A piece of St. Francis' cord is traveling in the U.S. with Friar Michael Lasky, General Delegate for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation. The relic is on loan from Assisi, Italy.
The Shrine of St. Anthony in Ellicott City was one of the first stops for the relic. Pilgrims had several opportunities to venerate the cord and Friar Michael preached about the symbolism of the three knots in his homily on the Third Sunday of Advent. You can view his homily in the video on YouTube. The Homily begins around the 16:30 mark.
Friar Michael talked about how the three vows can be shared and embodied by all of us during Advent.
Poverty – Sharing
Chastity – Caring
Obedience – Listening
