Perfection
Submitted by Brother Tim Hyclak
Perfect is used throughout our ritual. It means flawless, right? That definition might apply to some instances, but is that the best definition for its Masonic usage?
Other definitions speak to being complete or fully done. If we look at the root of the usage from Middle English: from Old French perfet, from Latin perfectus ‘completed’, from the verb perficere, from per- ‘through, completely’ + facere ‘do’.
This definition perhaps fits a little better with our ritual and Masonic usage.
There’s another definition which I think fits our purposes the best: Meeting all requirements: Accurate, or Exact.
Throughout the first degree, we are taught to look at ourselves as living Ashlars. We are told that the common gavel should be used to shape our minds for use in building our spiritual temple. In operative masonry, having a stone in which all sides are completely smooth is not typically good for building. If a stone is smooth and polished, the cement has nothing to bond or adhere to. The stone could get placed in cement, but once dry, the stone could be easily moved. The more useful stone is one that is shaped for the task at hand, with a coarse finish. This finish allows the cement to grab on to the stone and form a unified, rigid structure.
Cornerstones or decorative stones around a doorway will often have smooth, polished sides that face the outer world. But they will also have some coarse sides to help them bond to the building. That is how we should look at ourselves.
Polish the parts that face the outer world, so that those without may benefit from the beauties and love that you have worked so hard to bring out, but remember that the coarse sides are the parts that hold us together as Masons.
We don’t need to be flawless, we just need to be perfect.
Join us in the next Travelers article as we seek out “Hidden Treasure” and adventure. Consider how we might find the things that we are looking for in our lives, our professions, and our Lodges with an alternative perspective. Join us as we discover how to find the things that fulfill us, and give meaning to our journeys.