The Ultimate Masonic Gift

Every man ought to be a macho macho man,
To live a life of freedom, machos make a stand,
Have their own life style and ideals,
Possess the strength and confidence, life's a steal,
You can best believe that he's a macho man
He's a special person in anybody's land.

Hey! Hey! Hey, hey, hey!
Macho, macho man (macho man)
I've got to be, a macho man
Macho, macho man
I've got to be a macho! (dig the hair on my chest)

Macho, macho man (see my big thick mustache)
I've got to be, a macho man
Macho, macho man
I've got to be a macho! (Dig broad shoulders)



Three years ago I wrote a paper titled “World Peace Through Brotherhood” which can be read at www.phoenixmasonry.org. This paper, among other things, dealt with peace among nations of the world. There is another kind of Masonic peace, that of the individual Lodge. Every Lodge is a house of peace, a no war zone. There are no worldly differences or contentious issues that plague the Lodge room, no warring camps over religion, political affiliation or culture, no prejudices because of race or economic circumstances. We leave all these biases and differences at the Lodge door and enter as one, on the level, nobody better than another. The peace of the Lodge makes the Ultimate Masonic Gift possible.

Many outside Freemasonry do not understand what a Brotherhood is all about. To them I say if you have ever been a Marine, a Navy Seal, a Green Beret, a policeman, a fireman or a lineman on a football team you instantly know what a Brotherhood is all about. But if you haven’t then you often times don’t realize what you are missing not belonging to one as you take this journey of life.

The values of American society today seem to revolve around goals of power, recognition and possessions. Men think first of having a high profile, high paying career. Then what follows of course is a car worthy of one’s station in life, a mansion for a house and vacations abroad. Those that have all that may have friends but seldom ones that are blood brothers. If a man is lucky he learns early in life that his journey on earth is about relationships. Still he has a hard time getting close to the same sex.

Women on the other hand are good at relationships. From childhood women share inner thoughts and desires with their close friends. They let their emotions come out. Women keep diaries men do not (Anne Frank). Women share secrets with each other, men wouldn’t be caught dead doing that. Women trust, men distrust. Women are open, men are reserved. Men are taught to keep their emotions and their true feelings hidden. They are taught to be MACHO MEN, to bear the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, to keep a stiff upper lip, eh wot?

Quite frankly men are not good at relationships. They keep their feelings and emotions bottled up inside. This can lead to problems. Look at the instances of someone “going postal”, bringing a gun into work and blowing away as many employees as possible. How many women have you heard doing this? Look at a group therapy session and around the circle you will see that 75% are men. Men have to be taught human interaction. Being vulnerable, letting it all hang out, having a confidant, male bonding that is The Ultimate Gift Of Freemasonry.

Awhile back in another time a wise Brother said to the Lodge’s newly raised Master Masons, “Lean on your Lodge. Your Lodge loves you.” My Prince Hall Lodge does a very good job of this. Next time you Mainstream Masons are looking to make your Lodge a better Lodge, instead of always jumping to the conclusion that it is lack of Masonic education and knowledge which is holding your Lodge back, think also about male bonding and how to make that better. You see men really do need to be close to other men, they just don’t know how to do it. The tenets of my profession as a Mason are Brotherly Love, Relief & Truth. We as Masons teach much about Relief and we provide many lessons for making a quest for Truth, but we do little to teach Brotherly Love & Affection and how to become blood brothers. But in essence that is what a Brotherhood is most about.

Everyone needs someone to confide in, someone to unburden on, even men. Everyone needs a cheer leading section to affirm their worth and reinforce their path towards understanding, even men. My rooting section is my Prince Hall Lodge. There is nothing I can’t share with them, nobody I cannot unburden my soul to. And that is The Ultimate Masonic Gift. That’s male bonding. That’s what a Brotherhood is all about. And that is something if done well makes Masonry very unique.