We hear these questions all the time: Is Freemasonry a religion? Is it somehow related to Christianity? How do Freemasons view Christmas?
If you are reading this Valley of Portland blog, you likely know that no, Freemasonry is not a religion. We warmly welcome men of many different faiths and beliefs into our Brotherhood. We only ask that you believe in a Supreme Being, which some Masons call “The Grand Architect of the Universe.” But that doesn’t mean Christmas isn’t very important to many of us.
What Christmas Celebrates
From ancient times, people have celebrated this time of year—the time around the Winter Solstice—as a time of hope, as we slowly move from the darkest day of the year toward days that are longer and brighter. Symbolically, this marks the death and rebirth of the Sun.
In a similar way, we Freemasons view Christmas as the celebration of Jesus of Nazareth and his deeply compassionate teachings, which empower humankind to move from darkness into light. Jesus spoke movingly and unforgettably of such things as mercy, tolerance, kindness, and love. His love and light changed the world.
The Christmas Spirit, Year-Round
Many of the life-changing lessons and values embodied by and taught by Jesus of Nazareth are taught and embraced by Freemasons. Because of this, we can truly say that Freemasons embody the idea of Christmas—and its powerful message—year-round.
Throughout our lodges and other Masonic organizations, we—every single day of the year—plan and carry out acts designed to assist and uplift our local communities. We teach our Masonic brothers to deal honestly and fairly with others, without regard to their race, religion, or political affiliation. We are united in compassionate, humanitarian service to others as Jesus was to those he encountered. We look to him—and to other great spiritual leaders, as well—as we strive each day to make our world a brighter, more loving place.
From Our Lodge Meeting to the World
The positive, uplifting energy that permeates our Masonic lodges at Christmas—and year-round—powerfully radiates out to the community as a whole, through the acts of our individual Brothers and our groups. Learning the lessons of tolerance, love, and hope in our meetings and Masonic activities—lessons that are the heart of the Christmas spirit—we instinctively act in the same way as we move through our southern Maine communities and the wider world.
So if you ask what Christmas means to Freemasons, we won’t just tell you. We’ll show you. Because to us it means working to make the world a better place, one day and one footstep at a time. It means taking the Christmas Spirit—which has so much in common with the Masonic spirit—and using it to make the world just that much better by being in a Brotherhood that uplifts so many others. Because that’s what Freemasonry is all about.
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