January 13, 2023

Dear Friends, 

         Today is Friday the 13^th, scary right? It’s amazing how easily people fall prey to strange superstitions, such as that of Friday the 13^th. A quick search of our friend Mr. Google gives interesting history reason why 13 is unlucky. The origins are both linked to Norse Mythology, but also oddly enough with our own faith. The unluckiness of 13 is also tied to the Last Supper with Christ and His 12 followers, so 13 people in total at the table. Before I continue that statement, I don’t want to forget the Friday being unlucky part come into being sometime in the 19th century, but there is no real reason why. 

         So, if we look at the Last Supper association with that number being unlucky, I will express my confusion as to why this number is unlucky. The Last Supper had to happen for Easter Sunday to occur. We know this. So why would early Christians think that 13 is unlucky? Our redemption story is linked to everything that happened before that day. What happens that night is necessary, and we know this, so it is just odd how that number is turned into something “unlucky” just because. 

         I am not huge on superstitions, I mean my Mom’s back seems to be okay, despite all the cracks I’ve stepped on. My apple eating has not kept the doctor away, in fact some weekends, they just won’t stop talking to me. We need to take some of these superstitions with a grain of salt.  Don’t even get me started on the spilled salt, toss over shoulder thing. I used to work in a restaurant, that’s just weird and messy.

         I feel that before we fall prey to certain things, we really need to do our own research. However, there is that small caveat of making sure we are getting information from trusted sources. While I realize, in this day and age, maybe we do not trust certain sources. I am not trying to change opinions on that. If the information you have found is on the 3^rd or 4^th page of a search history, maybe we should think twice about the validity of the source. We should also do the actual research and not just rely on word of mouth. This is how stories spread and superstitions come into play. 

         Today is a good day, a wet day, but a good day. Now if you will excuse me, I am going to go break a few mirrors while dancing under a ladder. 

God Bless, 

Fr. Brian 

P.S. When is it bad luck to have a black cat follow you? When you are a mouse.