{Fr. Roman Braga} ~ praying the Jesus Prayer

From Dr. Dan Hinshaw's essay on Fr. Roman's illness and death,

"And yet, he continued to pray while lying immobile in bed the quintessential prayer of the Christian penitent, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” When speech finally deserted him, he still silently made the sign of the cross, for he had attained to silence, the language of Paradise."

~found here and here.

*

This is the Fr. Roman I knew by sight.

When I would see him in church,

even in his later years, 

sitting in a wheelchair,

I always knew that he was

praying and praying the 

Jesus Prayer.

*

For me and I think for many, 

this story is true:

Three Fathers used to go and visit blessed Anthony every year 

and two of them used to discuss their thoughts 

and the salvation of their souls with him, 

but the third always remained silent and did not ask him anything. 

After a long time, Abba Anthony said to him, 

"You often come here to see me, but you never ask me anything,"

 and the other replied, 

"It is enough for me to see you, Father."

(found here, I read it in book form here)