Happy St John's Day

In a few words and short; we do not know just when, or just how, Freemasonry adopted the Sts. John. Their days are the Christian adaptation of pagan festivals of a time when man, knowing no better, worshiped the sun as the supreme God. So when we celebrate out festival days on June 24th and December 27th, we walk eye to eye and step by step with our ancient ancestors, worshiping as they worshiped, giving thanks as they did; they to the only God they knew for the glory of summer, the beginning of the period when days lengthened - we to the G.A.O.T.U. that our gentle Craft took for its own the austere but loving characters of two among the greatest of the saintly men who have taught of the Father of all mankind.

- Source: Short Talk Bulletin - Dec. 1933
Masonic Service Association of North America

This is another in the series of blogs considering the role of the shortest day of the year, and the return of light. We know that happens literally, as the days begin to become longer. It should happen figuratively for Masons as well. Our patron, St. John, wrote of themes of darkness and light in his gospel. Christian or no, these themes resonate with Masons.

Let us renew a commitment to find More Light in Masonry in the coming year.