Who said preach the gospel

However, the saint's actual words were far more nuanced:. As for me, I desire this privilege from the Lord, that never may I have any privilege from man, except to do reverence to all, and to convert the world by obedience to the Holy Rule rather by example than by word.

From these words and his example , it is hard to deny the deep commitment St. Francis had to both the proclamation and embodiment of the Gospel. He lived deep within the tension between the two.

That tension is very much present in our current context. Some will be concerned by how the first quote might be too easily co-opted by the postmodern tendency to mistrust of words. Yet others fear that too much of Christianity has become nothing more than a product of the Enlightenment, where belief is equated with the affirmation of propositional truths with little demand for lived expression.

Perhaps to better understand this quote and its underlying message we must better understand St. Francis himself. First, it must be noted that Francis lived in a largely pre-literate society -- that is, most of the population could not read or write.

Therefore the role of public preaching played an essential role in spiritual formation. While verbal proclamation is still essential today, we need to acknowledge the elevated importance of verbal communication as a means passing on knowledge and information in Francis' time. Further, the majority of those who heard his preaching were already nominal Christians, and thus passingly familiar with the faith.

Francis of Assisi really say this? And, did he really live this out as his primary means of evangelization? Well, the truth is, there is no evidence that St. Francis said this. It is clear that St. In the context of a society where many clergy lived extravagant lifestyles, St.

And yet, what is often lost amid a portrayal of a man who is usually pictured with animals is a saint who was not afraid to preach the Gospel verbally to others. It was said that he would go to the extravagant parties of the rich and preach the Gospel to them. Faith comes by hearing. And hearing by the word of God. Other people hear when someone declares the message.

You can love people, serve people, care for people and model a great life. Your actions will nudge people. They will create curiosity. They will open hearts to an interest in the gospel. But there will come a moment when you will need to tell your story. Though baptized as Giovanni Bernardone he was commonly known as Francesco. Disputed [ edit ] Preach the gospel, and if necessary, use words.

Variants include those listed below. Francis reportedly said, "Preach Jesus, and if necessary use words. Always remember to preach the gospel, and if necessary, use words. Anthony, p.