There is a place in the Holy Land that has no Church and no information sign. Very few pilgrims visit this place even though it is within walking distance of several popular sites along the shore of the Sea of Galilee.

It is a singular cave on the north side of the Sea of Galilee. In fact, it is the only natural cave on the north side. Located below the Church of the Beatitudes, in-between the Church of the Primacy of Peter and Capernaum, this isolated cave offers an amazing view of Galilee.

Now, pilgrims call the cave the “Eremos Grotto” or “Jesus Cave,” because tradition associates this place with this event: “And in the morning, a great while before day, he (Jesus) rose and went out to a lonely place, and there he prayed” (Mk 1:35). “Eremos” literal means “lonely or deserted place.”

We bring our pilgrims to this spot to begin our pilgrimage.

Obviously as the Second Person of the Trinity, Jesus was always in full communion with the Father and had unlimited power. However, in His humanity Jesus needed to rest, reflect, and pray to carry on His mission.

How many times do we fall into the trap of work, work, and work? We get so got up, that we might save a few minutes at the end of the day or in the morning for prayer and justify the brevity of our prayer because the WORK HAD TO BE DONE. Who else would do it?

Let me be honest and transparent, this is not simply an observation of people’s behavior but a self-reflection and examination.

If Jesus needed to pull back to a quite place, pull back from preaching and working miracles, then why am I so prideful to think that my work is to important to give way to quiet time?

We must follow our Savior’s example and seek a “deserted” place. That could be a Church or Adoration Chapel. It also should be a place in your house, a room or chair that is your “Eremos Grotto.”

For me that is our “Prayer Room.” It is the front room of the house. We have a prayer alter, crucifix, statues of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, and icons of all seven of the children’s namesakes.

When life gets busy (which can seem like all the time) it is too easy to walk out of the house without stopping at my “Eremos Grotto”. “I’m running behind, I have too much to do.” Maybe I am the only one that struggles with this.

But I have a feeling that I am not, hence this is way the Lord left us this example and this cave to remind us of the importance of the “lonely place.”

The beautiful fact remains, that when we depart to our “lonely place” we will encounter our Lord seating there in our heart, which is perhaps the best “Eremos Grotto” to meet Him in.