Master’s Message – April 2020

Brethren,

Today’s environment brings to mind the three great principles of Faith, Hope, and Charity. The Covid-19 virus and our collective response to it, no matter how you describe it, challenges us and our principles. How something so small and simple as a virus can create so much damage is hard to understand. It has as I write already inflected over 500,000 and by the time you read this, that number will undoubtedly be in the millions. Many will lose their lives in the process. The fact that the eldest amongst us are the most vulnerable brings little relief.

Our Faith is being tested by the actions of government in closing of our places of worship in the interest of breaking the transmission of the contagion. Participation with others even if it is only at a distance needs to continue. As invincible as I may feel, I must not risk spreading this virus to others. The fact that individuals are most contagious at the very time they first start to show symptoms makes this distancing critically important to all. Indeed, we should each pray that we and other will have the strength and capacity to place the health of our neighbors ahead of our own desires.

My Hope is that this infection will pass soon. The injury to our communities is likely to be high. We need to respond by finding the light to go forward and find those opportunities that this experience has left at our doorstep to do address. How do we avoid a repletion and in putting things back together how can we make them better in the process? I don’t wish to return; I want to go forward to something better.

Charity is not just giving. It requires that we expect nothing in return. Many in our communities are going to suffer from the hardships produced by the events of the battle with the virus. All of us have something we can contribute. Each of us needs to consider how we can best help others in need. This is our Oath.

For the balance of the year I want to pursue with you how we should best act as Masons in the spirit of charity. Come prepared to account to your brothers what it is you have done in this time to contribute to the assistance of others. We can lend support to them and thereby be inspired to do more ourselves.

The grand Master has suspended all masonic events through the end of April. Assuming it will be safe and in the best interest of all, our next Stated Communication will be May 13th. Hopefully, we will be able to recognize a number of members for their seniority in the fraternity and their contributions to its continuance. More details as we get a bit closer. Save the Date.

Let me or one of the other officers know of your thoughts and observations. How do we turn this experience into something that makes all of us better?

Warren Burkholder WM, Washington 46