Let Us Go and Preach
Story★★★★One day St. Francis of Assisi said to one of the young monks at the Portiuncula, “Let us go down to the town and preach!” The novice, delighted at being singled out to be the companion of Francis, obeyed with alacrity. They passed through the principal streets, turned down many of the byways and alleys, made their way into the suburbs, and at great length returned by a circuitous route to the monastery gate.
As they approached it, the younger man reminded Francis of his original intention. “You have forgotten, Father, that we went to the town to preach!” “My son,” Francis replied, “we have preached. We were preaching while we were walking.
We have been seen by many; our behavior has been closely watched; it was thus that we preached our morning sermon. It is of no use, my son, to walk anywhere to preach unless we preach everywhere as we walk.”
The point
St. Francis of Assisi taught a young monk that a quiet walk through town, watched by many, was itself a sermon, since we preach everywhere we go, not only in words.