The Franciscan Cord

 

The cord is part of the way of life of the Franciscans: St. Francis understood the call that God made to him, when he heard the Gospel of St. Matthew, which describes how the Lord told his disciples not to prepare for the journey, carrying only what was necessary. 

 

In an effort to rebuild God’s Church, as Francis understood the message from the San Damiano Crucifix, Francis sold cloth he had taken from his father’s shop as well as his horse and gave the funds to the priest at San Damiano, to repair the run down chapel. The priest, realizing that the money belonged to Francis’ father, refused to take it. Francis’ infuriated father demanded that Francis come before the city council for punishment, but Francis claimed to be a religious and therefore not subject to civil law. His father thus demanded that the bishop take the matter in hand.

 

The bishop told Francis to give the money back to his father as God would find another way to rebuild his Church. Francis gave not only the money to his father but also all the clothing he was wearing, declaring that, from then on, God would be his Father. The bishop wrapped Francis in his own mantle and later gave him a workman’s tunic to wear. Francis found a length of rope for a belt. Later, seeing the need to symbolize the vows he had made of poverty, chastity, and obedience, he added three knots to that cord.

 

The Franciscan cord, with its three knots, has become a symbol of evangelical poverty, as a result of an unconditional following of Jesus. For Confraternity of Penitents members, poverty and chastity are lived according to the CFP way of life as lay people. Obedience is obedience to the Church and to our Rule of Life. The Confraternity adds a fourth knot for consecration to the Blessed Mother.