At what level of learning are you in the school of love? In graduate studies? In college? In high school? In kindergarten? The humble Desert Fathers, who spent a lot of time praying and modifying their worst habits, passed on plenty of tips about the curriculum of the heart. On this lively and always interesting two-cassette 2 1/2 hour audio retreat, Alan Jones, Dean of San Francisco's Grace Cathedral, explores the manifold lessons that can be learned in the school of love.
The first and most important lesson is that God loves us and will always lead us on the way home. Jones defines spirituality as "the way we arrange our lives." Wonder and yearning (or desire) are at the core of what it means to be human. Yet many of us still try to stifle our desires and keep a lid on our sense of wonder. We do so at our own peril.
Jones also offers lessons on the value of self-examination, saying yes to life, and telling positive and joyful stories about ourselves, God, our neighbors, and the world. He hails the life-affirming power of desire, gratitude, imagination, and a zest for life. Jones illustrates many of the points he makes with illustrations from his own life and from the Bible.
