A call for action
Media
Part of The Cabletow
- Title
- A call for action
- Language
- English
- Source
-
The Cabletow Volume XXXIX (Issue No. 4) October 1963
- Year
- 1963
- Rights
-
- Fulltext
- A CALL FOR ACTION By AMOR ORIBELLO, JR. Master Councilor, Jose Abad Santos Chapter Order of DeMolay rpHE OFFICERS of the Jose Abad Santos Chapter, Order of DeMolay have just been installed. (From this time on till the end of the ensuing term the brunt of leadership in this Chapter will rest on their shoulders.) On this occasion, it is well to ask for a reassessment of our moral and intellectual orientations and to define if we can, the role that we are called upon to play in the presently existing order. It may not be presumptuous to say that the past months have left us already accustomed to the blaring and equally glaring headlines of graft and corruption in our government; of muddled exposes and vengeful coun ter-exposes that have only tended to further muddle our already muddled truth. We now find ourselves already immuned to the names of the Stone hills and the Ablazas and the "Big" Fours" that have permeated every strata ■of our society with their evil schemes. With such kind of moral and intel-lectual orientation, we find ourselves tonight, exposed to the idealism that is rare in this age of down-to-earth materialism. Forgive me if it is being superfluous to state once more, that the International Order of DeMolay is predicated on the constant ideals and principles that have led noble men of all ages in their fight against the forces of evil. At this point it is well to remember that the very exemplar of our Chapter, the late Justice Jose Abad Santos, is one of these noble men who tower in intellectual and moral fortitude; a genius of our race, his loyalty to ideals found full flower at the point of a gun and a bayonet. For truly, he was the last one to see our country beneath the shadow of totalitarianism, but was the first to reaffirm his faith and trust at the common altar of humanity "that the forces of good will always triumph over the forces of evil." As we once more turn to another page of our Chapter, let us not lose sight of the noble purposes of our venerable Order. Let us not indulge in the joy of ostentations and meaningless practices — to make us oblivious to the more urgent problems of our Order. We have had a lot of frivolity that has consumed our precious energies. This is time for sobriety and careful evaluation of our intentions and courses of action. How much have we 130 The Cabletow done in our share of properly understanding the ideals of our Order? How much have we actually inculcated and shown in our daily lives, the precepts which Jacques DeMolay and Jose Abad Santos exemplified? How much have we actually done in properly understanding our present social and economic problems so that we may be able to concentrate our energies to ward their solution? Are we to content ourselves with barren ceremonials, pageantry, and lip service? My brethren, no amount of platitudes and senseless oratory in public installations can improve our chapter; work and sacrifice should accompany beautiful metaphors and ideals. As we launch out into the uncertainty of the future, we can only depend upon ourselves for action and upon God for inspiration. In the manner of St. Augustine we can only pray: "Grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as Io console; to be understood, as to understand; to be loved, as to love; for it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life." /\Ay brethren, the call of the hour is for us to translate into positive action, the principles and ideals to which we have pledged ourselves. Let us not fail as citizens, leaders, and as men. October 1963 131