The Gift that Changes Lives
I remember when a friend of mine – a Past Master from another Lodge – said that becoming a Master Mason is or should be a life-changing experience. It was about fifteen or sixteen years ago. I was already a Past Master of my Lodge, but until that day, I had never put that particular thought into words, and yet, I immediately felt the truth of the statement.
Becoming a Master Mason changed my life and set me upon a path of friendship, fellowship, and accomplishment that I would otherwise have never known. Our Tenets of Brotherly Love, Relief, and Truth have become defining values of who I, am as a man. Our obligations have become the contracts upon which I have built my relationship with my fellows. Through our lectures, I have expanded my knowledge and understanding, and through the charges of the three degrees, I have a better grasp on my relationships and responsibilities to God, the Craft, my neighbor, and myself.
I thought about this today when a man I had never met before said that he and several of his lodge brothers went to the local YMCA three times a week to do water exercises. I spoke to him because he had a Masonic license plate. As I was walking across the parking lot of the Y, and he was getting out of his car, I simply said, “good morning.” He came over and introduced himself, and we struck up a brief conversation. He told me there were just about enough lodge brothers coming to the Y to hold a meeting. They support each other, and it is easier to get out and exercise on a cold winter morning when you are meeting others who are doing the same thing – mutual support and encouragement by friends you trust. He said, “I think this has saved my life.”
So what saved this Brother’s life? Was it the Mason who encouraged him to come out and join the YMCA and who comes and exercises with him three times a week? Or does the credit go to the YMCA for making their excellent resources available at an affordable price? (Especially for Senior Citizens who are eligible for Silver Sneakers insurance benefits.)
In truth, the answer is both. This is often the case when we talk about Freemasonry, because we are really talking about the moral, intellectual, and spiritual values of a man as they are expressed and realized in daily living. Men can be good Masons every day, whether they attend Lodge or not. If they are good men and true – if they treat others as they wish themselves to be treated – if they go out of their way to help or encourage a brother or friend – if they are law abiding citizens and good neighbors – if they are loving husbands and fathers – then they are being good Masons. They may use the tools and resources around them to accomplish activities of daily living, but they need the internal qualifications of a Mason to realize their full potential.
Can a man be all of these things without being a Mason? The answer has to be yes, but…it will be so much easier and better if he has the support and friendship of others who share the same promises, values and common experiences – the Brethren of a Masonic Lodge. They can help him achieve and enjoy a better and happier life. They can encourage him to build friendships and establish connections and also respect and support him as he does his duty to God in his own way.
If you know a man whose mind and heart is open to our values and who you believe would enjoy the benefits of brotherly love and reciprocal friendship, you should tell him that he would make a good Mason. Explain the process of becoming a member. Offer to sponsor him for membership, and then let him decide for himself. If he asks for a petition, he will receive a gift that will change his life.
Douglas N. Kaylor
Grand Master
