I did not think Americans were superstitious, but after coming to the US, I realized that some superstitions are universal -- walking under a ladder, keeping a broken mirror at home/breaking a mirror, a black cat crossing your path, and Friday the 13th.
It wasn’t always so for Friday the 13th. There is evidence that both Friday and the number 13 were regarded as indications of good fortune. In pagan times, Friday had a unique association with the divine feminine. The word Friday is derived from Old English meaning "day of Frigg," (a powerful sky goddess in Norse mythology) who was associated with love, marriage and motherhood. She gave protection to homes and families, maintained social order, possessed the art of prophecy, and could bestow or remove fertility. And, the number 13 was regarded as an ominous number by pre-Christian, goddess-worshipping cultures for its link to the number of lunar cycles in a calendar year which also symbolizes feminine power.
However, as Christianity gained momentum in the Middle Ages, its leaders objected to the worship of multiple gods and goddesses, deeming those practices unholy, and branding both the deities and the women who worshiped them as witches. Over time, the number 13 was connected with the Last Supper where Jesus broke bread with the 12 disciples. The 13th guest, Judas Iscariot, was the disciple who betrayed Jesus, leading to Jesus’s crucifixion. And, Friday was considered to be the day when Adam and Eve ate the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge; the day Cain murdered Abel; the day the Temple of Solomon was toppled; and the day Noah's ark set sail in the Great Flood.
Even though Friday the 13th still haunts us today, the tide has started to turn, as folk have begun to evaluate the role of misogyny in silencing powerful women throughout history.
Beloveds, as we continue to evolve as humans, I look forward to the rewriting of this and many other narratives that have caused harm to women and Black, Brown and Indigenous People. I also look forward to exploring with you, how God is calling us to play a role in changing those narratives, lifting up voices of those who have been marginalized by the dominant culture, and rewrite our stories in a way that affirms all people, all beliefs, and honor each day as a blessing from God!
