The Courage of Excellence
— V.W.B. Tom Dangelo
In this time of uncertainty and turmoil within the Nation and the World there arises a strong need to belong, to seek out persons of like mind and like beliefs to associate with. Today the need to bolster our self-confidence and reinforce the values with which we build our lives becomes ever stronger. Moral and Spiritual excellence, our moral compass, must be boxed, much the same as a navigator boxes the compass of his vessel.
There are untold numbers of men, of all ages, who have as of yet, not discovered Masonry with all of its wonders. Our rituals, our beliefs in The Supreme Architect of the Universe and the self- fulfilling spiritual reinforcement; associated with our constant involvement in the community, are the well spring that these men thirst to from.
Our fore-bearers have passed the tenets and precepts of Free Masonry, as a gift to each of us, upon being initiated, passed and raised. Finally being brought to further light in Masonry we have filled that void that so many young men, of like mind and goodness, yearn for and subconsciously seek, without knowing where to look. WE MUST PASS IT ON. This is The Courage of Excellence!
It is our duty, each and every one of us, to let that Beacon of Light, that flame of passion for the Fraternity that wells up from within our souls, to shine as never before. That Beacon of Light that I refer to will attract men like a moth to light.
This is the Courage of Excellence.
Young men of like mind and like beliefs will notice us. They will seek that which sets us apart from today’s norm.
That which we see on the television, in the movies, and read in magazines and newspapers constantly assails our senses. Their senseless plots, mind numbing dribble, lewd and immoral conduct are tearing at the very fiber and core beliefs of this nation.
The belief in God, church, country, family and moral rectitude are being assailed relentlessly and, with great fervor, by those who seek to destabilize and eventually destroy the value system that we, as Masons, pattern our lives after.
It is incumbent upon us to stand up even straighter, walk with even more confidence, and profess our beliefs and the tenets of our Fraternity even more vigorously.
The way that we treat each other outside the tiled walls, and how we act in the community, must be so vivid an example of what we are and what we believe that we light the entire community with our beacons.
”Duty and honor alike now bind you to be faithful to every trust, o support the dignity of your character on all occasions and to strenuously enforce, by precept and example, a continued obedience to the tenets of Freemasonry.
Exemplary conduct on your part, will convince the world that merit is the just title to our privileges and that on you our favors have not been undeservedly bestowed.”
THIS IS THE COURAGE OF EXCELLENCE!
My brothers, we are Masons! We have the Courage of Excellence and the WORLD NEEDS TO KNOW IT! The Courage of Excellence.
This article was republished with the kind permission of the author. The Easy Button image is a service mark of Staples, Inc.
