On the surface, it refers to the simple garments you were asked to wear before you approached the Lodge. But if preparation were only a matter of clothing, would Freemasonry have endured for centuries? Would it have shaped the moral and spiritual character of so many men across so many generations?
The manual teaches that these garments are meant to emphasize internal qualifications over outward appearance.
Yet the deeper question is this: What does it take for a man to prepare himself internally for personal growth and transformation?
Preparation in Freemasonry is not passive. It calls a man to examine his intentions, his prejudices, and his priorities before he crosses the threshold. Our ritual reminds us that the Apprentice must not bring into the Lodge “his passions or prejudices,” because harmony is essential to the Craft. But how often do we, outside the Lodge, unconsciously allow our passions to lead before our principles? How often do we enter important moments in life unprepared in our minds and hearts... and how does that ultimately affect our goal to become better men?
Being “duly and truly prepared” is, therefore, more of a mental and spiritual discipline. It requires stillness before action, reflection before speech, and sincerity before advancement. It asks each candidate to consider whether he is ready to receive Light Masonically, or whether he must first confront the realities of his preset condition.
And perhaps that is the most demanding aspect of preparation: the honest admission that growth requires readiness. Before gaining new understanding, a man must let go of the illusion that he already possesses enough of it.
The degree teaches, “Seek and ye shall find. Ask and it shall be given unto you. Knock and it shall be opened unto you.” But how can one seek without humility? How can one knock without intention? How can one receive Light if he has not first acknowledged his own darkness?
To be “duly and truly prepared” is to step into the Lodge with a mind ready to learn, a heart ready to change, and a spirit ready to serve. It is the beginning of every meaningful Masonic journey, and the standard to which every Brother, at every stage, is continually called to return.