God in the Groceries

In a world that promises the sacred only comes through special moments—retreats, worship services, spiritual highs—Brother Lawrence discovered something revolutionary: God is as present in the monastery kitchen as in the chapel. This 17th-century monk developed what he called "practicing the presence of God" while washing dishes and preparing meals, learning to find the divine in the most mundane tasks.

We live much of our lives in grocery stores of the soul—routine tasks, daily commutes, endless errands that feel anything but holy. But what if these aren't interruptions to the spiritual life but the very place where it happens? When we learn to pay attention, the grocery store becomes a cathedral: we notice the hands that grew our food, the systems that brought it to us, the abundance that surrounds us, the neighbors we encounter in every aisle.

This isn't about adding more spiritual practices to an already busy life; it's about discovering that presence itself transforms ordinary moments into encounters with God. Whether folding laundry, stuck in traffic, or yes, wandering the cereal aisle, we can learn Brother Lawrence's secret: that there is no moment too small, no task too mundane, no place too ordinary to practice the presence of the One who is with us always.

The goal isn't perfection but attention—learning to notice God's fingerprints on the everyday moments that make up most of our lives. In a culture that constantly pulls us toward the next thing, the practice of presence invites us to discover the sacred right where we are.