TRAVEL LIGHT

I must admit that I am not much of a Jose Rizal fan. Ka Andres Bonifacio gets more points from me, just a bit higher than Rizal. But like any Filipino, I admire Rizal for his dedication to our country’s cause. The life he lived as hero and martyr should be a source of inspiration, if not an emulation for the youth which he proclaimed as the hope of the mother/fatherland. Jose Rizal and Andres Bonifacio are both heroes and examplars of Filipino Patriotism and they’re both my brother Masons.

According to the Grand Lodge of the Philippines website:

Rizal was made a Master Mason on November 15, 1890 at Logia Solidaridad 53 in Madrid, Spain. He affiliated with a lodge under the jurisdiction of Grand Orient of France on October 14, 1891, and was made honorary Worshipful Master of Nilad Lodge No. 144 in 1892. There he delivered a lecture entitled “La Masoneria”.

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What do the Duke of Windsor (left), Clark Gable (center) and these other guys have in common?

They wear aprons for they are all Freemasons. They’re not into the business of world domination.

While conspiracy theorists are busy cooking new stories about how the Freemasons will control the world, a lot of Freemasons would rather indulge themselves in sartorial elegance or concern themselves with the latest Masonic bling blings. Like any ordinary Gentlemen, most Freemasons, especially the new generation of millenial Masons are outrightly stylish.

Most uninformed people would picture a Freemason in the most unfair manner or in some fearsome image, like those we see in horror movies: a cultist who wears a hooded cape worshiping an unknown God, a modern day warlock, or a shadowy figure conspiring for world domination.

But hey, take a look at these stylish masons through history, and meet the millenial Masons, then judge for yourselves. Do they look like they’re out to control the world? Perhaps, controlling the world through charity and in style.

Like all fellows and brothers had done who have gone this way before

Most of our menfolk in my father’s clan are Freemasons. My late Dad, his uncles before him, his cousins and nephews are Masons. The latest addition to this list is my elder brother, Ferdie, the eldest of our siblings.

Like myself, Ferdie is a Senior DeMolay and a Past Master Councilor of our DeMolay Chapter, the University Chapter, in MSU Marawi City. Among our siblings, I was the one who first followed the footsteps of our Dad to become a Master Mason.

Following a family tradition and by his own free will and accord, Ferdie finally decided to knock at the doors of our lodge, the Jacques DeMolay Memorial Lodge No. 305.

As a fitting tribute to my Dad, I took the role as Conferral Worshipful Master of Ferdie’s initiation as Entered Apprentice Mason, last Saturday, May 10, 2008.

My brother Ferdie is now an Entered Apprentice Mason and will be undergoing a journey till he becomes a Master Mason. I will be there to guide him on his journey in seeking more light in Masonry, just like what our Dad did when I was made an Entered Apprentice.

I’m sure that our Dad, who is now in the Celestial Lodge above, was happy watching over us, when Ferdie made his first step on the north-east corner of the ground floor of King Solomon’s Temple.

Today, Mother’s day I would like to share this piece of DeMolay Ceremony specially dedicated to our Dearest Mothers. This is the most memorable ceremony that we DeMolays experience upon being accepted into the Order. This ceremony is given to the newly obligated Brethren of the Order of DeMolay, and is simply and aptly called as the…

FLOWER TALK

My brothers, you have just been permitted to take upon yourselves the name of one of the world’s most heroic knightly figures. Now you can say, “I am a DeMolay.” To be deemed worthy of the privilege of entering into the comradeship of that great army of youth both here and abroad who have dedicated themselves to the ideals of Jacques DeMolay, demonstrates our confidence that the fineness of your purposes will guide your development into the highest type of manhood. To be accepted as a DeMolay is, therefore, an honour of which any young man can be justly proud.

In being received into our ranks, you have been instructed in the seven cardinal virtues of this great Order. We hope you have been deeply impressed with the lessons they teach. There is no better foundation on which to build your character and future life than the practice of these virtues. The Order of DeMolay teaches many beautiful lessons, but none is more important than honour and true respect for womanhood, and more especially for motherhood. It is fitting, therefore, that you have been called upon to stand again before this altar in a few moments of special emphasis upon the virtue which has been given first place among the jewels adorning the Crown of Youth: Filial Love.

For my purpose now, this altar is dedicated to our mothers, whose love never fails. You may rise to positions of great influence in commercial, political, or professional life, but you can never reach the heights of your mother’s secret hopes for you. You may sink into the lowest depths of infamy and degradation, but never below the reach of her love. The memory of it will always stir your heart. There is no man so entirely base, so completely vile, so utterly low, that he does not hold in his heart a shrine sacred and apart for the memory of his mother’s love.

Were I to draw you a picture of love divine,
it would not be that of a stately Angel,
With a form that is full of grace.
But a tired and toilworn mother
With a grave and tender face.

It was your mother who loved you before you were born–who carried you for long months close to her heart and in the fullness of time took God’s hand in hers and passed through the valley of shadows to give you life. It was she who cared for you during the helpless years of infancy and the scarcely less dependent years of childhood. As you have grown less dependent, she has done the countless, thoughtful, trouble-healing, helpful and encouraging things which somehow only mothers seem to know how to do. You may have accepted these attentions more or less as matters of course, and perhaps without conscious gratitude or any expression of your appreciation. You are rapidly approaching the time in life when you will be entirely independent of your mother. The ties with which dependency has bound you to her may be severed as you grow older, but the tie of mother-love can never be broken.

Thinking back upon the years of your life when you have reached the threshold of manhood, your mother might well say in the words of the poet:

My body fed your body, son,
But birth’s a swift thing
Compared to one and twenty years
Of feeding you with spirit’s tears.
I could not make your mind and soul,
But my glad hands have kept you whole.
Your groping hands
Bound me to life with ruthless bands.
And all my living became a prayer,
While all my days built up a stair
For your young feet that trod behind
That you an aspiring way should find.
Think you that life can give you pain
Which does not stab in me again?
Think you that life can give you shame
Which does not make my pride go lame?
And you can do no evil thing
Which sears not me with poisoned sting.
Because of all that I have done,
Remember me in life, O son.
Keep that proud body fine and fair.
My life is monumented there.
For my life make no woman weep,
For my life hold no woman cheap.
And see you give no woman scorn
For that dark night when you were born.

These flowers which you see on our altar are symbols of that mother love. The white, the love of the mother who is gone. And the red, the mother who still lives to bless your life.

Far in the dim recesses of her heart
Where all is hushed and still,
She keeps a shrine.
‘Tis here she kneels in prayer
While from above long shafts of light upon her shine.
Her heart is flower fragrant as she prays.
Aquiver like a candle flame,
Each prayer takes wing
To bless the world she works among,
To leave the radiance of the candles there.

We want each of you to take a flower from the altar. If your mother has passed over to the other shore, you will choose a white flower and keep it always sacred to her memory. May the sight of it always quicken every tender memory of her and strengthen you anew in your efforts to be worthy of her hopes and aspirations for you. If your mother is living, you will choose a red flower. When you go home tonight, give it to your mother. Tell her it is our recognition of God’s best gift to a man: his mother’s love. Take her in your arms and say, “Mother, I’ve learned a great lesson tonight. The ceremonies have helped me realize more fully how much you really mean to me. I’m going to try to show you daily how much I appreciate the sacrifices you have made and the love and care you give me.”

Someday you’ll find that flower, I know not where, perhaps in her Bible or prayer book or some other sacred place, a silent witness to what this night has meant to the one whose love for you, her son, is beyond the comprehension of any son. My brothers each of you will please take a red or white flower from the altar.

DeMolay can ask no more of you than that you shall endeavor so to live as to be worthy of your mother’s love.

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY, to all mothers of the world, especially to my dearest mom, Mrs. Marina Avrez Mugot Vda. de Gaerlan, and to my beloved wife and mother to my daughter Maia, Mrs. Maria Marina Victoria K. Gaerlan.

A year ago today, I visited my Dad in his house.

After the usual talks about developments in Philippine Masonry, which was his favorite topic whenever I visited him, I proudly showed him my newly bought Masonic Ring. He was delighted to see it. He tried it on his frail fingers and said he once had one like it, but more beautiful than what I have.

Afterwards our conversation drifted into his usual nostalgia of places his been to and friends that he missed for a long time. I gave him some updates about the places, but I stopped when it comes to those friends he was longing to see. Most of them were already dead.

I bade goodbye to my Dad that day in our usual parting fashion, by exchanging Masonic handshakes and signs, and then we laugh like two little kids sharing our little secrets.

Two days after my visit, my Dad died, in his sleep.

There are stories we read in fiction novels written in the Da Vinci Code mystery genre, about icons that were lost or stolen and later on found or rediscovered. The common plot of these stories is the theme, that whoever discovers the lost icon and is worthy of its care is granted immense powers. But for those unworthy hands who stole it, if not killed, they succumb to an unbearable torment inflicted by a supernatural source.

It is common knowledge that those who posses the Square and Compasses symbol are Masons or Freemasons, members of a worldwide fraternity known as Freemasonry. These symbols had become ubiquitous as car decals. Some erring Masons and many pretenders have this wrong notion that these decals can bail them out from being charged with traffic violations. Admittedly this ancient Masonic symbol has been abused for selfish interests and mercenary motives both by Masons and pretenders alike. However, we Masons have our own methods in determining a pretender from a real Brother Mason. The general principle of displaying Masonic symbols is to remind the bearer that he should conduct himself in accordance with Masonic principles and his Masonic obligations. It is not to boast one’s membership or to be used as a ticket for privilege and badge for special favors.

I have Masonic symbols displayed in our house. Most of it can be found inside the house while I have two on our gates. The symbols glued on our rusty iron gate are the Seal of the Order of DeMolay Alumni Association and on its top is a smaller blue and gold Square and Compasses decal. These icons or symbols remained glued on our gate and left untouched for many months.

Until one night, two weeks ago, when I arrived home I noticed the Square and Compasses decal was gone. It was deliberately unfastened from where it was glued. The DeMolay Alumni seal was left untouched. I was disgusted and angry. I cannot do anything about it, but curse. And curse I did, that whoever stole it and use it for whatever purpose will eventually find himself in a situation that he cannot comprehend.

This morning, as Bambit and I stepped out of our gate, we were surprised to see the stolen Square and Compasses decal, glued back to its original position on our rusty gate. We were both wondering, what made the one who stole it to return the decal? And why would he take extra effort in pasting it back to its original position, when he can just throw the decal inside our house?

One can only posses the Square and Compasses symbol, if you are brought from darkness to light.

Despite unfounded claims that Masons, especially Christian Masons are not observing religious obligatory days, the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, do commemorate Holy Week by what it calls the “Celebration of Remembrance and Renewal.”

The Scottish Rite’s Rose Croix Chapters traditionally observed Maundy Thursday on the middle day of Holy Week. It has been called, variously, “Holy Thursday”, “The Day of the Supper of the Lord” and “The Day of Mysteries”. Also, traditionally, the Christian world fixes it using the date of Easter Sunday, which is the first Sunday after the full moon which happens on the vernal equinox.

Freemasonry has remembered this special day and Brethren of the Scottish Rite have gathered throughout the world to reaffirm their faith in the universal fraternity of mankind. The first written record of such observance is a ritual of the Eighteenth Degree, which Charles de Ladebat prepared and published in 1856 in New Orleans. The Code of Statutes adopted in 1866 lists Maundy Thursday as a feast day.

Through the ages men have observed sacred rites during four periods of the year, the solstice and equinoxes. The Last Supper was in observance of the Passover (Spring Equinox) Just prior to the Lord’s betrayal and crucifixion The observance of Maundy Thursday in the Eighteenth Degree of the Scottish Rite is appropriate since this Degree originally was one of orthodox Christianity.

The word “Maundy” stems from the old French Mande’, or the Latin Mandatum, a command: On the Thursday of the Last Supper Christ said, “A new Commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another.”

Maundy Thursday is also known as Shere or Chare Thursday, from the Middle English Shere or Sheere, meaning pure. It alludes to the physical purity acquired by the ablutions of the day and to the shearing of the hair and beard, so that nothing should remain between God and man.

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