Reverent Alexandru Lungu
A few days ago, I made a stop at a nearby gas station that was a little farther from home. I was dressed in my clergy attire and decided to refuel. As I stood there, a car pulled up beside me, and two young individuals stepped out. Without realizing I could hear them, they started chuckling and making comments about the amount of money I had as a priest, fueling up my vehicle. I glanced up and smiled at them.
Once I finished refueling, I headed inside the gas station to make a purchase and pay for it. Meanwhile, outside, the two young individuals found themselves in a heated argument. They didn’t have enough money, and the person who had pumped the gas had miscalculated the cost. They were at a loss for what to do. Parking my car in the lot, I went back into the gas station to address the situation. I kindly paid the full amount, which came to a little over 100 lei (Romanian currency). When I returned with the receipt, they were still struggling to figure out a solution. With a smile, I reassured them that the issue had been resolved by the priest.
Today, they came to the church and personally apologized for their behavior a few days ago. Ultimately, any seemingly tense situation presents an opportunity for a priest to reach out and help someone. It is important to put a smile on our face and take a deep breath.
