See a penny, pick it up and all day long you’ll have good luck!
May sound silly, but some folks take superstition very seriously.
Let’s think about it. Do you need to exit the same door in which you enter? Do you put stock in your horoscope? When your team is on a winning streak, must you wear the same jersey, (without washing it!) and sit in the same seat?
Some of these behaviors become habits, as we may be unaware we are even doing them. Relatively speaking, believing the outcome of events can be influenced by certain acts or circumstance without a faithful foundation is presumptuous in our approach to spiritual life. Why would we put worldly hope in the mere chance of willing things to happen, (or not happen), when as believers, we know our Providential God is truly the One in control.
Prayer life is founded on an inner disposition. It creates a mental posture which calms and purifies our soul. It is necessary to prepare our hearts and minds to receive what God already wants to give us. It opens our communication between us and the Divine. Whenever we speak to God, it is a form of prayer.
When we come to God in petition, we are not to approach prayer as to manipulate Him into doing what we want. Instead, we are moving in hope toward a deeper interior conversion of faith. Prayer is designed to inspire us and should not be just an external performance.
Holy water, metals and other sacramental items can be abused and misused. They are not talismans or magical in any way! Praying Litanies, rosaries and novenas with expectation to receive whatever we ask for without the interior disposition they demand can fall into a superstition.
One common example, some say we can bury a statue of St. Joseph to sell a house. I wonder how many wholeheartedly pray the 9 day novena that goes along with it? Maybe it will take more time in prayer and sacrifice for the right buyer to come along. Do we respectfully get to know the Foster Father of our Savior as we ask for his help? Do we give thanks for the intercession of the most prudent and faithful Saint Joseph, unearth him, and give that same statue a place of honor in our new home?
Do we trust when things don’t go our way…God has a better plan in mind?
Three times a charm
A familiar cliché, but there’s much to be said about doing things thrice. In the gospels, we hear Jesus’ three fold request of Simon Peter to feed His sheep, to counteract his 3 denials perhaps? So often we repeat our songs of praise, lament or petition in perfect harmony with our Trinitarian God. Pay close attention, you’ll find ‘good things come in threes’ quite often. Or maybe we just need a few practice rounds to get it right!
True faith will always be a mystery, until we arrive in paradise. Stevie Wonder sings about it. “When you believe in things you don’t understand, then you suffer…Superstition ain’t the way.” I think the musical genius was on to something! Toss that good luck charm and take a listen.
Waiting for that important phone call?
Uncross those fingers, cross yourself in awe of God and pray to remain in His favor!
Knock on wood, we touch the cross of Christ!
No luck needed here…just keep the faith and be blessed!
Until our next walk through the garden
-Anne
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