by Dan Johnson
One of my favorite locations on this earth is a State Park on the north shore of Lake Superior at the mouth of the Temperance River. I’ve been going there for over 50 years and the beauty of the place never fades. I’ll pull into a favorite camping spot, set up the tent, and then head down to the shore. I feel the rounded stones of the beach shift beneath my feet, I see the water stretching out to the horizon, and I fill my lungs with the fresh air of the breezes.
It’s a place of belonging and calm for me, a thin place where the presence of God is felt in my bones.
The first time I was there was with my brother and cousins. The four of us spilled out of the car after a long ride and started a grand adventure. We tossed rocks and ran along the shore dodging waves. We “discovered” the stony coves the lake had carved out over the centuries. We found ways to climb up the walls of the coves and from the high vantage point we would see the next cove a bit further down the shore. Then off we’d go to scramble down its rocky walls and find the treasures it contained.
As I reminisce on that day, I’ve come to see how important it was that we did that together. The experience was uniquely rich because we had a dynamic group. We shared the discoveries, we spoke aloud what we saw, and we helped each other find the nooks and crannies of the rock face that made climbing possible.
Loyola is offering a group adventure this year. It won’t be to the North Shore, but it will be a spiritual journey into the life of Christ and our lived experience. We’re calling it Love Deepening, and we will climb into the richness of the Ignatian Exercises. We’ll use scripture and insights from Ignatius of Loyola for personal daily prayer and then meet every other week in small groups to share what we are noticing and together look ahead to what God is doing. Registration is now open. Find out more by clicking here.
