Masonic Harmony
My jurisdiction installed it’s new Grand Master over the weekend. You have probably noticed a distinct absense of Daily Masonic Progress over the last three weeks, which has been due to my holiday to Bali and then helping on the Grand Installation.
In the Grand Masters first address, there were several things which resonated with me. Over the course of this week I will share those along with my thoughts on each.
Let’s first start with Masonic Harmony.
Finally, I wish to speak about harmony. One of the principles of our organization, on which Freemasonry is erected, and the strongest attribute of our organization is brotherly love. By the exercise of brotherly love, we are taught to regard the whole human species as one family, the high and the low, the rich and the poor, who, as created by one almighty parent and inhabitants of the same planet, are to aid, support, and protect each other.
On this theme, Masonry unites men of every country, sect, and opinion, and causes true friendship to exist among those who might otherwise have remained at a perpetual distance.
As brethren, let us be brothers and our brothers' keepers. Let us resolve our issues within the family. How good and how pleasant it is if we are to be supportive of each other in public and especially online. Any sentiment otherwise honest and good, once stated, cannot be undone, even if retracted.
Let us always be respectful to each other and act as true brethren. Freemasonry should never be a battleground. At the minimum, it must be a safe haven, and at the most ideal, it should be a shield and buckler for us all. There is strength in harmony. Harmony allows for our differences. Harmony is not always being in agreement, but being respectful even when disagreeing.
An illustrious brother from the Grand Lodge of the Philippines once said, 'The aim of discussion is not victory. The aim of discussion is progress.' Let us listen, not ready to reply. Rather, let us listen, ready to understand.
The most influential Zen Buddhist monk in the last hundred years, Thich Nhat Hanh, wrote of the ways of peace, happiness, and enlightenment. I endorse one concept that, if we start to understand, accept, and apply, will spell the difference between disharmony and one that is a great jurisdiction, better lodges, and effective masons, but more especially, happy human beings for the rest of our days.
There is no way to harmony. Harmony is the way.
May we ever meet, act, and part in harmony, my brethren.
The Grand Master, UGL NSW & ACT MW Bro B Khristianne S Albano
This is not only beautiful but is powerful. The line that stands out for me is where the Grand Master said that “Freemasonry should never be a battleground. At the minimum, it must be a safe haven, and at the most ideal, it should be a shield and buckler for us all.”
The Masonic Lodge is supposed to be a construction site, the construction of King Solomons Temple. As a metaphor, this temple is us as individual masons but also us as a Lodge, an Organisation and a way of Life. The quarry is outside the lodge, where we also labour and prepare the rough stone and make it perfect, for placement in the temple (at Lodge).
We should all be coming to Lodge knowing that we can stretch ourselves and if we stumble and fall, our brothers are there to pick us up and encourage us so we can become better men and masons.
So Mote it Be.