Be inspired.

I had the honor of re-typing my papa's speech today. Im not exactly sure where he's using this, but I know that this is for one masonic lodge in Iloilo. 

Anyway, I was inspired by what he wanted to tell his brothers, and I feel like this should be shared. 

here it is:

When brothers Jose P. Rizal and Marcelo H del Pilar conceptualized the establishment of masonic lodges in the Philippines exclusively for Filipinos way back in 1890, they saw masonry as the universal protest against the ambition of tyrants as the “supreme manifestations of democracy” as the organization that could redeem our country from a downtrodden Spanish colony, poor and sickly, without rights and liberties into a dignified, free and prosperous nation. Hence, masonry became a tool to fight the colonial invaders, the tyrants, the oppressors and give our motherland her freedom.

The teachings of masonry were considered a rich source of discipline, dedication and loyalty. The spread of masonic “triangulos” and lodges throughout the entire nation was like a wildfire that could not be stopped even by the most influential friars at that time.

My brothers, the dream of brothers Jose Rizal and Marcelo H del Pilar for Philippine masonry have been achieved. The revolution that led to the freedom of our motherland has been attained.

For the past 100 years, masonry continued to serve her purpose, we made “good men better.” A great number of our brothers are leaders and trendsetters in their respective fields of endeavor like most Worshipfull Reynato Puno Sr. former Supreme Court Chief Justice. MW Jun Ebdane former CPNP now Governor of Zambales, MW Boy Gabionza a very respectable law practitioner, RW Jun Espino of the commission on Audit, our incoming Grand Master, RW Allan Purisima the incumbent CPNP and a lot more.

Today our national leadership, headed by our Pres. Benigno S. Aquino III, has started a new revolution-- a revolution of good governance that would uplift the lives of the Filipino people and be the envy of all Asian brothers.

For us masons, it would be a revolution of relevance! Who or what is a mason to society? Does our saying “making good men better” still serve its purpose? Does the phrase “brotherhood of men under the fatherhood of God” mean anything anymore?

How do we do it? How do we become relevant? Allow me to quote MW Reynato Puno Sr. in one of his several masonic masterpieces speeches and writings, about service to others and what kind of leader our country needs.

MW Puno said, “Servant leaders who would spear head a moral revolution and not just stay in the safety of the sidelines.” Further he said, “we need servant leaders who will save souls, not their skins, leaders who will bring people to his kingdom and free them from dominion of false gods, leaders who are not only right but also righteous. This is the kind of leadership that will bring about the correct transformation of society.”

MW Puno concluded by saying “produce more leaders of the spiritual world who would lead by descending from the ladder of power, they descend to ally themselves not with the powerful but with the powerless.”

They do not follow the fad and the fashion of the time but what is right and righteous for all time. They do not push themselves up but down, so that others may be elevated.”

Confucius asked a question, “How does one learn to govern a nation? Govern a state? How to rule?” then he answers, “To govern a nation one has to learn to govern a household. To handle a nation, know how to handle your family and your friends.”

To handle your family learn to govern yourself.

In short one has to start small because when you think of a nation the scale is too big. And when we do think small we should not remain in our comfort zone.

Do things small but we have to learn to dream big.

Which brings me to a story of a wise man, who was walking and saw three stone cutters. He asked the first stone cutter: what are you doing?

I am cutting stone, he replies.

Then he asked the second stone cutter, what are you doing?

I am building a wall, was his reply.

Then he asked the third one, what are you doing?

I am building a cathedral.

The first one was just a simple man who had no ambition, who does not see the value of what he is doing. He did not see the total picture.

The second one, saw something more than what he was doing, but probably had lack of ambition.

The third one, was the one that dreams, and when he dreams, he dreams big!

I am building a cathedral!

Start small, but also very importantly, dream big.

Which brings me to my second story. Once there were two boulders which a stone cutter selected to work on.

The first boulder complained immediately when the stone cutter pounded the chisel to the stone. The boulder complained, “Oh it hurts, I cannot endure the pain.” So the stone cutter just put him one the side and later on made him into a tile.

The second one, the stone cutter selected a big and hard boulder. The boulder endured the pounding of the hammer and pain of the chisel, which landed on all sides of the boulder. The result was a magnificent work of art, which was the result of human genius.

The tile was placed on the cobbled stone streets and everyday people would step on it as they walked by.

The magnificent work of art was placed on a pedestal and was admired by people from all walks of life through the ages.

Brethren, we should put our small daily activity in the context of a grand vision, in the context of a bigger picture, in the context of a bigger picture possible!

Acting small, dreaming big, take time building a family, because building a nation takes time.

All of these events take time.

Sometimes it can be difficult-- it is always difficult. Be ready to endure the pain.

This will take time.

This will take a long time.

This will take a life time.

If every mason will practice faithfully, their masonic teachings, applying the basic and most simple rules in our masonic fraternity, we can be instruments of change that the entire society and eventually our beloved country, we will be relevant.

At this point, let us congratulate the immediate past master for a job well done and wish the incoming WM the best for the coming masonic year.

Brethren, it is now time for any of us, regardless of our age, to say it is high twelve and there is no work for us. He has put in a great deal of work on that trestle board. Let us get our labors and finish building the temple with incredible opportunity.

Maraming salamat mga kapatid at mabuhay ang masonerya!