Hope



by Senior Midnight Freemason Contributor
WB Gregory J. Knott

Tomorrow will be beautiful

For tomorrow comes out of the Lake

By Emanuel Carnevali, December 1921


The world seems to be in complete turmoil due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, businesses and the economy suffering, and the recent protests across the globe in response to the death of George Floyd. Then there it was all of a sudden, as I looked out the window, Hope.

The beautiful sunset that you see in the picture above on June 8, 2020 from the prairie of Illinois was nothing short of spectacular. It was as if God himself was speaking to all of us, saying that no matter what storm you may be traveling through, on the other side there is hope waiting for you.

As Freemasons we frequently hear the word Hope in our lectures; “Faith, Hope and Charity…”, but do we truly consider what it means beyond the shallow everyday usage? We say as Brethren: “I hope enough brothers show up to open the lodge”, or “I hope we don’t spend so much time on the minutes” or “I hope we get a petition soon.”

The Hope I am thinking about is boundless in meaning. It is the Hope for the potential of a world where all mankind can truly meet on the level. Where the opportunity for equality is not a goal but an expectation.

Hope requires work on your part and mine. It takes a persistence that even when we might be tired or exhausted, we need to keep moving onward. It means looking inward into one’s self and giving yourself an honest evaluation of who you are or more importantly who you could become. Hope is the great gift to all mankind.

I saw Hope in the beautiful sunset for a beautiful tomorrow.

~GJK

WB Gregory J. Knott is a founding member and Senior Contributor of the Midnight Freemasons blog.  He is a Past Master of St. Joseph Lodge No. 970 in St. Joseph (IL) and a plural member of Ogden Lodge No. 754 (IL), Homer Lodge No. 199 (IL) and Naval Lodge No. 4 in Washington, DC. He’s a member of the Scottish Rite, the York Rite, Eastern Star and is the Charter Secretary of the Illini High Twelve Club No. 768 in Champaign-Urbana. He is also a member of ANSAR Shrine (IL) and the Eastern Illinois Council No. 356 Allied Masonic Degrees. Greg serves on the Board of Directors of The Masonic Society and is a member of the Scottish Rite Research Society and The Philathes Society. He is a charter member of a new Illinois Royal Arch Chapter, Admiration Chapter U.D. and serves as its Secretary. Greg is very involved in Boy Scouts—an Eagle Scout himself, he is a member of the National Association of Masonic Scouters. You can contact him at gknott63@gmail.com

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