Pax Et Bonum

This Latin phrase was beloved by St Francis, and means "peace and all good" - something he encouraged those who joined this order to practise in their daily lives. Last Sunday, the Radio 4 Sunday Worship was all about the good saint, and I found it an interesting service [if a little different from the usual pattern!] And then, in the way these things come full circle, on Thursday I actually met 

this Franciscan Monk in Norwich! Samuel Terrelli is a member of the Secular Franciscan Order of Norwich and he was busking outside the Mountain Warehouse Shop in London Street. 

I heard the music before I saw him, wearing his dark brown habit, and playing a large woodwind instrument [a sort of recorder I think] He was playing "Bind Us Together". It lifted my spirits.

 I stopped to fish a coin out of my purse, and as I dropped it in his little wooden bowl, he began playing "Be Thou My Vision" "Great tune, thank you!" I said.

"Which one?" he enquired. I said It was Bind Us Together that caught my attention, but I love the other one even more.

Samuel said that someone had told him that Bind Us Together was not originally a Christian Song, but had roots in Druid Handfasting ceremonies.

We chatted about the things that bound us together - a shared concern for others, a concern for creation, and a shared faith in God. We spoke of belonging to the worldwide family of Christ - and of our local churches [mine is at a little Baptist Chapel out in a village - his is the Roman Catholic Cathedral in the middle of the city]

I went on my way feeling very cheerful to have met him - may God bless the good work he is doing in his community. 

I checked up on 'Bind Us Together' - it seems that Samuel was misinformed. Although some handfasting ceremonies do have songs with similar lyrics, itr seems that this one was written in 1974 by a guy called Bob [who had actually attended the same secondary school as cousin Gillian] 

May your Sunday be blessed with peace and goodness, and filled with love