Life Consistent with Preaching

It is a familiar but pleasant and pertinent story to remember of St. Francis that one day he promised his company of disciple monks that they should go out into the village around and preach.

He led them from the cloister of the monastery and said, “Brothers, let’s go down into the town and preach.” Following close behind the venerable Francis they wound their way down the streets of the town, round the lanes, through the outskirts of the town to the village beyond. Finally they ended back at the monastery where they had started.

Then the boldest of the young monks said, “But you told us we were going out to preach. When shall we begin to preach?”

Francis looked upon them and said, “My brothers, we have been preaching all the time we were walking. We have been preaching in the streets and in the market place and in the shop and in the rain. We have been observed; our behaviour was marked; and so we delivered a morning sermon for Christ. My sons, it is of no use that we walk anywhere to preach unless we preach as we walk.”