Wednesday, February 07, 2007

adrienne von speyr...
















...was a Swiss physician, mystic, and friend of Hans Urs von Balthasar, who saw von Speyr's life of prayer and suffering to be in some sense a formal key to his theology. Read about von Speyr's life here.

Von Balthasar wrote that shortly after her conversion, "a veritable cataract of mystical graces poured over Adrienne in a seemingly chaotic storm that whirled her in all directions at once. Graces in prayer above all: she was transported beyond all vocal prayer or self-directed meditation upon in order to be set down somewhere after an indeterminate time with new understanding, new love and new resolutions." This included "an increasingly open and intimate association with Mary…" Driving home one night shortly after her conversion, she saw a great light in front of the car and she heard a voice say: Tu vivra au ciel et sur lat terre (You shall live in heaven and on earth). This was "the key to all that was to follow" in her life.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Fr WB, Thanks for introducing me to Adrienne von Speyr. This has been very refreshing for me to start my day. New spiritual courage arises. The peace of the Lord be with you. LA