February 1, 2013 – Catechism 2110 – 2117

Superstition is a very tricky issue.  I am not very solid on where the line is drawn.  I wear a crucifix every day and kiss it before I put it on and when I take it off.  Is that superstitious?  I don’t do it for good luck, but as a reminder to me and a graceful protection against sin.  It is a crucifix that has been blessed by the pope.  But I can see some seeing it as a superstition.  We have a guardian angel clip in the van and a crucifix hanging from the rear view mirror.  Where is the difference between that and the person that won’t drive unless they have a certain radio station on (haven’t heard of anyone actually doing that, just what popped into my head).  I sometimes worry that what I do is a superstition instead of a prayer, but I don’t know exactly how to know when it splits from one into the other.  With the big game this weekend, it is something to wonder about and also to monitor for yourself if you are a person who is prone to superstitious actions. 

And we must watch ourselves with horoscopes.  I don’t know if reading them by themselves is sinful, but relying on them in any real sense is and leads to, like it states in the paragraph, us not relying on God.  This comes up in my mind when we go to the Chinese buffet and get the fortune cookies.  Most cookies now don’t actually have a prediction but they are more like life advise type things.  But the last one I had was a very specific prediction, which made me uncomfortable and excited.  It isn’t affecting my life, but has stuck with me, and I don’t know how that actually makes me feel.  It said something like, it will be a good day for you 3 months from today.  Like I said, it was really specific. 

There was also a lot of talk about how Catholics were supposed to handle Harry Potter because of the whole witchcraft aspect of it.  I don’t think it is wrong to read a fictional story about witchcraft (there were others objections based on the actions of the characters that had nothing to do with witchcraft which some also protested).  What a Catholic cannot do is try to practice it for themselves to try and do something supernatural, even good.  I did read the books, but then again I was older.  But, I grew up in the Star Wars era and I remember on more than one occasion trying to move something with the “force” just to see if I could.  I can see a lot of young people trying to experiment with witchcraft because of Harry Potter, but it is a very hard question to answer.  I see arguments on both sides and will not judge anyone for their decision, as long as it is a well thought out one and they are informed.  I would disagree with the parent who gives their child Harry Potter not knowing anything about it just because it is popular.