Greetings Brethren,

This is not my final Musings to you. However, this is the last in my ongoing series about books. I have written about the various books which have influenced me over the years; particularly, as I see their relationship to Freemasonry. As I am sure you are aware, I have covered most of the fundamental topics taught to an Entered Apprentice from Brotherly Love, to the Chisel, to Temperance, and Fortitude. I have included books from a variety of authors, covering a wide range of subjects including books on financial ideals, to books written with psychology in mind as it relates to self-improvement. However, all of the books are related to personal growth and improvement of self.

Following the last three Musings, for those who have been keeping track of my path, the next topic is the virtue of Justice. True Justice is the act of being fair, impartial, or to be just! We state that our meetings are Just, that they are Perfect and that they are Regular. What we are stating is that our meetings are fair and impartial, that every brother is taught to live and act Justly, and uprightly, before God and man.

Being Just entails a steadfast commitment to fairness, impartiality, and righteousness in all actions and decisions. A just individual upholds principles of equality and equity, ensuring that everyone is treated with dignity and respect, regardless of their background or circumstances. They possess a keen sense of moral integrity, adhering to ethical standards even in the face of adversity. Just individuals strive to promote harmony and balance in society, seek to rectify injustices and alleviate suffering wherever it exists. Their actions are guided by a deep sense of empathy and compassion, driving them to advocate for the rights and well-being of others. In essence, being Just means embodying the highest ideals of integrity and fairness.

I truly believe that the guiding principle of Freemasonry is that we must try to improve ourselves, so that we are better enabled to improve the lives of those around us. The act of being Just is another great lesson which Masonry teaches us, in our path to improve ourselves and to improve those around us.

We have all heard the statement “Freemasonry: Making good men better.” It was once explained to me that this is an inaccurate statement and that it should read “Freemasonry; providing the tools with which a good man can make himself better.”

This month I am NOT going to write about a book that relates to a singular virtue or working tool. Nor about a founding principle to the order of Freemasonry. This month I am going to write about the single greatest book for personal growth outside of your own book of Faith. I refer to “The Work.” In our Work, we have the lessons taught by unknown authors, over years of continual enlightenment and encouragement of how to become good citizens. How to be good men.

We are taught to be heartfelt, how to plan to achieve a goal, how to take action, or to interact with society. We are taught to know when to engage in civil debate and when to avoid topics which tend to drive wedges between people. We are taught as individuals to look to the book(s) of our respective faiths, be it the Quran, Hadith or Tafsir, the Torah, the Holy Bible, or the Vedas, Upanishads, or the Puranas, or any other of the many books of Faith which exist. We are taught to be Virutas, by being prudent, by tempering our actions, by having strength of character and by being fair and impartial in our actions. By being JUST, we are taught the important lesson of walking along the Mosaic Tile, to understand that we will have good days, and there will be days where we struggle with adversity, or difficulty. We are taught to treat our neighbours with love and to follow the Golden Rule, to treat others as you would wish they would treat you.

My Brethren, there is no greater place to learn to be a better man, than in your lodge: by being active in your lodges; by having a sense of pride in the work that you do; by being happy with your efforts, be they great or be they small; by continually building towards a better future; by taking the lessons we have been, and are continually taught within our Lodges. To do what is best described as “Masonic Work.”

Thank you my Brethren, I know that this is not my last Musings. However, I plan to discuss the upcoming Communication next month. So, I wanted to make sure to take the time to THANK YOU for all the work that you do

Please Continue the Work!

Sincerely,

MW Bro. Jonas Cossette, Grand Master, 2023-24