A young family with two preschoolers sat in the pew directly behind me. I could hear the mom speaking softly to the children about saying their prayers before mass. They imitated their parents as they knelt silently. Then at the prayers of the faithful, when the community responded, “Lord, hear our prayer,” the first child joined in the response in imitation of her mom on the second petition. Then on the third petition, both children could be heard speaking the response, “Lord, hear our prayer.” And with each petition, their response grew louder and stronger. I witnessed the power of example.
As a former director of faith formation, I know well the power of example. A good and loving example often spurs others to do the same. I saw it work with the youth envelopes and the young people’s delight in being able to share their time (listing their prayers for others), their talents (listing their service to others), and their treasure (donating any monies they had they could share). In just the first year, the youth prayed for thousands, joined their efforts to make a difference in the lives of their sisters and brothers, and contributed enough money to pay for the Eucharistic bread for the whole community for a year. In following the example of their parents and other adults they’d seen in the faith community, the youth contributed so much and grew themselves in their living of their faith.
While we usually think of the power of example in terms of youth, it’s operative in the adult world, as well. As a former vocation director, nearly every man and woman who came forward shared a story of another’s example that opened them to discerning their own vocation.
I think back to my time as a non-traditional student at UW Madison in my 40s and having to ride the campus buses. I can’t name the number of times on a overly crowded bus that one person’s rising and giving his/her seat to another didn’t start a ripple of such graciousness down the bus aisle.
And I think of one of my favorite poems by Edgar Guest, “Sermons We See.” It begins:
I’d rather see a sermon than hear one any day;
I’d rather one should walk with me than merely tell the way.
The eye’s a better pupil and more willing than the ear,
Fine counsel is confusing, but example’s always clear;
And the best of all the preachers are the men who live their creeds,
For to see good put in action is what everybody needs.
It goes on to stress:
For I might misunderstand you and the high advise you give,
But there’s no misunderstanding how you act and how you live.
As we continue on our journeys of faith, lifted by our hope for what is possible with the LORD, let our love shine most brightly in our actions recognizing that others may notice and be brought closer to the LORD because of them. Let us remember our Christian heritage and ancestors and the early Church. Let us recall that one of the gifts to the early church was the example of Christians, “See how they love one another.”
Until tomorrow, let us all love well.
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