5 minute read
HAUTS GRADES ACADEMY: My Own Nine Arches
by Napoleon Sneed Janczak, 32° Valley of Milwaukee, WI
"Before any great undertaking, let us first invoke the blessing of Deity."
"In whom do you put your trust?”
Every Mason should know these words or some variant of them.
The 13th degree, Master of the Ninth Arch, is one great example of Reverence for God. Indeed, this is the Core Value of this degree. The characters here are given a task that is seemingly impossible and must make choices to succeed in their duty.
The allegory teaches us to search within ourselves, strive for perfection, and seek the help of our God to overcome adversity. By trust and true faith, we are able to reach our goals and accomplish that which is before us.
In this degree Amos, Jethro, and Jeroboam, exemplify Wisdom, Strength, and Beauty. They show us this in their deliberations before attempting the task set forth by King Solomon. They display for us: planning, difficulty, faith, free will, courage, and execution. All three workmen in the face of it all “mastered” that task.
Many of us have encountered tests in many forms: tests of will, tests of strength, tests of faith, etc. Throughout our growth, we must find ways to pass each test. This is how we gain experience, wisdom, and better understanding of the world around us. The commonality we share in all this stems from forgetting to ask guidance of the Supreme Architect who created it. We can plan for a vacation, sometimes for years, and yet not be able to control the weather while on that vacation. “In whom do we put our trust?”
We all have our own examples to live, reflect upon, and grow by. I am a transplant patient and double organ recipient. The many degrees and traditional texts speak to me personally. I can relate to the struggles. From childhood, I was sick with Type 1 diabetes. My life journey was predictable when it came to the sciences of what lay ahead. There were too many ailments to list in relation to that, but I can say that most of them I experienced. Much like this degree, I had certain tasks and ways of doing things that were necessary to live a much better life. I did not always make the best choices in starting out, but as time went on, I learned to achieve better results. Even before joining this great Fraternity, I realized that I needed help from the very Supreme Architect who created this, all in hopes of understanding it better.
More recently, I was working with my doctors on the “trestle board” that would be my course of action leading to transplant. I did not know what to expect completely, although I had an outline. I was afraid of dialysis. There were things in motion that I had no control over, and I was uncomfortable with that. As I started down the “Arch” of dialysis, I took the time to reflect on my past experiences and asked God to “light my path.” I was able to use the time in the dialysis center to learn all that I could about organ transplants, organ donation, Freemasonry (I was a new Mason at the time), and many other things. Most of all, I learned much about my faith, myself, my family, and others around me.
I have always asked for Divine wisdom when encountering any task. We must always seek to go to the source in order to grow in Wisdom, Strength, and Beauty, because the source will give us enough to understand and overcome the task if we truly desire to seek perfection. Then came the call…
There was a (donor) match. I had been waiting to receive a kidney and pancreas. I was excited, terrified, and sad at the same time. I assembled the family and we prayed for all involved. I was excited for the opportunity to have another chance at life. I was scared of what was to become of every procedure and the care thereafter. I was sad for the family who had lost a loved one.
While in the hospital being prepped, I can remember many things being said, but mostly I was asking God to give me the strength to pass through these gates (arches). Although I had family by my side, I knew that I would have to face what came next alone with the nurses and the surgeons. Shortly before going into the operating room, I felt okay; the fear of the unknown washed away from me. I saw the hallway seams in the ceiling like I was going through a tunnel.
After waking up, I thanked God for giving me the strength, courage, and means to get through the last year of intensity. For all of the planning, praying, and execution, I am now doing well. The 13th degree reminds me of every task we are charged with. Sometimes we cannot see the positive outcome. Too often we are afraid to step into the void for fear of the unknown results. I have found on multiple occasions that if we trust in our God and use the tools given to us, there is a great reward awaiting. This is how we can achieve perfection and be more meaningful for the greater and more common good. God is perfection, and within the ineffable degrees, we seek out that mystery to one day achieve Divine Nature also.
To learn more about HGA and sign up for the waitlist, visit ScottishRiteNMJ.org/ hauts-grades-academy
