Kimberly Morales, in this Augustinian reflection from Lima, invites us to look at everyday fears and superstitions with eyes of faith, reminding us that we do not believe in luck but in Providence, and that the Holy Spirit accompanies us even in the most uncertain days.
There are days that come with fame
Friday the 13th. A number, a day, a myth. We were taught it as a warning: “something bad can happen”. And, without realizing it, we let it affect our mood, our decisions… even our prayer. But why do we give so much power to the uncertain? What does our faith say when we live in fear of a number?
Superstition begins when we believe that certain objects, dates or rituals have the power to change our luck or destiny. And although it may seem harmless, it is not.
What does the Church teach about this?
The Catechism of the Catholic Church is clear:
“Superstition is a deviation from the worship we give to the true God. It also manifests itself in the attribution of magical importance to certain practices…” (CCC, 2111).
Believing in superstitions is, without realizing it, reducing our faith to a control mechanism, where the magical replaces the spiritual, and the irrational takes the place of trust.
As Catholics, we do not believe in horoscopes, amulets or “bad luck” days. We believe in the God who is Lord of time, of heaven and of our history. There is no energy stronger than his Spirit.
The heart that believes does not fear
St. Augustine said that “the restless heart rests only in God”. When we believe in superstitions, what we are really doing is looking for certainties outside of God. But faith is not magic. Faith is an act of love, a trusting abandonment to the One who sustains everything, even when we understand nothing.
Pentecost: not signs, but Spirit
We are in the week of Pentecost. While the world looks for answers in charts, signs or astrological portals, we receive the Holy Spirit, source of Wisdom and Counsel.
He does not bring luck: he brings presence.
He does not predict the future: he walks with you to build it.
He does not need esoteric rituals: it is enough for you to open your heart to him.
It’s not Friday: it’s the emptiness that we carry
Many times it is not the day that has “bad energy”, but our heart: exhausted, without direction, looking for signs where what we really need is to return to the inner silence where God speaks.
St. Augustine reminds us:
“Do not go outside, return to your inner self: within man dwells the truth”(Confessions, Book X).
Faith is more than a shield, it is a light.
Believing is not only protection: it is transformation. It is to look at the calendar without fear. It is to live each day as a gift. It is knowing that the Spirit who descended at Pentecost dwells in you, not so that you may flee from the world, but so that you may love it with truth.
Today is not a day of fear. It is a day to remember that our trust is not in numbers or symbols, but in the God who first loved us (1 Jn 4:19).
Because we do not believe in luck. We believe in Providence.