friggatriskaidekaphobia

ezekiel 16:1-15,60,63; Psalm (Is 12) you have turned from your anger; Matthew 19:3-12

Today we celebrate Friday the 13th. For 20 million plus in the world, today brings fear and anxiety. They suffer from a phobia that has been coined as the following, "friggatriskaidekaphobia."

It is a word that wa sinvented 99 years ago containng the greek and norse roots of the words "fear", "friday", and "13", hence we get "friggatriskaidekaphobia."


The number 13 is considered unlucky. 12 is considered a number of completeness, 12 months, 12 tribes of Israel, 12 hours in the clock, 12 Apostles, 12 eggs in a dozen. For whatever reason, going just a bit beyond completeness does something to the psche and causes anxiety and fear...perhaps it is too much to handle and thus we have the irrational fear of 13.

For whatever reason Friday the 13th seems to double the anxiety and fear of association. It creates a certain repugnance in the psyche...

Yet in the psalm today we hear the prophet speak those words of reassurance, "God indeed is my savior; I am confdent and unafraid."

Friday is far from unlucky. Friday is the day of the crucifixion; it is the day in which God's favor reached down from heaven and rescued us from our rational and irrational fears; friday remains a day in which we remember just how blessed we are.

Friday is the day superstition ended and love is victorious. Love alone now determines our destiny and for this we should leap for joy, break the mirrors, walk under ladders, chase the black cats and hold firm to the gift we have recieved: God anger last a moment but his favor last a lifetime.

Today we also celebrate the International Day of left-handers. There is about 15% of the population who are left-handed and my sister is one of them. Here is a quote i recently came across concenring left-handers: "Did you know? Right-handed people operate with the left side of the brain. Left-handed people operate with right side of the brain. Therefore, only left-handed people are in their right mind!"

Words of Ezekiel
"Yet I will remember the covenant I made with you when you were a girl, and I will set up an everlasting covenant with you, that you may remember and be covered with confusion,a nd that you may be utterly silenced for shame when I pardon you for all you have done, says the Lord."

May we blsuh with shame often and be red in the face as we remember just how merciful is our God.