Long ago, in the land of Thespiae, Greece, there was born to a nymph an uncommonly beautiful child. She named this child Narcissus. The beauty of this child never faded as he grew older; instead, it increased. By the young age of sixteen, Narcissus was the most beautiful mortal that had ever graced the earth. He was loved and sought after by women and men both. But to no avail, for, though he loved admiration, he rejected all his lovers and friends. He was very proud of his beauty and could find no room in his heart for another.

A lovely nymph named Echo was among the many that Narcissus rejected. As a result of this rejection, heartbroken and spirit shattered, Echo dwindled into nothing more than a voice only capable of repeating the words of others.

One day, while in the woods, Narcissus chanced upon a lake whose smooth, sheer surface made a magnificent mirror. Tired and worn out, he sat down to rest and refresh himself. As Narcissus approached the water’s edge to drink, he saw his own reflection. It was love at first sight. He reached out and attempted to embrace and kiss himself, only to realize that he was looking at his reflected image. This realization did not deter his fancy however. He glorified that he was himself but grief-stricken that he could not possess himself. This fact tormented him. Regardless, he chose to cling to this tormented love rather than another. Believing that he, at least, would be able to remain true to himself, whatever happened.

In some versions of the story, like Echo, Narcissus vanishes. In other versions, he becomes so hopelessly addicted with himself, that he –like Juliet – plunges a dagger in his heart. His blood is said to have spilled on the ground next to the lake, and on his deathbed there grew a white and red flowers which carry the name Narcissus to this day.

An analysis of the Narcissus myth provides us with a nearly complete catalog of the paradoxical spiritual ills that have crippled our world.  The pandemic of narcissism is rampant throughout the world and in Freemasonry as well. To be admired seems the main concern among many. Athletes have even degenerated from a contest of strength to a contest of personality. Athletes are not as interested in winning as they are in having a winning image, maximum publicity and huge salaries. Of course Americans want superstars on the silver screen, instead of actors. Beyond even that, while the majority of society is memorized by celebrities, only the minority is interested in current events. Narcissism can be easily seen in the realm of politics. Individuals on the “left” and the “right” abuse power to achieve their outcomes, regardless of the people. The people are willing to overlook these abuses perhaps in hopes that one day it will be better, or one day they will hold the scepter. Narcissism has also penetrated the walls of education. This is seen in the de-emphasis on discipline and the focus on fulfillment. Everyone is special, and everyone wins, the failure to tune-up the minds, the obsession with entertainment and technology. We are in fact training shallowness.

This same sickness, this need to be admired can be seen within our sacred craft; seeking for advancement without knowing why, hoping one day to just sit in the East or wear the purple for no other goal than to have a title. We see demands for admiration, success, power, and see them supplied – for a price. We see this in the progressive line that is neither backed by merit, nor reviewed for faults.  This is a spiritual disease, on a global scale. It has infected all of our lives, and we urgently need to reject it. There is a cure, but we have no time to deal with quackery. We must look deep into ourselves and determine what it is we want, why we want it and who gains from it. We must be honest with ourselves.

Either we heal as a team, or we will fail. Man by man, brother by brother. If we allow this disease to continue, the sacred fraternity as it has been, and how many envision it to become, will crumble. We must band together to fight our way back into the light, we must – each one of us individually, and together as a brotherhood – rage against the dying of the light. This band of brothers needs to fight together, not against each other. The Worshipful Master, Past Masters, Grand Master, Past Grand Masters, all the way down to the youngest Entered Apprentice can’t make you do it. You’ve got to want to fight for this yourself. You have to look at the brother next to you and look into his eyes. Optimistically, I think you will see a brother who will fight that fight with you. You’re going to see a brother who is willing to sacrifice his ego for this brotherhood; because he knows, when it comes down to it, you’ll do the same. That’s a fraternity. That’s the kind of organization that heals its wounds (that are mostly self-inflicted). That is the kind of brotherhood we have the ability to be part of. We either make that happen now, or we face radical changes as a group, and we die as individuals.