John of Dalyatha (690-780 CE) was a monk from a monastery near the Turkey-Iraq border. After living in the monastery for only seven years, he received permission to live a solitary life in the over 9,000 ft high mountains of Dalyatha where he spent most of his life. When he became too old to live on his own, he came down from the mountains, formed a community around himself and wrote these works. In them, John outlines the life itinerary of those who are baptized, the "Way of Wonder" - leading to the vision of God.

In this volume, four homilies have been chosen from the original Syriac texts. The poetry is typological and rooted in Scripture. The first homily considers the Mother of God in language full of wonder. The second homily concerns the Annunciation, including a long reflection on Joseph, the just one. In the third, the meaning of Mary with Elizabeth is recounted and the rejoicing of John the Baptist in the womb of his mother at the greeting of Mary. The concluding homily focuses on the death and burial of the Mother of God demonstrating Jacob's typological interpretation of Scripture.