Greetings from the East!
First and foremost, I want to give recognition to two deserving Brothers in our Lodge who have been installed as Grand Chaplains under MW Roger B. Quintana, Grand Master of the State of NJ:
Congratulations to RW Nic Compitello and RW Dan Xavier. We could not be more proud of you!
What Is Your “Work?
One of my favorite definitions of Masonry is something akin to “Men of every background, race, and religion, coming together to do the work of the Lodge.” That is from memory of course and not exact, but you get the idea. The phrase “doing the work of the Lodge” has always stuck in my mind. To me, the “work of the Lodge” is all encompassing. It could mean initiating a candidate, and it could mean replacing a light bulb. It could mean giving the 3rd Degree Lecture, and it could mean checking on a Brother who has not been to Lodge in a while. The “work of the Lodge” is as multi-faceted as the Lodge itself and requires the complete range of talents and skills possessed by our diverse set of Brothers. My question to you my Brother is: what is your “work?”
Our Brothers enjoy Masonry in many different ways and who am I to say what those ways should be. But I often wonder if they are getting as much out of Masonry as they could be? Likewise, I wonder if our Lodge is getting as much out of them as it could be. I firmly believe that our personal growth in Masonry comes from our participation in Masonry. Since participation, by definition, requires joining with other people, your participation leads not only to your personal growth but to the personal growth of all other participants. Changing a light bulb is easy but changing a light bulb with other men? Not so much. With all the different techniques and strong opinions that you will encounter, it will be a miracle if you ever get it done. But, with a little listening, a little reason, a little compromise, and most importantly, a purpose for working together, you will get that light bulb changed and become a better person in the process.
We all have particular strengths and skills that we can contribute to our Lodge. This could mean something that we are good at or it may mean something that we are willing to try and to do our best at. What contribution to our Lodge will you make? What will be the thing that makes you grow? What will be your work? I hope you will find it. I hope that you will make the difference for this Lodge that makes the difference for you. For somewhere, my Brother, there is a lecture that needs to be given, a pantry that needs to be cleaned, a Brother that needs to be called, and a light bulb that needs to be changed.
Fraternally,
John Perri
Worshipful Brother