The Friars

No, not “fryer.” The word “friar” means “brother.” For a Franciscan, it is more correctly “little brother.” St. Francis called himself and his first followers “Lesser Brothers” or, as we know them today “Friars Minor.” Of course, it goes back to Jesus when He said of Himself: “I have come to serve.” Jesus taught His disciples to be the least, the last and the servants. Francis understood that literally and the friars to always remember that they should be like Jesus: to serve and not be served.

Historically, the name “friar” was also connected with being beggars or “mendicants”; they were to rely on God’s goodness in the charity, generosity and sacrifice of orinary people.

All of that means a friar trusts. He trusts in God and he trusts in the goodness of others. For the goodness a friar sees everyday, he lives with gratitude. And because of his “brotherly” attitude he sees everyone as a brother or sister.