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THE LETTER OF THE Master of the Lodge

 

ANNIVERSARIES 

 

Dearest Brother, 2023 is characterized by two important anniversaries that concern us: the 300th anniversary of the publication of Anderson's Constitutions and the 30th anniversary of the foundation of the Regular Grand Lodge of Italy.

Speaking of anniversaries, Leopardi wrote: 

 

"A beautiful and amiable illusion is that by which the anniversaries of an event, which in truth has nothing more to do with them than with any other day of the year, seem to have a particular connection with it, and which almost a may the shadow of the past rise again and always return in those days, and be in front of us: hence the sad thought of the annulment of what was is partly healed, and the pain of many losses relieved, it seems that those recurrences make what is past , and that it never comes back, is not extinguished or completely lost.” 

 

If in fact we considered these anniversaries only as the remembrance "of what was", we would lose sight of the fact that these dates refer to two founding events, which therefore are not isolated points in history, but begin a new one: in a certain sense they are the events underlying our personal experience as freemasons. 

The celebration of these anniversaries can turn into an opportunity to challenge and contrast the harsh profane laws, which require us to always run forward: looking back can instead mean stopping and meditating on the road we are travelling. Sometimes focusing only on the future and on the goals, which we legitimately set ourselves (but also on the contrary only on memories) makes us lose sight of what we are here and now, what constitutes the only effective reality. We happen to be so fascinated by our goals, even Masonic ones, that we tell ourselves we "feel good" just because we set them, without really analyzing what is happening in us, if the path we are on is actually changing us for the better. 

So I wonder if the definition "speculative masons" might not be misleading: we are certainly speculative because we are not operative in the sense of "stone cutters", but neither are we speculative in the sense that our activity has the aim of basking exclusively in occupationsintellectuals! 

This dual nature was perhaps also present in some ancient so-called operative lodges: why else would men extraneous to the Art want to be part of it, requesting to be "accepted"? Just for prestige or patronage? Is it certainly a possibility, or instead were some attracted to it because they saw symbols and principles that deeply fascinated them?

 

See you soon!

 

S&F

W.M. M.B. Master of Lodge