And that’s what I think makes it so revolutionary. Her translation not only looks out for Lawrence’s texts with historical accuracy, it provides a chatty way in for us as contemporary readers and spiritual seekers. Whether it’s a sweet use of poetic alliteration to bring home a proverbial point (“we must ground ourselves in God’s presence by continually conversing with Love, and that it’s a shame to leave this conversation with our divine Friend for thoughts that are sarcastic or shallow”) or a choice of pronouns for God (a Trinitarian non-gendered “they” and “them”), Dr. Acevedo Butcher invites us in to follow Br. Lawrence’s wisely gentle ways in the midst of today’s most stormy times.I get a sense that, like Br. Lawrence, Dr. Acevedo Butcher has herself found an inner peace and tenderness that demonstrates how God as Love is available to you and me at any and all moments of everyday life -- no matter what we’re doing. The only thing absent is our awareness and willingness to practice.Practice of the Presence: A Revolutionary Translation provides a path of learning and practice that is joyfully relevant for today. I am #grateful for this new and wondrous edition that asks us in the introduction to keep an open mind. There are many translations available, but this one will likely now become the standard.As Br. Lawrence says, the Presence is for all people everywhere: “Everyone is capable of these familiar conversations with God… In the middle of your tasks you can comfort yourself with Love as often as you can…”