06-13-24

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
June 13, 2024
It is Thursday the 13th of June. Oooo… scary. Ok, it’s not Friday the 13th, but whether Tuesday, Thursday or Friday, the whole notion of 13 being an unlucky number is one of those things that I find strange. With that said, there are many people who take it very seriously, or even those who have a genuine fear of it. Where it started and why it has such a strong resonance with folks, specifically in western culture, is not fully understood. In many ancient communities, the number 12 was a sacred number, and that included Judaism (12 Tribes). Beyond 12, the sacred number, was considered unknown. So it carried with it a sense of dread as one glimpsed beyond and into the ambiguity. Within the Christian community, there were those who suggested that Judas, the one who turned Jesus over to the authories, was the 13th person to arrive at the Last Supper (Jesus and the other 11 made the 12). Of course, there is no reference in scripture to the order of their arrival at the dinner. Here in the United States, the number has been dropping, but twenty years ago, it was estimated that 85% of the tall buildings in the U.S. did not have a 13th floor (of course, they did… the 14th was really the 13th). Symbols, whether they carry with them a positive or a negative quality, are important to us. Our lives are shaped by the symbols to which we have been knowingly or unknowingly giving power. As a young kid, I remember learning the adage, “Step on a crack and break your mother’s back.” Though I laughed that first time, there was also a strange anxiousness wondering if there might be some truth to it. I guess my point in all this rambling is to suggest that we need to choose our symbols cautiously, recognizing that whatever symbol we choose to give power will be the symbol that will guide our thinking and actions. Choose at least one that is life-giving for both you and others.

For all the beautiful symbols found in my faith experience, I pray for them to shape me in your ways, O Jesus of Life and Love. Amen.