Window on the Soul: IX. A Quest for Peace: The Second Coming

France. My mother land. The first time I had set foot on French soil. April 22, 1973, Easter Sunday. I had always felt a reluctance to travel to France. I found it curious that my next phase began with setting foot there. The last time I had traveled through Europe on my way to Israel in 1971 I had been a Hindu-Buddhist seeking my roots. Now, traveling from Israel back through Europe in 1973 I had become an inflamed Christian.

I met with my brother, Marc, in Nice. He studied French at a university working toward his B.A. degree. I had learned little French. Languages have never been my forte. I came off the airplane in Nice convinced that Christianity alone offered salvation, that all other religions constituted a side track, at the least, and an idolatry, at worst. Fortunately, Marc tolerated my zeal and replied gently: There are many paths to God. Curiously, his words had a special impact on me, like a light turning on. If someone else had said that to me, I would have ignored it. But Marc’s words rang true.

Thanks to my brother, Marc, I reconnected with my earlier quests for truth and peace, integrating them into my worldview rather than blocking them out. Fundamentalism has the pernicious downside of cutting us off from the broader truths within ourselves. I am quite grateful to my brother, Marc, for reopening me to that broader self within me. When I continued my journey across France by train to catch a flight to New York City, I left Nice a more open minded and integrated person than I had arrived a few weeks earlier.

Curiously, I traveled across France from Nice to Paris at night. That is curious because although France is the land of my mother, and I am ½ French, I have never seen Paris in the light of day. I suppose that I am destined to visit Paris in the light of day at another time. I think that my French lineage is important. During my journey to Israel looking for my roots, I felt a strong connection with the people of Israel and especially Jesus. Recent speculation, especially through Dan Brown’s writings, have suggested that Jesus had a child with Mary, and that Mary journeyed to France with her child. I have had an unprovable intuition that my French lineage includes Jesus, Mary, and her child. As I will share later, that would mean that my children share a lineage with the Messiah in the first coming through my mother and with the Messiah in his second coming through my wife.

: Some rights reserved by Nouhailler

I caught a one way flight to New York City on May 25th. Upon arriving, I spent time in prayer asking God for guidance on where I should go, when I should go, and how I should go there. I had only $40 in my pocket. At that time I practiced speaking in tongues when praying. Suddenly, I received internal guidance to go. I rode the Airport shuttle to Grand Central Station. I felt guided to walk toward the New York Public Library, a small park surrounding it. Sabbath approached. I thought I would spend Sabbath Friday night to Saturday night in the park. I brought with me from Israel the tradition of practicing the Saturday sabbath.

Suddenly a beautiful young lady approached me. She spoke rapidly with a Dutch accent about the coming of the Kingdom of God, inviting me to attend a lecture. That caught my attention. I asked: “Are you Christian?,” “Yes,” she replied. I felt called within to go with her. A van waited nearby with other missionaries and interested people on board. I felt impressed by the international nature of the group and their bright spirits. Upon arriving at our destination, a beautiful building on 72nd Street E, I thought, “Well, they do this right!” At that moment I said to myself: “If they are right and true, I will join them. If they are wrong, I will save them.”