Reflection - Superstition

By Steve Hall

https://bible.usccb.org/readings/calendar
Acts 1:15-17, 20-26
John 15:9-17

Some nonsense actually does make sense, like not walking underneath a ladder to avoid bad luck — especially true if there’s a workman up above. Some nonsense is marginal, like bad luck following the breaking of a mirror. It would seem that that really depends upon whose mirror it is — or was. Then, of course, some nonsense is just that: nonsense. At this point there’s a multitude of examples such as expectations about ‘Friday, the 13th,’ ‘knocking on wood’, or ‘finding a horseshoe.’

My grandmother and some of her siblings — the one’s I knew — still carried some Old World superstitions such as not lighting three from one match or that deaths and airplane crashes always happened in threes. Some of these kind of beliefs may, at one time, have had a logical, reasonable or cultural foundation. Often, that origin has been forgotten and the subsequent beliefs degenerated into what we classify as superstitions. Others were just conjured up for someone’s satisfaction.

Still, there are some things in the Bible that we might be tempted to identify as superstitions. Up until the time of King David two small objects known as the Urim and the Thummim were occasionally and cautiously used to determine the will of God. The Biblical references are such that, if we read any reference to them at all, we might easily pass over them as another Scriptural language peculiarity. In all probability they were somewhat along the line of a pair of dice, and used similarly.

But then there are other Biblical accounts which may strike us as indications of superstitious beliefs. The story of Gideon offers some examples. Here is one.

“Then Gideon said to God, ‘If you will deliver Israel by my hand, as you have said, behold, I am laying a fleece of wool on the threshing floor; if [come morning] there is dew on the fleece alone, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that you will deliver Israel by my hand, as you have said.’" (Judges 6:36-37)

Superstition?

And in today’s readings we have the following record from Acts.

“And they prayed and said, ‘Lord, you know the hearts of all men, show which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside, to go to his own place.’ And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthi'as; and he was enrolled with the eleven apostles.”

Superstition?

Those who believe in no god or only in a detached god would probably say: ‘Yes, that is superstition.’

They are relying on an ordinary definition of the word. Superstition is a belief or practice resulting from ignorance, fear of the unknown, trust in magic or chance, or a false conception of causation.’ In this case they would say that Peter and the group were trusting in chance. If it were so then, yes, it would be superstition. But such was not the case. The followers of Jesus were trusting in the God they knew; they were asking that he make his will known.

The disciples’ example in this instance is worth considering when we think about our own practice of prayer. There are many whose practice of prayer more closely resembles superstitious practices than it does true Christian prayer. If I only pray long enough. . . If I only pray with the right words. . . If I only have enough faith. . . If I had only prayed sooner. . . If I only I were a better person. . . If only . . . .

There are many New Testament passages about prayer. Consider just a few.

• “Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.” (Matthew 18:19)
  
• “And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith." (Matthew 21:22)
  
• “And I tell you, Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” (Luke 11:9)
  
• “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you.”(John 15:7)a
  
• “Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask anything of the Father, he will give it to you in my name.” (John 16:23)
  

It’s interesting that in reading these, or any one of the many others for that matter, we find no reference to praying long enough, or using the right words, or praying in a timely manner, or being a better person. We do find two things. First, we must actually have faith, expecting that God can and will hear us. Prayer is not a last resort or an emergency contact. Rather, it should function as a part of our day-to-day lifestyle. Second, it is essential that our prayer be brought to the Father through our union with Christ. What does this mean? Well, we actually include it often enough when we pray, though we must ask how often we do so when our prayers are petitions. Jesus gives us the mind-set which must be ours in prayer. Without doubt he had little by way of a positive attitude toward his upcoming suffering and death as he prayed in the Garden.

“And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, ‘My Father, if it be possible, let this chalice pass from me;” nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.’" (Matthew 26:39)

In John’s Gospel he repeatedly states that he has come to do the Father’s will; he has come to live a human life even if that means his death. We pray similarly when we say the words “thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” If we are to pray with the mind-set of Christ then our prayer must always include include that phrase. Correspondingly,

• If two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them
  
• Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
  
• ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you.
  
• if you ask anything of the Father, he will give it to you in my name.

Ask, but always with the mind-set that affirms not as I will, but as you will.

You will be answered, and that’s not superstition.