These points for meditation on the Gospel of Mark were given by Adrienne von Speyr between October 11, 1945, and March 7, 1948, to the members of the Community of Saint John, which she founded; the editor [Hans Urs von Balthasar] gave only the first points, as an introduction to the rest, but was not present when the rest of the points were dictated and taken down in shorthand in the community. The text was gathered up to form the book; material directly concerned with persons or situations within the community was left out. Nevertheless, the general situation is thoroughly retained: The meditations are addressed to young people who have made a decision for the state of the evangelical counsels in a worldly profession, for a secular institute that was coming into being. This does not keep these contemplative explications of the texts, which are concerned with meditation on Holy Scripture, from having much to offer to everyone. As always, Adrienne von Speyr speaks here from the fullness of her own contemplation, which continually has the unified nature of Christian, dogmatic truth as its object; without the trappings of exegesis or any other form of scholarly ambition, she hands on the gift that was given to her. Because she is addressing young women who are novices, her train of thought is simple and practical. The indications that Adrienne von Speyr gives in this work are characteristic of her spirituality. If in other works she goes into more detail and depth, the reader who makes his way through the whole of this book will nonetheless find in it something like a synthesis of her spirit.

From the Foreword by Hans Urs von Balthasar