About Goodness
by Sebastian ªuºman
Worshipful Master, SARMIZEGETUSA Lodge, no. 111, Deva
I here as through time and though it seems as it was only yesterday the words of the Venerable Master at my initiation into an older ritual: when you get in front of your tomb, the only thing that will remain of you and the only thing that will come with you beyond are your good deeds! The years have passed in flight as one moment, the words have remained and will remain full of force, beauty, and wisdom. It was not something new. I'd read them in the Bible, I'd heard them in another way in the educational words of my parents, in the urging to be better.
But they had a different feeling then. Perhaps it was the special moment, perhaps the new perspective, perhaps the new power, the power of GOOD. But words without deeds are never worth anything. It is the moment more than ever, as in the case of the sown grain of wheat, to rot and another grain to rise, as also the initiates to be truly reborn under the auspices of the good and in the service of the good.
In our hurried passing to the everlasting, in the continuous mad race to quench our desires, let us not forget that the true wealth of a man is measured by how much he would be worth if he lost all his money.
Let us not forget even for a moment to be good. Now more yesterday and tomorrow more than today. Let us spread in our path of LIGHT wreathes of good works and let us give luminous life to our years.
Goodness is the ability to love people more than they deserve. It is a language that deaf understand as well as the dumb. It is the golden chain that binds society.
Goodness is a primordial value. All our intelligence, culture, beauty, wealth, office are as naught if we do not have goodness. For naught can replace it! We could speak all the tongues of the earth, now all that is new... we would still not not be human, if we were evil! To be good is a step towards trust, it is a sign of respect that manifests itself in the care for our neighbor. To bring solace, to forgive, to give confidence to the hopeless, to raise the fallen, to save the wounded, to protect him, is sublime! And it is said that:
A man who considered himself without sin, at the Last Judgment, told the Creator:
- Lord, I have kept your law, I have done no evil, no injustice. Look at my hands, they are clean!
- Doubtless they are clean, but they are also empty!
Often, you will not receive a word of thanks from the ones to which you are good. If you are truly good, this will not discourage you. For is it not said that from 10 healed lepers, but one came back to thank. You should still be good!
In the Aramaic part of the Book of Daniel, we read: redeem your sins through şedaka (justice, good works), and your injustice by showing mercy to the poor. An act of pity, of goodness, not only comes to the aid of the needy, but brings a spiritual benefaction to the giver.
A man, walking down a street, saw an old bum, a beggar who lived on the pity of the faithful. A little girl approached the old man and gave him some money. Impressed, the passer-by asked the little girl:
- Tell me, why did you give the old man your money?
- Sir, my father is dead and though my mother works a lot, she doesn't have much money, so things are hard for us. But last night mother told me that when you do good, God unerringly repays the good. So today I took this money that I earned and gave it to the old man in front of the church. He certainly needs it more. And God, because I've done something good, will pity me.
Won by the girl's goodness, the man asked her what she wants most.
- Oh, said the girl, I would want a coat, because winter is coming and it will be very cold. Last year I caught a terrible cold, because I did not have warm clothes, but God helped me and made me well. Mother wanted to buy me a coat, but it is very expensive and we cannot afford it.
- Well, you can afford it, said the man. Come with me!
They went to a big store on the other side of the road, where the man bought the girl a warm and beautiful coat. The girl did not know how to thank the stranger that took pity on her.
- See, said the man, your mother was right. God always repays the good you do. You helped the old man, and God gave me the chance to meet you at this particular time. I helped you now, and be sure, God will help me later, because when we help one another, God helps us.
The more we are good and more careful of one another, the more will God see our faith and protect us from evil.
He who practices pity and giving acts as though he fills the entire world with goodness and love. Mercy is greater than all the sacrifices. "Great is mercy, for it makes our redemption come near. Even the beggar that lives on mercy, even he must practice it". (Talmud)
Our life passes at great speed, but so long as we are, we have the chance to have an existence of better quality. Make time to see the pain and the tear burning, make time to hear the humble cry, make time to lend a helping hand, make time and do good to everyone!
At the end let us remember the beautiful rejoinder of a candle:
You've lit me and watched my light thoughtfully. Do you feel joy in your souls? I certainly rejoice, for I mean something only when I burn. I am not sad, even though burning I have grown smaller.
In fact, I've only two possibilities:
The first is to remain whole. This would mean that I am not lit and therefore do not grow smaller, but neither can I fulfill my purpose.
The second would be to spread light and heat and thus to give my very self. This is much more beautiful than to remain cold and without purposeless.
And you people are the same. When you live only for yourselves, you are the unlit candle, that did not fulfill its purpose. But if you give light and heat, then you have a purpose. For that you have to give something: love, truth, joy, trust, and the desires that you carry in your heart. Do not be afraid to grow smaller. That is an illusion. Inside you there is always light.
Think, with peace in your soul, that you are like a lit candle. I am but simple lit candle. By myself, i give a little light. But when we are many together, the light and heat are stronger. And with you people it is also like this, "together you give more light".
Be good! Today more than yesterday, tomorrow more than today. It is not easy, but man himself is only what he wants to be. Today, not tomorrow! If you do not fly today, you will never fly! Love your neighbor as yourself! And do not forget... love me when I deserve it least, for that is when I need it most!
BE GOOD! FOLLOW THE LIGHT WITHIN YOU!
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