February 13: Superstition / Superstición

What comes to mind when we are reminded that today is Friday the 13^th? Superstitions have long been a part of human history and our shared cultural experience. Among the reasons for this, two are dominant. First, there is much about the world that we do not understand, and superstitions have cropped up to try to explain natural phenomena. Second, many people have a longing for control, and superstitions create the appearance of giving people control over circumstances, events, and the world around them. Because of this, people have participated in practices like carrying around a rabbit’s foot for good luck. But superstitions can be framed in a negative way, too, leading people to do things like avoiding black cats – and being afraid of "Friday the 13th."

The Catechism of the Church says that superstition is “the deviation of religious feeling and of the practices this feeling imposes.” (2111) In keeping with the first Commandment, it goes on to describe “all practices of magic or sorcery, by which one attempts to tame occult powers, so as to place them at one’s service and have a supernatural power over others” as “gravely contrary to the virtue of religion.” (2117) If we engage with the occult or other expressions of superstition, what we are really revealing is a lack of trust in God’s goodness.So, let’s set aside all fear today and renew our trust in the One who made us, sustains us, and will love us to the end.

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Asignarle buena o mala suerte a un número, concretamente al número 13, es estar hablando de una superstición y si comenzamos a hablar de supersticiones, hay muchas: en día 13 (como hoy), ni te cases ni te embarques. Pensar en un viernes 13 para muchas personas es sinónimo de desgracias seguras. Romper un espejo trae consigo la mala suerte durante siete años. Pasar debajo de una escalera trae mala suerte.
 Una superstición no es otra cosa que asignarle presuntas fuerzas o poderes contenidos implícitamente a ciertos objetos y que con un gesto o una actitud pueden hacerse activos para alcanzar la felicidad o la desgracia.
 Todas las cosas, los números incluso, han sido creadas por Dios y Dios les ha fijado a cada una de ellas una función muy determinada, por eso se llaman criaturas. Nosotros debemos respetar y alegrarnos con todas esas criaturas y, cómo dice San Ignacio de Loyola: “usar de ellas tanto en cuanto nos ayuden para alcanzar a Dios.”