The Place Where My Heart Grows Quiet

If you know me, personally or through social media, you know that I am a Christian living in Israel.

 

I cannot say I am a religious person. I believe in God but I have my own views on religion and dogma.

 

Nevertheless, sometimes I feel the need to gather my thoughts, to reflect on life, to feel closer to the Divine. And while Israel has plenty of Christian places of worship – perhaps some of the most important ones in Christianity, I longed for something quieter, less touristy.

 

And so, I found Emmaus-Nicopolis.

 

I think it was more or less 18 years ago, on an Easter night, when some friends took me to the small church near Canada Forest. I remember the service was in French. The church was full and I sang “He Has Risen” with people I didn’t know but felt a spirit of camaraderie with.

 

Since then, I have returned to Emmaus many, many times. Whenever I found myself in turmoil, or when times were hard and my soul needed to be soothed, I always found my way to the small church on the top of the hill.

 

There, where in summer the cicadas go crazy and the heat undulates in the distance and where in winter the grass is so green, I felt a closeness to God I had never felt in all the big and famous churches I had visited over the years.

 

I always return from Emmaus with a heart that’s quieter, more settled, more understanding.

I am thankful that such a place exists. I am thankful that that the nuns and monks that live there accepted me and received me with open arms. Even the dog, Bianca, and she is not the friendliest of pets.

 

I don’t think you have to be Christian to enjoy the peace and quiet of Emmaus. Anyone can sit on the bench in the shade, near the pond, and say a few words to the Universal Consciousness that unites us all.