{Fr. Roman Braga} ~ what a future priest experienced

Fr. Anthony Cook

writes of how he went to his first Orthodox liturgy

at Holy Dormition and sees

Fr. Roman serving at the altar.

*

He writes:

"I heard his voice before I saw his face, since he was serving, facing the altar – 

I remember that it wasn’t a strong voice, but nonetheless deeply striking, quiet and prayerful.  

But when he turned, and spoke, and smiled, I saw something

 that I do not think I had ever seen before. 

I saw a man who was no longer worried about being right. 

Somehow his face and voice and eyes conveyed that his entire existence was right, 

that his relationships were right, that he was at peace with himself, 

with God, and with his fellow man. 

I saw an old man, short and frail, 

who I later learned had been broken physically long ago – 

but he was more whole than anyone I have ever known.

I never came to know Fr. Roman well, but that day, 

I learned that it was possible to be right and not lose arguments anymore. 

I learned that the True Church still existed, and I could join it – but far more importantly,

 I learned that being right was the wrong goal.

 It was only a step on the path to being made whole – 

and by far the least important step. 

And when I think of what a whole human being should look like,

 I will always think first of Fr. Roman Braga."

read the rest here.