The Ties that Bind
Are the bonds that connect us truly unbreakable, or does it require renewal through effort?
As I received each Degree in Masonry I found myself giving and receiving commitments to the kind of Brotherhood and Fellowship that I had been seeking for most of my life. I say this because most of my life those I had considered lifelong friends in and out of the service couldn’t be found when life came calling. Yet a handful of Brothers I barely knew have sat with me while discussing some of the most challenging experiences of my life until the late hours of the night. I was able to give voice to things that I had come to believe I would have to work through in isolation, as I had with most significant challenges.
In the Craft we renew these commitments to each other at every meeting, and at each Degree conferral. When we show up for a Brother, their family, our Lodge, or our communities we renew those commitments, strengthening the bonds of Brotherhood and Fellowship, not just when it is convenient, but when it counts. Sometimes it is as simple as making sure we do not leave a Brother to prepare or wind down a Lodge alone. Perhaps it is offering a listening ear for a Brother who is experiencing one of life’s challenges, helping to shoulder the weight for a little while, offering a moment’s Relief. Or to support and encourage one another as we take our first steps on a new journey, following roads less traveled or blazing new ones, providing insight and counsel as we are able.
I have seen Brothers going through significant personal life events continue to honor the bonds of Brotherhood in spite of them. I have seen Brethren travel near and far to ensure that a new Brother will not have to have his degree rescheduled one more time, ensuring his experience is meaningful. I have watched a couple Brothers face down mortality, continuing to answer the call, supporting their districts and Lodges night after night. I have observed a Brother taking care of his partner with substantial medical concerns show up to every meeting to prepare the Lodge, create a meal, and stay until it is ready for the next event. I have witnessed a Brother who in spite of significant personal limitations has given more than is fair to ask to ensure that education and mentorship is available to those who would seek it. Each time one of those Brother’s honors their obligation to the Craft it deepens the ties that bind both ways.
If we fail to meet those commitments and Obligations, we could find the bonds of Brotherhood begin to fray, and cable-tows get a little shorter. If we allow the words we speak to lose their meaning, how much longer will they continue to echo through our Temples? How can we expect our Brethren to give so freely of their time and efforts if we are unwilling to offer them consideration in kind? Relationships are established and formed through mutual effort and support, the Obligations we make and renew each time we meet are what preserves them.
If we fail to participate in providing the Brotherly Love, Relief, and Truth we have Obligated ourselves to, should we be surprised if our Lodges begin to falter? Can we honestly say we are surprised, or that we don’t understand how it happened? Or are we avoiding looking at the long line of small cuts that severed that bond of fellowship over time and carelessness? If we start to see the ties that bind us together begin to weaken, and the willingness to continue this tradition fade, the damage has already been done.
We should ensure that we maintain these bonds, for once severed they are nearly impossible to repair, and are almost never as strong as they once were.
Join us in the next article as we explore the importance of tending “The Garden” to promote a healthy harvest. Recognizing that tending a garden requires nutrients in addition to weeding out the things that could harm your crops, that one without the other can still result in a failed harvest with long lasting results.