The Epistle of Jude: Vigilance as a Masonic Duty
The Lodge is quiet. The work has been closed, but three brethren linger near the entrance, speaking softly about a member who has been drifting away — attending less frequently, his words growing sharper. How do you handle it? Do you approach him? And if so, how? This familiar situation touches on a theme described nearly two thousand years ago in one of the shortest and most direct texts of the New Testament: the Epistle of Jude. A Letter About Brotherly Responsibility The Epistle of Jude consists of only 25 verses, yet its message is crystal clear: be vigilant against those who undermine the community from within. The author, who introduces himself as the brother of James, writes to an early Christian community grappling with individuals who abuse the trust placed in them. These are not enemies at the gate — they are members of the group who have quietly chosen a different course. For Freemasons, this resonates immediately. Every Lodge is a community built on trust, ritual, and shared values. But what happens when someone who has taken his obligation gradually begins to steer in another direction? The Epistle of Jude offers no simple answers, but it poses exactly […]