2 minute read
The Greatest of These
FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK
by PJ Roup, 33˚, Editor, Active for Pennsylvania
Freemasons are generous by nature. That shouldn’t come as a surprise when we consider that the three great tenets of our Craft are Brotherly Love, Relief, and Truth. I have often wondered if those were in that order because of their importance or because they formed the most pleasant sounding turn of phrase. I mean, Relief, Truth, and Brotherly Love doesn’t slip off the tongue nearly as well, does it?
The case can certainly be made that they are in order of rank: Brotherly Love brings us together; Relief is the glue that bonds us; Truth, then, is our common goal, the pursuit of which is only achievable when we function as a cohesive unit.
One of the ways we, as Scottish Rite Masons, come together is through our vision statement: We will strive to be a fraternity that fulfills our Masonic obligation to care for its members. It is when we live into that vision that charity comes to the fore.
The Grand Almoner’s Fund has eased the paths of so many and brought hope to what seemed to be a hopeless situation. The White Flower Society is there to bring comfort and assistance to our widows. The Helping Hand Initiative, an extension of the Grand Almoner’s Fund that started as a response to the Coronavirus crisis, has already raised over $133,000 to assist those affected by the pandemic. Throughout this issue, you will see how Masons have stepped up, and in one case (see Back from the Brink, p. 34) how the work of our Children’s Dyslexia Centers inspired others to step up as well.
Charity can take forms other than financial giving as well. Throughout the Coronavirus crisis, Masons have assisted their at-risk brothers, neighbors, and friends by doing their grocery shopping, running errands, and making emergency home repairs. They have also helped first responders and healthcare workers on the front lines who are working ceaselessly to keep us safe. What we have done matters. In 1 Corinthians 13:13, Paul writes “And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.”
I hope you are proud of the good we have done during this time of crisis. I hope, too, that you are inspired to continue that good work once the world gets back to normal. There will always be need. There will always be strife. And there will always be Scottish Rite Masons there to help.
