We read in Sacred Scripture that Our Lord Jesus Christ, sent on earth for the salvation of the human race, did not begin by teaching; He began by doing. And what He did was to integrate fully into His life every type of virtue. He then went on to teach, by preaching the good news of salvation to poor people, and by passing on to His Apostles and disciples what they needed to know to become guides for others. (source: Common Rules of the Congregation of the Mission, St. Vincent de Paul, Volume 13a, Letter 117a)