If you had three wishes, what would you wish for? Most people would want to:

1. Live Forever
2. Win the lottery
3. Have peace on earth

Living forever, although it seems immortal, is one of the mortal parts of humanity’s abilities.

We all live forever; that is forever for as long as you live. When your body expires, your spirit lives on, and people who know you will remember you, and that remembrance will keep you living forever.

Winning the lottery, is much more difficult. First, you have to be in it to win it; then, you must be one of the twenty million. But all of this does not matter because we have enough for ourselves and our families. We have enough to live on and survive; we may not have it as easy as others, but enough.

Peace on earth, is a matter of cooperation and understanding. The more we understand each other, the less difficult it will be to cooperate and achieve peace.

We can be sure that some have other wants or needs, selfish and noble; how about an alternative. ABILITY, STRENGTH, and WISDOM.

TEMPERANCE would be easy with ability; temperance would be the first accomplishment if you can accomplish what you wish. To be able to control one’s desire is the goal of every good man. Wouldn’t this make it easy for you to help others through your example and knowledge?

With strength, FORTITUDE is a part; you must have the fortitude to be strong of character. Fortitude is the driving force in the strength of character. This would give you the skill to deal with those who would subvert the good you are trying to do.

With wisdom, PRUDENCE would be found, and JUSTICE could be served. Prudence is part of wisdom. To be wise is to be prudent. Justice is known to an intelligent person; thus, to be wise is to have the know-how to administer justice. Having the knowledge to use prudence and dispense justice can only come from wisdom. Therefore we would be able to tell who is in need and who is causing the pain of hunger.

Maybe we should wish for:

The ability to help those in need. The strength to forgive those who cause pain. The wisdom to know the difference. If we all did this, we would still live forever, we would all be richer, and peace on earth would last for an eternity.

Let  Temperance  chasten, Fortitude support, and Prudence directs you, and Justice be the guide of your actions, always  practicing those truly Masonic ornaments:

Brotherly love, Relief, and Truth.    

Stepan Varsam, P.M.