The Antient Fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons of England
THE PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE and
ROYAL ARCH CHAPTER OF DURHAM 8 The Esplanade, Sunderland, SR2 7BH, Tel. 0191 567 5365 Email: enquiries@durhamfreemasons.org Website: www.durhamfreemasons.org
FROM THE PROVINCIAL CHAPLAINS These are not usual times for any of us and as masons we have been robbed by this virus of our ceremony, lodge visits and fellowship. At the start, back in March the whole nation was in lock down and there seemed to be togetherness. I heard about the kindness of so many people and neighbours in our communities. I heard about an incident at a supermarket that really highlighted to me the goodness of people. An old man was getting his shopping and he had all he could carry home in the stores trolley. As he was packing his food essentials into his carrier, he told the lady on the till that he would have to come back later because he couldn’t carry anymore home. A man at a distance in the queue heard the conversation and said to the elderly gentleman that if he would give him his number, he would do his shopping for him and deliver it to him. Just an example of how a stranger went out of his way to help someone who was struggling. I am sure that there are many other stories up and down the country of unexpected acts of kindness. Now after a short easing we are back in restricted times. But this time the feeling is different. I sense there is a lot of disillusionment around, people are weary with it all. During recent months I read about a gentleman called Victor Frankl, who was an Austrian neurologist and psychiatrist. He was a Nazi Holocaust survivor. In his book, Mans Search for Meaning, he says this: “Forces beyond your control can take away everything you possess except one thing, your freedom to choose how you will respond to the situation. You cannot control what happens to you in life, but you can always control what you will feel and do about what happens to you.” “For the world is in a bad state, but everything will become still worse unless each of us does his best.” For each of us in our situations, we may feel that things are dire, and we may be fearful of our future and the future of those who dear to us. But we can take hold of those opportunities, however small, to make a difference. As a nation, as citizens and Freemasons we will get through this. When we meet again there will be many stories of kindness and care to be told I am sure.
For now, though, let us continue to reach out to others through simple things like telephone calls, online media, and support each other practically if we can. Let us look for those opportunities and take control of what happens in these days of change and uncertainty. A prayer written by Dr Cameron Wiggins Bell May we who are merely inconvenienced remember those whose lives are at stake May we who have no risk factors remember those most vulnerable. May those who have the luxury of working from home remember those who must choose between preserving their health or making their rent. May those who have the flexibility to care for our children when schools close remember those who have no options. May we who have to cancel a trip remember those who have no safe place to go. May we who are losing our margin money in the tumult of the economic market remember those who have no margin at all. May those who settle for quarantine at home remember those who have no home. During this time when we cannot physically wrap our arms around each other, Let us yet find ways to be the loving embrace of God to our neighbours. So mote it be. Bro. Revd. Jon Whalley CF W. Bro. Canon Ron Black W. Bro. Julian Ward 9th October 2020