“When you preach use few words. Let your example do the preaching.” These wise words have been attributed to St. Francis of Assisi. Sure, there’s nothing more powerful than good example to influence the behavior of someone, friend or foe. Jesus puts great emphasis on good example when he says we will be able to distinguish between false and genuine people by the things they do and say ( Matthew 7 : 15-20 ).

The following story about good example illustrates its power, not only to inspire, but to impart new life.

One hot summer day, a young couple and their four-year-old daughter, Mary, were on their way to the mountains for a few weeks’ vacation. Suddenly, a huge truck in the oncoming lane collided head-on with the family’s small car. The couple was injured seriously, and little Mary sustained life -threatening- fractures. They were immediately taken to the nearest hospital.

Martha, the nurse who was assigned to little Mary, was a single; older woman. She understood Mary’s fear and insecurity and became very devoted to her. When Martha finished her shift, instead of going home, she would volunteer to stay with the child at night. When Mary was able to be moved, Martha put her in a wheelchair and took her to visit her parents in their hospital room every day. After many months of hospitalization, the family was discharged. Before they left the hospital, the parents thanked Martha for her devoted and loving care of their daughter and invited her to visit them. Little Mary would not let go of Martha and insisted that she come to live with them. Martha did not want to be parted from her little Mary, but her life was in the children’s ward of the hospital, and she could not think of leaving.

Over thirty years passed. One winter Martha, who was now in her seventies, became seriously ill with pneumonia and was hospitalized in the geriatric ward of a hospital near her home. There was a certain nurse on duty who noticed that Martha had very few visitors. She tried her best to give the elderly lady special care, and she saw that she was a sensitive, caring person. One night when the nurse was sitting near her elderly patient, she confided in her as to what had prompted her to become a nurse. When she was four years old, she explained, and she and her parents had been injured in an automobile accident, there had been a wonderful nurse who brought her back to health with her loving, caring devotion. As she grew older, she determined that one day she, too, would become a nurse and help others.

When the nurse had finished her story, Martha said softly, “Mary, we are together again, but this time you are nursing me!” Mary’s eyes opened wide as she stared at Martha, suddenly recognizing her. “Is it really you?” she cried out. “How many times I have thought about you and prayed that someday we would meet again!”

When Martha recovered from her illness, nurse Mary just packed up Martha’s belongings and took her home with her. She lived with Mary’s family for the rest of her days. Mary’s husband and her children welcomed Martha into their home as a very special grandmother.

Such is the power of good example.

—Fr. Hugh Duffy