Last November, I completed six years as a mason. For me, it’s been a long journey, but it is not a long time compared to my lodge brothers who’ve spent 20–60 years in masonry. As the year ends, I do believe that this was the year that I’ve made the biggest strides as a mason. Not that my accomplishments were anything outstanding, but I take pride in what I have done. Now, it is time to look to the year ahead. There is a lot that I feel that does need to be accomplished, as I am sure there is in your Lodge as well. But changes in Masonry don’t happen overnight. Like an old clock, you should make fixes gradually and carefully, but the repairs have to be made.

Let me deviate for a minute here. For those of you familiar with the freemasonry subreddit, there was a question somewhere along the lines of, ‘How do you define Masonry?’ There was one answer that stood out among all the others, and I do believe that it is one that many of us can identify with. The answer was this:

The world is a shitty place, and there’s not much that we can do about that on the macro scale. What we can do, however, is give men the opportunity to change and improve themselves using moral tools and teachings in order to better implement the moral values they already had. By doing this, a man not only changes himself, but the world immediately around him — and sometimes reaching even further than that. So, we can’t change the world on a macro scale, but we can change it many, many times on a micro scale. Masonry is an organized effort to save the world, one man at a time.

The answer was given by Bro. Gabriel Jagush, Fort Worth Lodge #148, Grand Lodge of Texas, AF&AM. Now, I don’t know the specific sequence of life events and masonic experience that lead up to this answer, but I am extremely thankful for it.

Masonry is an organized effort to save the world, one man at a time.

Now of course, each one of us has their own experience with Masonry, and we each have our own definitions, and I am by no means proposing to use this as the definite definition of masonry. However, if we do apply this definition, our role as masons become much clearer. We have always heard that Masonry takes good men and makes them better; but better for whom? or for what? Of course, it is to make ourselves better, but what use is it to make ourselves better if we don’t put our better selves to use.

Masonry has always been about service. Service to ourselves, service to family, service to our lodge, and service to the world. We make ourselves better so that we may make the lives of others better.

On that note, let me get back to my point. The year ahead is one more just like the one that will come after it and the one that will come after that. But each year we get is an opportunity to do something of value. We can add value to many different parts of our lives. In Education, by signing up for a course, or going back to school. In Work, by identifying problems and weakness, and figuring out solutions and the steps forward. In Family, by spending more time with your loved ones, or by reconnecting with someone you’ve lost touch with. There are many ways that we can add value to our lives. But for the coming year, I ask this of you. In Masonry, add value to your Lodge.

As we move forward in our Masonic careers, there are so many things to focus on: Ritual, Administration, Offices, Workings. All these things are important to work on, but we often forget that the Lodge itself also needs work. Maybe your Lodge, uses old and fading regalia, this can be the year to bring in some shiny new medals. Maybe your Lodge room is in disrepair, this year you can focus on reconstruction. Are your Lodge’s working tools damaged? Of course, they could also be things that don’t relate to the temple. Could your ceremonies use an upgrade or be done better? Are there brothers on bad terms that could be made to come to an accord? Are there new members that are maybe being ignored? Do all members know the goals of the WM and the direction he wants to take the Lodge?

This is but a small list of possible thing you and your brothers can work on for the benefit of the Lodge, and when we all have a common goal, it is more likely one that can be accomplished.

For the coming year, my goal is to make the Lodge a better place for my brethren. It’s not going to be done quickly, and it probably won’t be that easy, but that’s the beauty of coming year. I have a whole year to do it.

Fraternally yours,

Flynn Francisco

W.M. Swastik Lodge 771 I.C., Mumbai

Thank you for taking your time to read this. If you liked the article, please click on the green heart below, or better yet, leave a comment. I would love to hear your thoughts and begin a discussion.