"Our life is a journey in time, and God is our companion," writes John S. Dunne, who holds the John A. O'Brien Chair in Theology at the University of Notre Dame. He is the author of Love's Mind: An Essay on Contemplative Life and many other books. According to Dunne, personal religion is about wholeness in love. This meditative work is divided into two sections: the way below and the way above. Both are concerned with drawing closer to others and closer to God.
At one point Dunne writes: "Just the other day I heard tell of a schoolgirl being asked, 'How can we make God laugh?' and her reply, 'By telling God our plans.' " Sometimes the best way to learn about what it means to be human is to experience suffering and loss. And these lessons usually don't take place according to our timetables.
Dunne says with Tolstoy, "God is my desire." And so his longing is expressed through prayer and attention to what is going on in his life. The author salutes spiritual companionship and the figure of Wisdom as a constant guide. The Mystic Road of Love contains many helpful insights into the spiritual practice of devotion to God in the midst of everyday life.