From The East April 2025

Hello Brethren,

Welcome to April. Spring has arrived and mother nature is awakening from her long Winter’s slumber. Moreover, it is the month of Passover and Easter- two of the most important holidays in the Jewish and Christian traditions. Passover commemorates the Jews surviving the tenth plague, death, and the beginning of a new chapter for the Jewish people after 430 years in Egyptian captivity. Similarly, Easter celebrates the manifestation of God’s promise to mankind of a life after death through the sacrifice and resurrection of his only begotten son. Both of these holidays are festivals of rebirth and renewal.

So, how can we as Freemasons bring rebirth and renewal into our own lives? Well… All of the Great Books of antiquity, such as The Bible, The Torah, The Vedas, The Quran, etc., as well as all of the eminent philosophers and theologians throughout history, have arrived at the same conclusion: We must live our lives virtuously. But what does that mean, exactly? Virtue (Latin: virtus) is defined as behavior showing high moral standards; or, in human practical ethics, a virtue is a disposition to choose actions that succeed in showing high moral standards. According to Judeo-Christian tradition, there are 7 “high” virtues often referred to as the “heavenly” virtues. These so-called high virtues are a combination of the 4 philosophical, or cardinal, virtues and the 3 theological virtues. The traditional understanding of the difference between cardinal and theological virtues is that the latter are not fully accessible to humans in their natural state without assistance from God. The 4 cardinal virtues of Temperance, Fortitude (or Bravery), Prudence and Justice were first espoused by Plato and later expounded by Aristotle. Temperance can be defined as voluntary self-restraint or moderation in our actions and in our emotions. Fortitude is the strength of mind that enables us to encounter danger or bear pain or adversity with courage. Prudence is the ability to govern and discipline oneself by the use of reason. And, Justice is the desirable middle ground between selfishness and selflessness. In other words, Justice is a quality or habit which perfects the will and inclines it to render to each what belongs to them. The 3 theological virtues are Faith, Hope and Charity (or Love). These virtues were first mentioned by St. Paul in 1 Corinthians 13, "And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.” (The third virtue is also commonly referred to as "charity", as this is how the King James Bible translated the Greek word agape). Faith can be defi ned as the belief in God and in the truths He has revealed, trusting in His promises and teachings. Hope is the confi dent expectation of eternal salvation and the things God has promised, relying on His power and grace. While Charity, often understood as Love, is the love of God and neighbor, acting with compassion and selfl ess service, refl ecting God's love for humanity.

Now, having defined the 7 heavenly virtues, let each one of us, Freemasons, look at how we can find renewal and rebirth in our hearts through them. Firstly, by contemplation and reflection upon each virtue, we are enabled to achieve a deeper understanding of them. This we accomplish through our rituals, memorization and personal study. Then, incorporating the virtues as a whole into our thoughts, words and actions, we will uncover the secret to a renewal in our relationships and our lives. In other words, by doing so, we are able to free our hearts and minds of the vices and superfluities of daily life, thereby enabling our spirit to rise above the din of our mundane existence. Thus, when we have fully embraced living virtuously, we are enabled to experience a rebirth. Rebirth from the darkness into the Light.

Jeffrey Reinsch
Worshipful Master