From the Worshipful Master
Brotherly Love
We learn that the three principle tenants of Freemasonry are Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth. This month, we explore the first tenant, Brotherly Love. What does that mean to us?
Freemasonry gives you a band of friends or Brothers that you know will always be there for you. You know you can rely on them when you need help, good counsel, or just a friend to talk to and break bread with.
I have found that Brotherly Love is much more than that, though. Brotherly love is when you have family wherever you go. We are, after all Brothers. I know, that no matter where in the world I am, I will be able to find someone I can call family. I know that wherever I go, I can find a Lodge that will make me feel welcome, as if I’ve always been part of that Lodge.
Fraternally,
Stephen Liguori
Worshipful Master
From the Junior Warden
Brotherly Love
By the exercise of Brotherly Love we are taught to regard the whole human race as one family created by the Supreme Architect above, and if we are successful at this, we will develop and promote true friendship among those we would otherwise keep at a distance. On the surface this sounds straight forward and easy to obtain, but it’s more complicated and difficult to achieve in practice.
Luckily for us we are given other lessons and tools to help us to achieve this goal. We are also taught to practice prudence, justice and temperance. If we are successful at practicing prudence, justice and temperance we can begin to understand and practice tolerance. Finally, once we apply reason and understanding tempered by tolerance and respect, we can successfully achieve Brotherly Love.
I don’t believe that Masonry requires that we “like†each member of the lodge or fraternity. We all have our own personalities and opinions that would attract or detract us from us from wanting to develop a broader friendship outside of the lodge or fraternity.
But as we endeavor to transition ourselves from rough ashlars to more perfect ashlars, we must strive to practice the lesson of Brotherly Love and give tolerance to all brothers to assist them in becoming a better man.
Fraternally,
Doug Steel
Junior Warden