Pray

Last night, I had the privilege and pleasure of playing the part of King Solomon in the second section of the Third Degree at my home lodge in Winthrop. It was a double pleasure to raise my good friend, Jim Suedbeck, to the sublime degree of a Master Mason. The photo shows newly-raised brother Jim along with the degree participants. Special thanks to members of the Legion of Honor Degree Team for helping out, and to PGM J.V. Christianson, who read the charge.

I have written often of my love for the Masonic ritual. The beauty of the degrees all comes together in the Third Degree, especially in the second section. Themes of faithfulness, duty, justice, death and redemption are explored and explained. The third lecture of the degree is one of the great works of literature, and not limited to Masonry.

One of my favorite lines in Masonic ritual is found in this degree: Masons should ever remember that when the wisdom and strength of man fails, there is an inexhaustible supply above, rendered to us through the power of prayer.

The question I ask myself, as I ponder this quote is: Why does it take me so long to realize that I need to ask for the Grand Architect’s assistance?