A Message on The Anniversary of 9/11

Brethren,

Today we mark 14 years since terrorists hijacked 4 aircraft and used them, and their passengers, as weapons against our great nation.  Since that day, many debates and controversies have swirled surrounding political and national issues.  Through the political and legal discourse, we can stop for this one day and remember the 2,977 souls who lost their lives on that day.  Many of us were impacted by the knowledge that our homeland was under attack.  Many were impacted by their commitments to national security through military service.  Some of us were even impact by the personal knowledge that someone we knew and loved had perished on that day.

As Masons, let us take this opportunity to remember both our temporal stay on this earth and how fleeting our lives truly are as well as the vows we have taken close to our hearts.  We have promised to relieve all who should need our assistance.  This mission of relief is only emphasized by the shortness of life. For a man can never know when death may take from him the life of a friend, relative, or brother and when the opportunity to aid in an individual’s assistance may be snuff out by natural or man-made causes.

Over a decade late, most have moved on and our youngest generation now entering the adult world can scarcely remember the event.  It is good that we can set our mourning aside for a more hopeful future; fixating on the promise of a brighter future rather than the sins of a dark past.  But, let us not ever forget these events or the souls that were lost that we might honor their memories and make some moral or personally edifying good out of the evil that was intended on that day. In that way, darkness can never stomp out the light, evil can never prevail, and the brilliant tenants of our order will bring hope to all those who may scarcely find it in any other corner of our society.

Fraternally,
Wor. Joseph Pack
Kilwinning Crosse Lodge No. 2-237
CarolineMasons.org