From The East
John J. Sanchez

Community

Community is very important to our fraternity. We develop our community in the lodge and I am very proud how that has turned out here at San Mateo Lodge. Our brothership is always willing to help each other. We give each other support either physically or mentally as is needed. When one of us is ill or injured we turn out in good numbers to help the brother in need.

But we must not ignore our greater community, those around us in the community of San Mateo and surrounding areas. We must become involved in this community and make an impact on them by demonstrating our Masonic principles and showing them what masons are all about.

This past weekend we once again came together for our yearly “Rebuilding Together” activity. I would like to thank Worshipful Brothers Edwards and Nelson for all of their hard work in once again making this a great success. Special thanks to John Nelson and his family for once again supplying the lunch for "Rebuilding Together" project. Also, I would like to thank all of the brothers, their families and the DeMolay for giving a day to better our community of San Mateo. The owners of the house were truly grateful for all we did with them.

“Rebuilding Together” is a great example of how we as San Mateo Masons need to be a part of helping our greater community. I would like to see this Lodge more involved in this community. If anyone has any suggestion on how we can make more of a difference in this community please do not hesitate to bring this to me for discussion.

Once again let me thank all of you for your help in our lodge community, whether it is helping with a work day or visiting a sick or distressed brother, this builds us up to be better people and masons. Also, a big thank you to all for helping with “Rebuilding Together” it is something we can really be proud of at San Mateo Lodge.

Fraternally,
John J. Sanchez, Worshipful Master

From The West
Jim Ritter

The Setting Sun

“But now the fair traveller's come to the west, His rays are all gold, and his beauties are best; He paints the skies gay as he sinks to his rest, And foretells a bright rising again.” - Isaac Watts

As Masonic travelers we travel towards the rising sun in order to receive the most light. However, when the sun sets in the west what are our responsibilities? We know that at the end of the day we have all of the light we can receive, for that day, but do we allow the darkness to take from us this light? If we do we must start again each day from the same place. As masons we must guard the light given to us during the day, against the darkness, so that we may continue our journey from a more advanced place each day.

As Brother (?) Watts says at the end of the day are the rays gold and beauties best, meaning that as we progress we gain more and more valuable knowledge. This “light” is to be guarded by us and built upon every new day. We must guard the light through the dark times and bring it forth each new day.

For me this means that no matter how bad things in our lives get we must guard our Masonic light, our Masonic teachings and keep them with us. Let these teachings guide us through the dark times until we come into better times of a new day. Masons have no excuse to let our teaching slip away, because things are not going as well as we would like them to go. But, rather we have a responsibility to guard our teaching and let them help to bring us to the new day.

Also we have the responsibility to share our teachings as an example to others as they struggle through the dark times, to help them get to a new day. Remember that guarding does not mean hording as Brother Thoreau said “The setting sun is reflected from the windows of the alms-house as brightly as from the rich man's abode;”; therefore, share your light with others through the dark times and let it bring us all to a new and better day.

Degrees:

In March we conferred the 2nd degree to Brothers Auerbach and Buelow.

In April we conferred the 3rd degree to Brother Mills.

We have not scheduled any degrees for May or June, but we are expecting to confer both a 2nd degree and two 3rd degrees during this time.

We have a qualifying DSI in May for the second section of the 3rd degree, so we will be having several MANDATORY practices before the DSI. Watch YahooGroups for dates and times for the degrees and the practices.

Also we have not read a petition in Lodge this year, so if you know any worthy men bring them to a stated meeting dinner and let the Brethren get to know them.

Fraternally,
Jim Ritter, Sr. Warden

The Old Past Master
Rebuilding Together 2012

Greetings to All!

Charity forms the topmost round of the mystic Masonic ladder. However the word of the apostle was mis-translated. Taken in the original, the word is actually “love,” and the triad becomes faith, hope and love. That [charitable] love which makes us full of good will and kindly disposition toward others, i.e. to cherish them and desire to help them. What we traditionally conceive as “charity” or “giving,” is only one aspect of that loving disposition.

As Masons, one aspect of our love of others, is our desire to help those in need. On Saturday, April 28th, 2012, this expression of our kindly regard again took tangible form. Burlingame Bodies of the Scottish Rite and San Mateo Lodge jointly sponsored another Christmas in April project [now called generically Rebuilding Together], for the family of Lynn Porcedda. Her husband has ALS, and is on constant oxygen.

The house was at 2279 Cobblehill Place, San Mateo – near last year’s project. WM Johnny Sanchez did a large amount of custom carpentry for the family, custom making and installing baseboards and trim that, not only looked great, but carried the oxygen hose for Mr. Porcedda safely throughout the house in a concealed, protecting cavity within the molding [clever these Masons!]. Dave Huston, PM, and Jim Touchstone reworked the electrical circuitry in the garage – which was a nightmare of defective wiring, and a disaster waiting to happen – especially with oxygen tanks all over the place – Dave was back on Sunday to complete the work. Dominick Gallagi and his men [Edgar and Maximiliano] were there to do all the necessary exterior painting. From Peninsula DeMolay we had Jason, Cavan, Jordan, Nick, Andrew – and Patrick, their Advisor working on the project – and the young men really worked hard cleaning up the garden areas – we are very proud of those younger members of our Masonic Family! We also had 3 high school students there - Victoria, Lori and Trevor. There were 3 family members participating, Lynn’s son and two brothers, and two friends of the Lodge. The rest were our guys - Jim Ritter, Don Nelson, Tom Barth, Richard Bettelheim and Carlito Bade.

As usual, our very own Master Chief Ron Edwards, PM, coordinated the whole project – which starts way before the “Day” most of the rest of us participate in – and we all owe him a very special thank you – THANKS TOP!! Without Ron it would be mass confusion.

Once more, as Masons, we had an opportunity to make a lasting impression on another resident of our community. Our opportunity to actively express what we, as Masons, practice and profess. Ron Edwards, PM, told us at the May Stated Meeting, that Lynn’s son Matteo, was the recipient of one of Peninsula 168's scholarships, as well – Masonic lightning stuck Lynn’s family repeatedly. Once again, we have made more firm friends for our gentle Craft – one family and their friends at a time.

Thanks for participating, and remember, the greatest of these is charity...

Fraternally,
John D. Nelson, PM