Living By Example

In those days, Blessed Francis was living at the hermitage of St. Eleutherius, not far from Contigliano, in the disict of Rieti. Since he was wearing but one tunic and it was extremely cold, he was obliged to line the inside of it; so did his companion. His body felt some relief from this. A short time after, as he had just finished his prayer, overjoyed, he said to his companion, "I must be a model and an example to all the brothers. Therefore, although my body needs a lined tunic, I must think of my brothers who are experiencing the same need and who do not have or cannot procure for themselves a like tunic. I must therefore put myself in their place and share their privations, so that they may endure them patiently because they see the way I live."

...blessed Francis' main concern was to teach the brothers, more by his actions than his words, what they ought to do and what they ought to avoid.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Legend of Perugia : 85