On Masonic Work
by SEBASTIAN ŞUŞMAN
Worshipful Master, SARMIZEGETUSA Lodge, no. 111, Deva
"With this hand work, and with the other pray, and Since time immemorial, this was the principal creed of the Masonic order, beginning with the stone at the foundation and all the way to the pinnacle, always in her vast Temple, the grand truth is inscribed in symbols of living light, that work is prayer. Perhaps the most beautiful, the most sublime, the one that can raise you to the skies, to the highest skies, beyond everything, to those highest worlds beyond which none higher may be, there were the most beautiful Light shines – The true light – which shines also within man. But for the Light to prevail from the darkness of our being, work is necessary, and prayer, prayer and work. Day by day, moment by moment. Freemasonry is a speculative science, but it is based on an operative art. All its symbols and allegories refer to this connection. Even its language Chiar is borrowed from the art of builders, and initiation into any of its degrees means work. Masonry does not elaborate theories, but builds temple, inspires rectitude of comportment with the plumbline, and extracts lessons of morality from the mason’s square. Earth works, with every coming of the spring, he projects the seed that grows, the delicate plant and the mighty tree. The old ocean labors endlessly, unquiet and mumuring, but working with courage through storm and gale. Thus also dedicated masons have the duty to work in their lodge, to realize their projects in the work of life. It is not exactly easy, nor quite pleasant, but life is struggle, so struggle - WORK! You feel tired at times, things are hard for you, you have had enough? Take a moment to catch your breath and then struggle anew, so work! Look around and glimpse another lifestyle, another behavior, other rules? Listen to them and they will tell you: "You are born tired to rest"; "Love your bed as you love yourself"; "Rest all day to sleep all night"; "If you see someone rest, help them"; "Do as little as you can, and if something must be done, get someone else to do it", "Too much rest never hurt anyone"; "When it comes upon you and you feel like working, lie down and wait it out". Listem to them ans smile, then go an and struggle, so work! You are and you will always be a mason. For you, work is religion. For you, work is never-ending. The construction of the temple was the initial undertaking of the old masons. From their work, we have cathedrals, abbeys, and palaces that arouse admiration, respect, and gratitude even today. They worked with their hands, we work with our brains, they delved in matter, we in spirit, they used in their work wood and stone, we use thought and sentiment, they have built material and worldly temples, we build spiritual temples in our hearts, in which the carved stone is a clean heart, a man like a temple, o sacred building in which God will dwell. The Temple of the immortal soul in man! Thus, work! Build yourself! Day by day, moment by moment. Take advantage of everything that has been revealed to you. Perfect your heart and mind. Place your enthusiasm in the service of the general good, conquer your prejudices, oversee your thoughts and actions, love, enlighten, and help your brethren. Then you will have perfected the temple for which you are at once architect, material, and worker. You yourself! Put in your building all that is best, all that is most beautiful. All the skill and all the love. "It is said that on old carpenter on the verge of retiring, still strong, was desired by his employer to keep working in his team. For all this, the old man was still determined to retire to live a quiet life with his family. Regretful over losing such a master craftsman, the employer asked him to build only one more house. The old man accepted, but no longer put soul into his doing. He called unskilled helpers and used the wrong planks. Even he was ashamed to see the look of his last work. When at last he finished it, the employer came to see it. He gave the carpenter the key to the house, saying: This is your house, my ift to you! The carpenter was amazed. What great shame! Had he known he was building his own house, he would have done it very differently". So it is with us. We build our lives often using not everything that is best. Then, with amazement do we realize that we have to live in the house we have built. If we could rebuild it, we would do it very differently. But we cannot return. Take heed! You are the carpenter. Everyday you beat a nail, lay a plank, or raise a wall. Life is just as you make it. The choice you make today builds the house in which you will live tomorrow. And the day after tomorrow. To the end. Most of us never perfect ourselves. We believe that what we have learned, what we are is sufficient and we no longer need perfecting. And we forget again and again that the greatest reward for a man’s efforts is not what he gains by his labor, but what he becomes through it. Never forget in your building that a man must be big enough to admit his mistakes, smart enough to learn from them, and hard enough to right them. Do you like Beethoven? The message of his symphonies can be synthetized thus: Man is not a pigmy, he is nothing but an unparalleled lazy man. In the last millennium, mankind has been preoccupied to develop a certain type of power, the one linked to the intellect, and the result is the Occidental world. Now the circle is beginning to close, the intellect has reached certain limits that it cannot surpass until it recuperates some of its lost powers. There are two modes in which man can evolve: internal and external. This is the moment when civilization cannot continue its evolution unless man starts taking seriously the paranormal and places it in the same plane as atomic energy... The human mind has reached a stage of its evolution in which it is prepared to develop new powers, powers considered magical once upon a time. It has always had greater capacity than we can understand: telepathy, presentiment of danger, premonition, thaumaturgy (healing power), all were part of his instinctual heritage. They are not lost, but atrophied. The moment of deep development has come. To so-called magical powers are a part of this mysterious world and man must come to recognize the fact that he potentially is a mage, one of the creatures that can unleash lightning and can command spirits... Is it not so? Do you doubt? WORK with FAITH! And do not forget, self-consciousness can be used to develop instinctive powers as well as for developing intellectual powers. How? Let us develop our powers in depth rather than altitude. And then toward the simultaneous realization of both. Besides that... From work knit your ladder to the unattained heights, Wisdom and Truth be your undying light! Work! With humility, with goodness, with tolerance, with love. Good and beauty, and when we disappear from the eyes of the mortals, let it be said that we did our work well. Work to build in yourself and in society the Temple of God on earth. WORK AND FOLLOW THE LIGHT WITHIN YOU!
God will daily bless the both."
Copyright Masonic Forum
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