A white cord with three knots tied in it. That is what a Capuchin wears round his waist. It is a visible reminder that he is bound to Jesus Christ: a contradiction of certain hallmarks of our age, namely, instability and selfishness. Lasting commitments are rarely made today. Times change and people change with them. How can anyone be sure about the future? Yet, for all the uncertainty, we still value loyalty.

 

 

 

It keeps us true to friends when they need us most. It keeps members of families bound to each other, despite differences or troubles. It keeps a man and woman bound to each other in good times and bad. Every love story is a story of loyalty.

 

A commitment is a choice and engagement. It is an undying loyalty to a person who will always be part of one's life. For a Capuchin this commitment holds firm, despite other changes. When a friar leaves his friends and goes to distant places, when he changes his work, when he meets challenges and accepts struggles, when he is misunderstood and rejected, he remains true to Christ, who has an unshakable hold on him.

The cord with its three knots reminds a Capuchin that he has given a threefold "Yes",
• in poverty,
• in celibacy,
• and in obedience.