Actions And Words

Sed inter haec ad ea quae jam superius diximus, charitatis studio retorquemur, ut praedicator quisque plus actibus quam vocibus insonet, et bene vivendo vestigia sequacibus imprimat potius, quam loquendo quo gradiantur ostendat. Quia et gallus iste, quem pro exprimenda boni praedicatoris specie in locutione sua Dominus assumit, cum jam edere cantus parat, prius alas excutit, et semetipsum feriens vigilantiorem reddit, quia nimirum necesse est ut hi qui verba sanctae praedicationis movent, prius studio bonae actionis evigilent, ne in semetipsis torpentes opere, alios excitent voce; prius se per sublimia facta excutiant, et tunc ad bene vivendum alios sollicitos reddant; prius cogitationum alis semetipsos feriant; quidquid in se inutiliter torpet, sollicita investigatione deprehendant, districta animadversione corrigant; et tunc demum aliorum vitam loquendo componant; prius punire propria fletibus curent, et tunc quae aliorum punienda sunt denuntient; et antequam verba exhortationis insonent, omne quod locuturi sunt, operibus clament. Sanctus Gregorius Magnus, Regulae Pastoralis Liber, Liber III Caput XL Source: Migne PL 77.124d-126a

But amid these things, by the zeal of charity we are brought back to what we have been speaking about, that every preacher should proclaim more by deeds than by words, and by good living imprint footsteps for others to follow, rather than showing them where to walk by speaking. For that cockerel, too, whom the Lord in His speech takes up as representation of the type a good preacher, when he is preparing to cry forth, first shakes his wings, and by beating himself makes himself more awake, because it is truly necessary that those who are moved to words of holy preaching should first be awake with the zeal of good living, lest with themselves sluggish in works they try to rouse others with their voice. First let them shake themselves by lofty deeds and then make others concerned for good living. First let them beat themselves with the wings of their thoughts, that whatever in themselves is uselessly sluggish they seize on by careful investigation and correct by strict reproach, and then after correct the life of others by speaking. First let them have care to punish their own faults by weeping and then denounce what should be punished in others, and before they cry forth words of exhortation with deeds proclaim all that they are about to speak. Saint Gregory the Great, Book Of Pastoral Rule, Book 3, Chapter 40