The talks on which this book was based were given at the John Main Seminar in 1998, the annual international event of the World Community for Christian Meditaion. Previous presenters have included the Dalai Lama, Jean Vanier, Bede Griffi ths, and William Johnston. Father Keating's enlightening commentary on the contemplative meaning of the gospel, particularly the story of the siblings from Bethany, Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, fi ts into the great monstic tradition of Christian teaching. A monk refl ects on Scripture in the light of experience. He or she utters a word that startles his listeners into realizing that tradition is not a matter of secondhand experience but the living and human self-transmission of Christ to his disciples.