Thirteen

Most buildings don't have a 13th floor.
"$700-$800 million dollars are lost every Friday the 13th because of people's refusal to travel, purchase major items or conduct business."
Although the Thirteenth Club was established to dispel number 13's superstition and includes five U.S. presidents, triskaidekaphobia still abounds.

Triskaidekaphobia.
Fear of the number 13.
In 1700 BC, Hammurabi had it because his code omits number 13.

On the 13th in the month of Adar, approximately 480 BC, the Jews were scheduled for execution by the scheming Haman. Esther, the beautiful (and unknown Jewess) queen, urged her people to pray and fast. She herself put away her royal garments and perfume, prayed, and fasted.

After three days, Esther put on her finest attire and approached the royal throne. No one was allowed to see King Xerxes without being invited. He was indignant but miraculously spared her life. She invited him and Haman to dinner that night.

"Now what is my queen's request?" King Xerxes asked.
"If it pleases you, let you and Haman come again to another banquet I will prepare tomorrow," Esther replied.

That night, the king could not sleep and ordered a history of his reign to be read to him. He discovered that Mordecai, Esther's uncle, had once saved his life and had not been rewarded. The next morning, King Xerxes commanded Haman to bestow orders on Mordecai.

"Again, what is your request? If you wish for half the kingdom, it is yours," King Xerxes asked again at the second banquet. At this point, Esther revealed Haman's hypocrisy and her nationality. In a rage, King Xerxes executed Haman on the gibbet that Haman wanted to kill Mordecai and revoked the decree of extermination against the Jewish nation. (Book of Esther)

In our own times, beginning on May 13, 1917, there was the beginning of six apparitions of Mary in Fatima, Portugal. Some say these are deceptions or hoaxes.
In the last apparition, October 13, 1917, more than 70,000 people including communists and atheists, saw the sun twirl in the sky, radiate colors, and descend to the earth. This event was reported in the New York Times and newspapers around the world.

Mary came with the message, "Repent, pray, and do penance so that there may be peace."
Many will view this message with the same joking condescension as triskaidekaphobia.
For how many of us have seen more world peace?

And how many of us have started to live Mary's message?

Photo credit: http://photos.igougo.com/pictures-photos-p291802-Our_Lady_of_Fatima.html
More on Our Lady of Fatima: http://www.fatima.org/
More on the history of the 13th:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Life with Ashes

Image
It was time to move. Goodbye to Allen Parkway and hello to Florin Wood. Our family was moving from Houston to Sacramento. This was over 20 years ago and the day comes back with ashes. And a smell. My dad had piled all our old clothes, furniture, and knick knacks into a huge heap in front of our yard. He poured gasoline generously and lighted it with a smile. My mom looked on regretfully. All seven of us kids were delighted with the dancing flames. The neighbors didn't care. We lived in what they called the ghetto part of the world and since we were not shooting at anyone, we were okay. "We're starting a new life," my dad reassured mom as our van entered the highway. "No need to hang on the old stuff." "It was pretty dinky, wasn't it?" my mom replied hesitantly. Our years in Houston were our first years living in the United States, far away from the land of our origin, Vietnam. What dad burnt was the few possessions we accumulated fro
Read more

Teddy Bear

Image
"Dear God, I love you so much, I want to give you everything. You can have my Mom, my Dad, my sister, my teddy bear. No, I take it back. You can have everyone, but I want to keep my teddy bear." Love, Little Boy. Fr. Roch hardly lost a beat in his lecture of sin as he told his joke. Sin is putting ourselves above God. Not willing to let go. In actuality, God never wants everything. He just wants the teddy bear. What we think is necessary. Photo source: www.funkyfriendsfactory.com
Read more

Bingo!

Image
Sisters at Salerno's Artichoke Lucia.  Baked with Italian cheeses and breadcrumbs. Grilled fillet salmon on a bed of blanched spinach and mushrooms, topped with pine nuts. 8oz. marinated and charbroiled steak topped with sauteed mushrooms; served over linguine. Saturday night at Salerno's. It was time to "open community." Every year we choose a venue to celebrate the beginning of our time together as a religious community.  This year the venue chose us. "Bingo!" An almost audible gasp escaped from the surrounding tables. Sr. Leslie Thu at our table had won another bingo game. A Knight of Columbus member handed her a sealed envelope. Her eyebrows arched in delight. It was a $50 Walmart gift card. We cleared our cards and another round started. It was the Knights of Columbus Sisters Appreciation Luncheon. It was on a early Sunday afternoon. They had sent the invitation two months ago. Sr. Jacinta Ngân had "highly encouraged"
Read more