How superstitious are you?
In this episode of “The Catholic Talk Show,” Ryan Scheel and Ryan Dellacrosse reveal the little-known Catholic connection to some of our most common superstitions! Here’s what’s really behind these beliefs:
1. Burying St. Joseph
Ever heard of burying a St. Joseph statue to sell your house faster? While it might seem like a harmless plea to the patron of home and family, Scheel explains how “you’re reducing St. Joseph to a statue to ‘magically’ control the outcome.” Instead, the guys say we should find more dignified ways to seek the saint’s intercession that the Church encourages, like praying a Novena to St. Joseph.
2. Crossing Your Fingers
Crossing fingers is a gesture many of us might use to wish for luck, but originally, it was a way for early Christians to identify each other and show solidarity during times of persecution. Scheel explains how “a lot of times it would be a secret way of showing people that you are Christian because you’re making a cross.” For those who couldn’t stand up to persecution, they’d also cross their fingers behind their back “to still maintain that they don’t believe what they’re doing.”
3. Avoiding Ladders
Avoiding walking under a ladder might seem like common sense for safety reasons, but the practice actually stems from the ladder’s formation of a triangle when leaned against a wall. The triangle shape was once thought to be reminiscent of the Holy Trinity. “The belief was that by walking through or destroying anything like a triangle, it was an offense to the Trinity,” says Scheel.
The guys say that these superstitions, despite their popularity, pale in comparison to the depth and richness of Catholic teaching. The Church really wants “you to learn how to think naturally and understand concepts that you can bring into theology that illuminate it but also protect you from falling astray,” says Dellacrosse.
Watch the full episode below 👇
What other superstitions can you think of?
